Uni advice (Sheffield, York, Leicester questions+ Uni general questions)
Hi I am a yr 13 who applied to these as my main 3 options (the other two are Coventry (no thanks on 2nd thought) and Lancaster (middle of nowhere so no on 2nd thought)) to study International Relations and got offers for all of them. I got the offers of BBB at both York and Leicester and AAB at Sheffield. I am very very without any idea of the nature of these universities or university and student life as a whole as I am an immigrant to the UK and neither of my parents went to uni here. Whilst I'm yet to go to the offer days and plan to, I was just curious about a few things:
- What are the exams/work throughout the year like?
- What are the classes like/are they at all debate based or mostly theory like A level pol with the ideologies topic and the more technical bits with gov?
- What is student life in general like vibes wise? Best places to hang?
- Best societies/events? What is Fresher's week like?
- What is the accommodation like and is there a best one? (We recently went for a tour of Sheffield Uni and my mum hated the accommodation (and instead glazed Coventry which was admittedly very nice but again no thanks) and whilst it was small i could make it work I was just curious as the experience/advice of others anyway)
- A more general question; what is a placement year like? I understand the idea and premise but is it like an internship wherein you may or may not get paid? Or is it like a job? Also does application come in 1st or 2nd year?
- More generally, what are some tips you'd give regarding student life and life at uni?
any help with any of these questions would be greatly appreciated thanks for reading
- What are the exams/work throughout the year like?
- What are the classes like/are they at all debate based or mostly theory like A level pol with the ideologies topic and the more technical bits with gov?
- What is student life in general like vibes wise? Best places to hang?
- Best societies/events? What is Fresher's week like?
- What is the accommodation like and is there a best one? (We recently went for a tour of Sheffield Uni and my mum hated the accommodation (and instead glazed Coventry which was admittedly very nice but again no thanks) and whilst it was small i could make it work I was just curious as the experience/advice of others anyway)
- A more general question; what is a placement year like? I understand the idea and premise but is it like an internship wherein you may or may not get paid? Or is it like a job? Also does application come in 1st or 2nd year?
- More generally, what are some tips you'd give regarding student life and life at uni?
any help with any of these questions would be greatly appreciated thanks for reading
Reply 1
20
Sheffield has a solid reptation for all its Politics courses - and this is far more important than what the accommodation looks like and what your Mum thinks. Remember you will only be living in this for 3 terms, and there will be far more student accomodation available in Sheffield than you saw at an Open Day. You will probably be invited to Offer Holder visit days at these Unis - go. This is your opportunity to look around more critically, to ask all of your supplementary questions about the course and placements etc and to talk to current students about Freshers, social life, and what they like about being at that Uni.
Original post
by ImProbablyWrongHi I am a yr 13 who applied to these as my main 3 options (the other two are Coventry (no thanks on 2nd thought) and Lancaster (middle of nowhere so no on 2nd thought)) to study International Relations and got offers for all of them. I got the offers of BBB at both York and Leicester and AAB at Sheffield. I am very very without any idea of the nature of these universities or university and student life as a whole as I am an immigrant to the UK and neither of my parents went to uni here. Whilst I'm yet to go to the offer days and plan to, I was just curious about a few things:
- What are the exams/work throughout the year like?
- What are the classes like/are they at all debate based or mostly theory like A level pol with the ideologies topic and the more technical bits with gov?
- What is student life in general like vibes wise? Best places to hang?
- Best societies/events? What is Fresher's week like?
- What is the accommodation like and is there a best one? (We recently went for a tour of Sheffield Uni and my mum hated the accommodation (and instead glazed Coventry which was admittedly very nice but again no thanks) and whilst it was small i could make it work I was just curious as the experience/advice of others anyway)
- A more general question; what is a placement year like? I understand the idea and premise but is it like an internship wherein you may or may not get paid? Or is it like a job? Also does application come in 1st or 2nd year?
- More generally, what are some tips you'd give regarding student life and life at uni?
any help with any of these questions would be greatly appreciated thanks for reading
- What are the exams/work throughout the year like?
- What are the classes like/are they at all debate based or mostly theory like A level pol with the ideologies topic and the more technical bits with gov?
- What is student life in general like vibes wise? Best places to hang?
- Best societies/events? What is Fresher's week like?
- What is the accommodation like and is there a best one? (We recently went for a tour of Sheffield Uni and my mum hated the accommodation (and instead glazed Coventry which was admittedly very nice but again no thanks) and whilst it was small i could make it work I was just curious as the experience/advice of others anyway)
- A more general question; what is a placement year like? I understand the idea and premise but is it like an internship wherein you may or may not get paid? Or is it like a job? Also does application come in 1st or 2nd year?
