Every single day starts with a new challenge for us, however what better challenge to take on than studying abroad!

I thought to myself, not only is a study abroad experience beneficial for my CV, but also the experience would surely help me to learn new things about myself and about the world. Picking the perfect place to have that growth experience that I was craving was not an easy task. I applied to numerous universities across the UK and hoped for the best… and don’t get me started on the visa application, which varies depending on your home country, but is still a long process regardless of where you are from.

There’s a lot of uncertainty from the moment that you send your documents, but hang in there, read carefully and make sure that you apply exactly what they’ve asked for.

I will tell you my story but promise to keep it short. Luck was in my favor and I found Bournemouth University. I took a look into the program description and seen that the structure of it was critical analysis, clinical skills and intervention theories, caught my attention. Applying from abroad was smooth as butter, just follow t

he instructions and you will be fine. The whole university community is there to help you, from personal topics to finance or your career. I know that it sounds like a “cliché” but they truly are, you just need to ask. I’m not gonna lie, before I came to the UK, I felt a mix of excitement and fear. I was bombarded with a ton of questions: Will I live up to my expectations for myself? Will I succeed in this new adventure? Am I enough?

The moment that I stepped on Bournemouth University Talbot campus, I realized that the answer to all my questions is “Yes, you can. Only if you keep pushing”. During the first week of uni there’s a lot of activities, seminars, talks, and even a club and societies day. You’ll eventually find friends with your same interests, just keep on the look out.

I knew that positive experiences would come my way, but I never imagined that BU would have this warm of a welcome for me. I didn’t feel like an outcast but be prepared to have some “cultural shocks”. There’s a lot of diversity and you are part of that. Don’t be ashamed of that, embrace it.

As a psychology student, if you are thinking of joining this program, take into account that placements are really competitive but they’re worth applying for. Go through the program specifications and see if your career goals and interests link with what is available. If you are worried about the lectures, feeling like you don’t know enough, please don’t stress! Everyone comes from different contexts and backgrounds, and can contribute in so many different ways, so you always have something valuable to give.

I been studying since September of 2025, and until the date, I haven’t double guess my decision of coming to BU. The whole experiences if so fruitful. The qualities of the academic body and my piers have made me embrace my strengths and work on my not very strong capacities to overcome. The spaces given by the Uni are so joyful. And it’s not far from the beach!

Don’t forget, sometimes you can feel that you are not living at your max, and that’s fine. But let me give you a lovely nugget of life that a movie that I love once said “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that is why it’s called the present.”