Hi, I am Anh from Vietnam, I recently graduated from MSc Events Management course and I would like to share some of my study abroad experiences at BU.

Firstly, about my master course, I really enjoyed it, it’s not only interesting but also challenging at the same time. My classmates and I had lots of opportunities to team up, plan events, meet sponsors and place bids for events. If not for the sudden appearance of Covid-19, we would have held many memorable and meaningful events. I greatly appreciate the experience the course has provided, which I believe will bring me great value in my future career.

However, some international students from non-native English-speaking country like me, might find some challenges when trying to study and communicate 100% in English, both inside and outside classes. Here I have written down some tips which will hopefully help you:

• If you have any difficulties understanding the lessons, just ask and the teachers will explain carefully to clear your concerns. BU’s lecturers are very supportive and happy to give additional advice on the study projects, so don’t be shy and feel free to discuss with them.
• I think the most important factor to get over this issue is confidence. At first, I had a few difficulties communicating with my classmates, since I am a January cohort while most other students have already known each other since September. However, with the in-class projects that require group work, trying to speak out and share ideas will greatly build up your confidence and help you get to know other people.
• There are also plenty of extracurricular activities at BU that help international students to get involved and make new friends. Joining these events is a good way to extend your network and improve your personal profile. Keep an eye out on BU student life webpage for plenty of options.
• BU’s Skills Development Programme can help you get familiarized with working and studying in an English-speaking environment. They are available and scheduled in advance for students to enrol, from soft skills like team work, to academic skills such as using analysis software to do research. So, with these, study life at Uni got much easier!

And most importantly, throughout the course, I was guided by my subject teachers and the course leader Dr Julie Whitfield. The individual counselling sessions with her helped me a lot to smoothly manage the work-life balance at Bournemouth. Besides, she also updates the students with great programs, like charity activities, course-related part-time opportunities or interesting events that we may join to improve our experience during the completion of the course.Especially, with her dedicated guidance and support during the process of doing the dissertation, I was able to achieve good results for my Master degree and I am very grateful for that!

All in all, while my experience at Bournemouth University was interrupted by the pandemic, BU shows me how to work and develop in a diverse environment and allowed me to meet amazing people. Thank you for reading this and I hope that by sharing my experience it will give you some insights into the international study life at this school!