- More generally, what are some tips you'd give regarding student life and life at uni?
any help with any of these questions would be greatly appreciated thanks for reading
Hiya,
Congratulations on your offers! I would definitely recommend coming to an Offer Holder day if you can so that you can talk to a few lecturers and some prospective students to get some more specific information about your course but I can try and answer the rest of the questions.
- What are the exams/work throughout the year like?
This can be dependent from course to course but for most courses we have an exam season at the end of each semester so this would be around mid January to early February and then also end of May to start of June. You may also have mini quizzes during the semester and some assignments as well but each module has a different system for coursework and exams. It normally gets busier towards the end of the semester in terms of deadlines but it is still manageable.
- What is student life in general like vibes wise? Best places to hang?
There is quite a busy student life in Sheffield as there are 2 universities in the city centre. In terms of best places, it really depends. Sheffield - Things to Do - here is a list of popular places. My personal favourite is Kelham Island and Devonshire Green as there are lots of independent shops which makes them unique and fun to look around.
- Best societies/events? What is Fresher's week like?
Best societies depends on your interests - we have quite a big sports culture here at Sheffield so every Wednesday, the sports societies have a club night in the SU called ROAR which is very popular. You can have a look through all the society options here: Sheffield - Clubs and Societies. I would definitely recommend going to the Societies Fair during Fresher's week so you can find out more information about each society too see if it is to your liking. During Fresher's Week, there is normally a different event in the SU each day - there is a fresher's fair where companies come with freebies and societies and sports fair alongside part time jobs fair, there is just a lot of different activities on in the SU. Alongside this, you will also have introductory lectures and things within your department to get to know your department a bit better.
- What is the accommodation like and is there a best one?
As accom is subjective too, there is no way to say a best one - depends on the experience you want. I stayed in city accom in first year as it was close to my uni buildings so I liked the proximity to uni and the city centre. In terms of Ranmoor and Endcliffe village, I think most are quite similar but if you do come to an offer holder day, you could ask some students about the choices.
- What is a placement year like? Also does application come in 1st or 2nd year?
Whilst I didn't do one myself, I had a few friends who applied and undertook a placement year. One of my friends felt like she was a real employee in the company and was pushing work to production so it is very much like a job and can get stuck into meaningful work. You normally apply for placement years during the start of your second year (around September time) but companies may be releasing roles throughout the whole year so you can even get onto a placement as late as June.
- More generally, what are some tips you'd give regarding student life and life at uni?
I would definitely say go to as many Give it A Gos as you can and try out different societies (we have around 350 societies at the University of Sheffield!). Give it A Gos normally happen during the first few weeks of each semester where you can try out different societies for free or a lower price compared to what normal sessions would be like - it is a great way to try out new things before committing. I regret not trying more societies and I am going to new events now, even as a 4th year!
Hope that helps and do let me know if you have anymore questions
Jivanthika (4th Year Computer Science and AI student)
Reply 3
Hi!
I'm a final year student at the University of Leicester so I thought I'd try my best to answer some of your questions 🙂
What are the exams/work throughout the year like? What are the classes like?
This will be very dependent on your course. As you've said, the best thing to do will be to go to an offer holder day so you can chat to faculty and current students about the exact course structure. You can always have a look at our International Relations webpage for more information. Generally speaking, we have three semesters each year, with two main exam seasons around Christmas and summer.
What is student life in general like vibes wise? Best places to hang?
Student life in Leicester is very sociable. We have a fantastic student union that hosts over 200 clubs and societies, so there is usually something for everyone. We are one of the only universities to have an O2 Academy venue on campus which regularly hosts very popular student nights. The city of Leicester itself is also great fun, and you will regularly find students hanging out in the local cafes, restaurants and bars. In the summer you can find students studying or hanging out in Victoria Park, which is a lovely green space we have right next to campus.
Best societies/events?
As mentioned above there are loads of societies hosted by the student union. If you don't find one you like you can always start your own! As for which ones are the best, this is obviously personal preference, but typically sports societies are very popular and sociable. Luckily, most societies offer trial periods and give it a go sessions, so you can try out as many new things as you want.
What is Fresher's week like?
Fresher's week is so much fun and a great opportunity to make friends. Typically this week involves loads of social events put on by the student union, as well as the Fresher's fair which is where all of the different societies will advertise themselves and you get a chance to sign up. There's usually lots of freebies and free dominos pizza so it's definitely worth going!
