Moving from the USA and taking every opportunity at Salford: Ava's story

"I selected the university of Salford for a variety of reasons including the length of course. I was clear that I wanted to graduate in 3 years. The UK offers a range of courses lasting 3 years, unlike America where the average course length is 4 years. 

In addition to the course length, I chose the University because of its proximity to Manchester and financial aid to international students. I wanted to be near Manchester and the University of Salford was a perfect fit because of its beautiful and expansive campus minutes away from the city centre. 

The Global Gold and Silver Excellence scholarships provided to students with high academic records were an added advantage. This help was very attractive and matched with my academic status as the Salutatorian of my school, an academic title given to the second highest-ranked graduate in an American high school."

"The curriculum at Salford has been wonderful. The course is a blend of lectures and seminars with 2-3 full days on campus each week. I love the flexibility of the schedule as it helps me in balancing my social life as well as the academics. Another great thing about the University are my tutors. I was amazed with their welcoming nature and quick response to any questions during a lecture or over email. 

Another significantly interesting and memorable academic experience I’ve had was the trip to Vietnam. This trip was organised as a part of the University of Salford’s partnership with the British University of Vietnam. I was selected, along with nine other business and law students, to travel to Vietnam. The trip was completely paid for because I was the top of my course. This weeklong trip was a life changing experience. I was able to see Confucious temples, visit the mountain provinces, network with ambassadors and professors, and experience a culture which is so different from my own. It was truly the most memorable and adventurous trip as a part of my course." 

"I have had some interesting learnings throughout my course. Through the Internship module, I was able to secure two internships with the help of the University’s Careers and Enterprise team. I worked as a Sustainability Analysis Intern and a Business Development Analyst. These placements have supported me in gaining an understanding of communication, conflict resolution, and leadership. These experiences also improved my CV and built credibility for my future employers. I was also able to secure a part-time corporate role at a logistics company. This particularly benefited me to get invaluable work experience while studying.

The course has helped me by honing my research and presentation skills. I have far more academic sources and my presentation skills have never been stronger. The two internships I was able to secure gave me valuable industry experience. Through my Sustainability internship, I was able to analyse real world environmental problems and drafted in-depth reports. This brushed up my research and critical analysis skills. On the other side, the Business Development internship taught me how to analyse CRM patterns and how to use AI to optimise marketing. Both internships have improved my skill set and I aim to incorporate them in my personal life and my future career."

"I am settling in well in the UK. I like Mexican food, but I am getting used to the variety of food choices available here. One interesting thing that I love about UK is Pancake Day, celebrated in February/March time every year. Traditionally Pancake day was created to use up rich ingredients like eggs and milk before Lent begins, but now it is a widespread day where pancakes are eaten across the UK. As the chef of my friend group, I love having friends over to cook fluffy chocolate chip pancakes and savour the day.  

I have been very involved in Salford Ultimate Frisbee Club and after a year I became the Women’s Captain! I started in October of 2023 and even ended up winning my first ever tournament! It has been such a blast coming down and practicing for a couple hours every Friday evening. The bonds I have made while playing in tournaments all around the UK are ones I won’t forget."

"My most memorable non-academic experience was a trip to Barcelona for my birthday. Having travelled to eighteen countries already, I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. The advantage of studying in the UK is that flights to Europe are generally inexpensive, and travel is far more accessible here than in the USA. I saw the Sagrada Familia, ate empanadas, and went to the beach almost every day in Barcelona! The best thing about living in Salford is the accessibility of the location. 

I like being just a quick bus journey away from Manchester. My location in Salford is in commutable distance to Lidl, Aldi, and Tesco, which makes grocery trips super convenient. With plenty of charity shops nearby, thrifting opportunities are awesome. I’m also close to a Pure Gym and quite a few restaurants. I like the seamless experience of travelling anywhere around. 

As soon as I graduate, I plan to find a graduate job and travel as much as I can. I don’t know how exactly life pans out after graduation, but I am so excited to find out!"