Northumbria or Salford

hi everyone I'm a student from hong kong!

I have received conditional offers from Northumbria and Salford for studying physio in the coming Sept. Before I make the final decision on which uni to enter, I would like to seek advice from anyone who is studying or has studied at either one of these 2 uni.

I don't wanna choose just by looking at their rankings. I actually wanna explore more about the student life there, such as physio's teaching quality, learning experience, making friends, the environment, etc. Basically anything you think it's worth noting before I enter that uni?

After all, my ultimate goal is to gain more exposure and life experiences abroad in the UK so these actually matter a lot, besides academic studies haha

hi everyone I'm a student from hong kong!

I have received conditional offers from Northumbria and Salford for studying physio in the coming Sept. Before I make the final decision on which uni to enter, I would like to seek advice from anyone who is studying or has studied at either one of these 2 uni.

I don't wanna choose just by looking at their rankings. I actually wanna explore more about the student life there, such as physio's teaching quality, learning experience, making friends, the environment, etc. Basically anything you think it's worth noting before I enter that uni?

After all, my ultimate goal is to gain more exposure and life experiences abroad in the UK so these actually matter a lot, besides academic studies haha

Hi @NatCheng,
Congratulations on your conditional offers! I bet you are super happy!
I am a 2nd year physiotherapy student at the University of Salford so thought I might be able to give you some information about the uni and the course!

I found that rankings aren't always as important for physiotherapy course or the prestige of the uni, when I was looking for courses I focused on the student support and the gut feeling of the university. At the end of the day its not all about the course either, the uni will be where you are for 3 years!! My tip is to have a look at student satisfaction scores as they tell you how previous students found the course.

1. The teaching, in my opinion, is great! The tutors are super supportive and happy to put on extra sessions, etc. if you are struggling. During the pandemic I have had many teams calls with tutors to help with concepts, and they are putting on extra sessions to help with our assignment at the moment. I always say it is like a little family on my course and having that bond with your tutors makes learning so much easier and fun.
2. Making friends is scary wherever you are, but everyone's in the same boat. Freshers was a great time to meet people, or societies! My best tip here is just put yourself out there and you will meet more people. Making friends on the course is super easy as you spend a lot of time together and as weird as it sounds due to the amount of physical touch you get close quickly. We like to plan socials through the course, and they are always super fun.
3. Salford is only a little city, but Manchester is great for all kinds of experiences! There is music for everyone's taste, all sorts of restaurants, activities. I am still exploring and its amazing. You also have the Quays which is where the BBC and ITV are held. They have cute restaurants there too and it is where you will graduate. Also Manchester is only a 5 min train ride, or 20 min walk into the city centre. If you are looking to explore England it has great train links and we also have an airport for when everything open ups again, so exploring Europe is an option.

I hope that gives you an idea of Salford. If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask!

Holly - Student Ambassador

@NatCheng
Well done on your offers! I am very familiar with Salford University, as a lot of my students have gone on to study there. The feedback I have always received from students is that they have had a positive experience. The standard of teaching is impressive, and I have had chance to have a look around the facilities (albeit not for your subject area) and I was very impressed. Student services appear to be great too.

If you are going to be studying in Manchester (salford is just on the edge of it), I'm sure you will make friends at the University of Manchester and MMU too. Manchester is a great city, with a lot of new student accommodation which is worth checking out. Good luck, you'll do great

Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador

Hi Marc thanks for your reply!
I’d also like to know how do you feel about the environment or campus scenery at Salford?
I have been to Manchester before but it was just a day trip to the city centre with my older sister who was studying at uni of York.
Due to time difference and heavy school work I didn’t get the chance to join virtual open days that gave a detailed tour of the uni and I guess it’s hard to judge just by looking up pictures and videos online without making a visit to the uni like you did.
Hong Kong is a densely-populated small city so it’s really hard to find a place with greenery and open spaces. So these are what I’m looking for if I’m studying in the UK, because I wanna try to live in a different environment.

Hi @NatCheng,

I'm sure Holly will be back to give you more information from a student's point of view, but in the meantime, I can tell you that Physio is one of (if not the most) 'global' health sciences courses that we have. The admissions tutors have always been really open to international qualifications and the course has always had students from across Europe and Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Middle East... And because the tutors are interested in 'you' and not just the grades/subjects you're coming with, I really think that's how they foster that family environment that Holly referred to earlier on.

With regards to making friends - a smile goes a long way in those first few days! Whether you're 100 or 10000 miles from home, a friendly face is always a welcome sight. If you're staying in university accommodation, you can usually find your flatmates in advance by joining our applicant group on there (let me know if you need the link) and you will be able to join the International Society too. Cultural differences are normal, but you will learn our little quirks as time goes on, and try not to worry about feeling like an outsider - Salford and Manchester are really multicultural so you're not going to feel out of place, and I expect most of your classmates will be just as interested to learn about life in HK as you are about life in the UK. My top tip, if you can, bring some local candies or snacks to share - food is always a great conversation opener

I've been to HK 3-4 times (I always loved my time there!), and I can confidently say that Salford and Manchester are much more open and definitely greener... The city centre is still bustling, but in general, life is a bit 'slower' - definitely less bright neon lights than Tsim Sha Tsui but our tram system is more modern! Homesickness is perfectly normal, but there's lots of support at the university, and its so easy to stay connected with home these days. Manchester's Chinatown is the second largest in the UK so you'll be able to find food from home in the restaurants and supermarkets there, which always helps a little bit.

I know moving away from home is such a massive step to take, but we're a friendly bunch at Salford (and in NW England in general) and you seem like you really want to make the most of studying in the UK, so I think you'll find we're a great match!

Alison
University of Salford

Hi Holly thanks for your reply!
Just wondering it’s that you who also replied to my other post about Russell group uni?
Anyways it’s good to hear that you are enjoying yourself at Salford! Do you mind if I ask you around how many international students are there in your course?
One of the biggest obstacles that I have to overcome is making friends in a foreign country. I don’t see myself as a super outgoing person or very talkative, especially when I’m with mostly local students. I’m fine talking to locals because I’ve been to the UK for several times but still, it’s kind of awkward to be surrounded by mostly locals. Mainly because I’m afraid that I can’t fit in well because of language barrier, cultural differences and a lot more problems which may give people the feeling that I’m an outsider or something.
But after all, making friends from around the world and exploring different cultures are something I always want to achieve throughout my 3 years at uni so I’ll try my best to overcome my fear!
I hope Salford would be an uni that makes me feel at home and welcome 😆

Hi @NatCheng,
Yes that was me! Small world am I right .
Alison is completely right! I believe there is around 7 international students on my course currently but as they increase the intake there will definitely be more. I obviously cannot speak for them, but I feel like they all fit in really well. I know its not the same but I am from the South of England and it took me a second to get used to Manchester and all the new people. Even if it just the difference in phrases or accents, so it must be a challenge. The North of England are so friendly, they will talk to anyone if they get the chance. There is such a diverse culture in and around Manchester and Salford so I wouldn't worry about not fitting in.

I am sure you will find your people at Salford! We also try get everyone involved in nights out or events we are organising so as long as you want to get involved you'll be absolutely fine! If you are worried, getting involved in group chats and getting to know flatmates and people on your course will definitely help break the ice before you arrive.

We also have a site called Unibuddy. This is a messaging site where you can talk to students from all course at Salford, but also from loads of different countries, etc. So if you want to speak to someone about moving to the UK and how it was making friends it might help ease your fears a little! I've attached the link here if you want it.

I really wish you the best and hope you make the most of university!!

Holly - Student Ambassador