What is a placement year like?
I haven't ever done a placement year, but from my understanding you typically apply during second year and have the opportunity to work in an industry relevant to your degree. I have had friends who have done placement years and some of them have been paid where as some have not been. Either way, it can be a great opportunity to boost your employability after university.
What is the accommodation like and is there a best one?
We have two main accommodation sites at Leicester. There's the Village, which is in a town called Oadby about a 20 minute bus ride from campus (there is a free shuttle bus for students). The buildings here are smaller and have a more rural feel. Oadby itself is a lovely, leafy town, with a botanical garden right next to the accommodation, but still has everything you could need as a student, such as a supermarket, pubs and restaurants. Alternatively we have our City accommodation which consists of high rise buildings right next to our main campus. This is ideal if you like the idea of being able to roll out of bed and head straight to your lecture, as well as being close the the buzz of Leicester city centre. Ultimately, the best thing to do is to come and view both accommodation sites when you come for an Offer Holder day.
What are some tips you'd give regarding student life and life at uni?
I think my biggest tip would be to just get stuck in with as much as possible, whether that's opportunities on your course or clubs/societies and social events. University is such a fantastic opportunity to try new things and develop your skills and interests. Make sure you pace yourself, balance your studying with things you enjoy and make sure you have some basic budgeting skills. Additionally, make sure you can cook a few healthy meals you know you enjoy! Your years at university will absolutely fly by so make sure you make the most of everything!
I hope this helps, please do let me know if you have any other questions about Leicester or university in general.
Frankie (final year medical student)
I'm a final year student at the University of Leicester so I thought I'd try my best to answer some of your questions 🙂
What are the exams/work throughout the year like? What are the classes like?
This will be very dependent on your course. As you've said, the best thing to do will be to go to an offer holder day so you can chat to faculty and current students about the exact course structure. You can always have a look at our International Relations webpage for more information. Generally speaking, we have three semesters each year, with two main exam seasons around Christmas and summer.
What is student life in general like vibes wise? Best places to hang?
Student life in Leicester is very sociable. We have a fantastic student union that hosts over 200 clubs and societies, so there is usually something for everyone. We are one of the only universities to have an O2 Academy venue on campus which regularly hosts very popular student nights. The city of Leicester itself is also great fun, and you will regularly find students hanging out in the local cafes, restaurants and bars. In the summer you can find students studying or hanging out in Victoria Park, which is a lovely green space we have right next to campus.
Best societies/events?
As mentioned above there are loads of societies hosted by the student union. If you don't find one you like you can always start your own! As for which ones are the best, this is obviously personal preference, but typically sports societies are very popular and sociable. Luckily, most societies offer trial periods and give it a go sessions, so you can try out as many new things as you want.
What is Fresher's week like?
Fresher's week is so much fun and a great opportunity to make friends. Typically this week involves loads of social events put on by the student union, as well as the Fresher's fair which is where all of the different societies will advertise themselves and you get a chance to sign up. There's usually lots of freebies and free dominos pizza so it's definitely worth going!
What is a placement year like?
I haven't ever done a placement year, but from my understanding you typically apply during second year and have the opportunity to work in an industry relevant to your degree. I have had friends who have done placement years and some of them have been paid where as some have not been. Either way, it can be a great opportunity to boost your employability after university.
What is the accommodation like and is there a best one?
We have two main accommodation sites at Leicester. There's the Village, which is in a town called Oadby about a 20 minute bus ride from campus (there is a free shuttle bus for students). The buildings here are smaller and have a more rural feel. Oadby itself is a lovely, leafy town, with a botanical garden right next to the accommodation, but still has everything you could need as a student, such as a supermarket, pubs and restaurants. Alternatively we have our City accommodation which consists of high rise buildings right next to our main campus. This is ideal if you like the idea of being able to roll out of bed and head straight to your lecture, as well as being close the the buzz of Leicester city centre. Ultimately, the best thing to do is to come and view both accommodation sites when you come for an Offer Holder day.
What are some tips you'd give regarding student life and life at uni?
I think my biggest tip would be to just get stuck in with as much as possible, whether that's opportunities on your course or clubs/societies and social events. University is such a fantastic opportunity to try new things and develop your skills and interests. Make sure you pace yourself, balance your studying with things you enjoy and make sure you have some basic budgeting skills. Additionally, make sure you can cook a few healthy meals you know you enjoy! Your years at university will absolutely fly by so make sure you make the most of everything!
I hope this helps, please do let me know if you have any other questions about Leicester or university in general.
Frankie (final year medical student)
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