Study abroad or placement year abroad?

5

I have offers from Manchester and Birmingham for Biochemistry with 1 key difference. Manchester offered me a year abroad to do research (basically work abroad), Birmingham offered a year of studying abroad. Both would be in France. Which would be more beneficial?

Reply 1

Chester Student

12

Original post

by ezikialbean

I have offers from Manchester and Birmingham for Biochemistry with 1 key difference. Manchester offered me a year abroad to do research (basically work abroad), Birmingham offered a year of studying abroad. Both would be in France. Which would be more beneficial?

Hi there,

To cut it short, both study and work abroad are beneficial.

I studied abroad last year, and can't talk enough about it. It's extremely valuable for your resume, and allows you to learn in a completely different environment, from a different perspective to your own, and live in a new place, all while gaining a range of new skills. Work abroad is just as valuable for your resume, and can provide you with similar skills, but your experiences will be different. It may help you down the line to secure employment abroad too, especially if you gained strong connections during your time there.

Therefore, it comes down to what you'd prefer. Would you be interested in being a student at a new university, or would you be more interested in using that time to gain work experience? Depending on your long-term career and personal goals, which do you think would be more beneficial for you?

This decision is made up of personal preferences, future goals, and a lot of research. It can be helpful to learn more about those that have embarked on a study or work abroad experience though, so maybe you can find them through UniBuddy for Manchester and Birmingham to ask them more about their experiences?

I hope this helps,

Isabella
Fourth-Year Geography (with a Year Abroad)

Reply 2

University of Bradford

Official Rep

18

Original post

by ezikialbean

I have offers from Manchester and Birmingham for Biochemistry with 1 key difference. Manchester offered me a year abroad to do research (basically work abroad), Birmingham offered a year of studying abroad. Both would be in France. Which would be more beneficial?

Hey @ezikialbean how are you? 🤗

Congrats on the offers, that's amazing news! Both options sound great. Just thought I'd check in and see if you'd made a decision or managed to speak to both unis and/or it's students to weigh up both options?

Becky

Reply 3

SoasRepMK

Official Rep

5

Original post

by ezikialbean

I have offers from Manchester and Birmingham for Biochemistry with 1 key difference. Manchester offered me a year abroad to do research (basically work abroad), Birmingham offered a year of studying abroad. Both would be in France. Which would be more beneficial?

Both options are valuable, and like a previous commenter mentioned, it really depends on your goals. If you want to deepen your academic knowledge, a study year abroad might be best, but if you're looking to gain hands-on experience and enhance employability, I’d personally go for the research year abroad. Having practical experience during university is crucial, and getting to do this in France could really set you apart in the future.

I’m a final-year Arabic student, and I did a year abroad in Jordan, which was one of the best experiences of my life. It not only improved my language skills but also gave me independence, adaptability, and cultural awareness—all of which are valuable for any career. There's a student blog about the year abroad experience at SOAS that gives great insight into what it’s like: https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/blogs/east-london-amman-my-year-abroad-jordan

Whichever option you go for, I'd highly recommend reaching out to students from Manchester or Birmingham who have already done that abroad through platforms like UniBuddy. They can give you first-hand insights on what the experience is actually like and help you make the best choice!

Marjan Karim
SOAS Student Rep

Reply 4

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

18

Original post

by ezikialbean

I have offers from Manchester and Birmingham for Biochemistry with 1 key difference. Manchester offered me a year abroad to do research (basically work abroad), Birmingham offered a year of studying abroad. Both would be in France. Which would be more beneficial?

Hi @ezikialbean

I'm a biochemistry student and had a placement year working in industry as part of my degree - although I wasn't abroad. I found that year working incredibly useful for improving my lab skills, growing my confidence, and figuring out what I want to do next in terms of my studies/career. I was also a little burnt out and working a 9-5 was a surprisingly refreshing change of routine! I learnt how to manage my time much better and massively improved my sleep schedule. Final year has also been much easier now I've gain this extra experience.

However, both options are great opportunities, good luck with your choice!
Rebecca (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Reply 5

ezikialbean

OP

5

Original post

by University of Bradford

Hey @ezikialbean how are you? 🤗
Congrats on the offers, that's amazing news! Both options sound great. Just thought I'd check in and see if you'd made a decision or managed to speak to both unis and/or it's students to weigh up both options?
Becky

I have decided to put Manchester as my 1st choice, and Birmingham as my second!

Study abroad or placement year abroad?

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