By Fiorella Boda
My name is Fiorella and I am currently studying Economics. Originally, I am Albanian, however I was born in Italy and moved to the UK in 2015, hoping to pursue a better education and live the London dream.
When I moved here, understanding the education system with my intermediate level of English was one of the biggest challenges. I was 17 and unable to start my A-levels due to Italy not releasing any form of international certificate between the age of 14-19. If there is one thing I want you to understand before applying to school/university in the UK, it is ensuring you possess the right certificate for enrolment into school/ college/ university.
So, I had to take my GCSEs and then I passed my Biology, Chemistry and Maths A-levels.
The applications process to both college and university were very straightforward and the staff were really helpful during this journey. Before starting the last year of college, I would advise you to make a list of universities that you would like to apply to and note the entry requirements for each one. If you are European, make sure you obtain your settlement status, as it would facilitate your application process.
Let’s talk about the hardest part of my university application: the personal statement. While it may seem straightforward, explaining why you want to study a particular course and how it fits with your skills can actually be difficult. You want your passion for the course/subject to show throughout your personal statement. For example, during my penultimate year in college I attended several lectures, courses and debates about economics and I mentioned all of them in my personal statement.
As a science student, I was not sure if I was going to be accepted to an economics course, but I did not let this stop me and I actually used it to my advantage. I mentioned the skills I gained whilst studying chemistry and biology and I explained to the admissions officer how these skills would help me to be successful during my economic course.
As non-native English speaker, it was even harder, but finding the right people to help you during the process will make it easier. Do not be afraid to ask for help from your tutor or classmates. You and your friends could check each other's work every 2 weeks, they might be able to find some grammar mistakes you had not noticed.
My teachers helped me a lot and we went through my personal statement countless times – do not worry if you do not get it right the first time!
Finally, make sure you do not burn yourself out and balance your school work with other commitments. All of the hard work during school and application forms will eventually pay off. Good luck ☺
If you're struggling, ALSA have a personal statement template you can find here!
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