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Lucia from argentina student profile

Student Profile

About me

Name: Lucia
Course: Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine MRes
Study mode: Full time
Where I’m from: Argentina

Choosing Newcastle

I decided to improve my English and that’s why I chose to look for a postgraduate course in the UK. Deciding on Newcastle University was easy, given the amount of high impact research that is being done here, and the city itself was what appealed most to me. I didn’t want to go to a big and expensive city, but at the same time I wanted to go to a respected university.

Studying at Newcastle

I would most definitely recommend not only my course, but also the University itself to anyone thinking about studying in the UK. Teachers and lecturers have a deep understanding on the latest developments in Bioscience and they are most helpful in guiding you through the transition from being a student to becoming an academic researcher. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to study and learn from professionals in the field.

My undergraduate degree was very different from this MRes. We had four or five modules in each semester, with partial examinations every two months or so. If the average of these two was good enough, students could be exempted from sitting for the final exam. So as you can see, the system itself is much different from an MRes (which composes of predominantly taught modules in the first semester, and your research project in the latter part of the year).

Our class-size differs too, given that there are fewer than eight students per module. I’m not saying that either system is better than the other, because my previous degree was at undergraduate level, and this is a postgraduate degree, especially given the fact that it is a research degree, has a major emphasis on research and self-study.

The University itself provides loads of opportunities outside the course (jobs, societies, sports, volunteering, and social activities) that we didn’t have back home in Buenos Aires.

Postgraduate community

I feel part of the postgraduate community and I really enjoy our common rooms and networking opportunities – such as meeting people during the Welcome Week, interacting with professors and lecturers, and getting to know people on my course. I’ve interacted and made friends with people from different postgraduate programmes through the Welcome Week and my accommodation, something which I believe broadens the whole experience of being abroad as a student.

Funding my studies

I contacted the University many times through email in order to find out about any funding or scholarship options for me. The staff were very polite and responded very quickly too. I wouldn’t have applied if I hadn’t received this information beforehand.

My family helped me with some of the tuition fees, and I’ve got a Santander Latin America Scholarship, which contributed £5,000 towards my tuition fees.

Career aspirations

I would like to continue my studies with a PhD, and I believe that this MRes will help me to get used to a research career, not only by giving me the information on the modules that interest me, but also by giving me experience of researching and thinking critically.

Accommodation

I’m living in University accommodation and I couldn’t be happier. It was difficult trying to decide which accommodation to choose just looking at the accommodation website, but I was reassured by the knowledge that the Accommodation Service is always trying to help students to get as comfortable as they can.

I got my first choice accommodation, Grand Hotel, and I was pleasantly surprised when I found a clean and stylish apartment. I am very comfortable here, the location is amazing (near the city centre and campus – everything is within walking distance!), and I absolutely love my floor mates.

I wanted to be in postgraduate accommodation and be able to meet with other international students as well, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s good to come home to a warm, comfortable place and spend time with your new friends. 

Living in Newcastle

Newcastle is an amazing city that’s very well connected and has amazing scenery nearby. The train and Metro can take you anywhere you need, either a short Metro ride to the coast or a couple of hours to major cities in the UK. Plus, the people here are so friendly that you feel safe wandering around the streets and can ask for directions or help if you need it.

The cultural life is great, with lots of things to discover! I would most definitely recommend Newcastle to anyone visiting the UK.

Remembering Newcastle

The highlight of my experience so far has been meeting other international students and finding an amazing top of the line institution with so much impactful research in the biosciences.