My University Application

My University Application Hello to my first post on this blog! I thought it should be about how I applied for university, as i...

My University Application





Hello to my first post on this blog! I thought it should be about how I applied for university, as it may be helpful for some of you who are planning on applying to uni or who are not sure yet what to do after school. First, let me tell you: It isn't as scary and complicated as you would think. And if you are applying to a university in your own country, it is even easier for you, believe me.



Personally, I never really wanted to study in Germany where I live. The courses they offer at German universities didn't seem very interesting and also, the variety of art and design related courses and subjects in Germany wasn't really great. But as I had always been searching on the Internet for universities in England- especially in London- I knew that the possibilities in the UK were absolutely amazing. Not only the subjects and courses the different universities offer, but also the chances to get a job in the creative industry in the UK are very good.
Obviously, the standards to get into a course are high and I didn't expect to get into any of the universities in London I applied for. I flew to London on my own for two days to hand in my portfolio at the University of the Arts London (UAL) but didn't get in. And I also applied for Kingston University and for London Metropolitan University. I got a conditional offer from London Met but at the same time, I had also applied for the Arts University of Bournemouth.

The main reason why I applied for Bournemouth was because my headmaster sent me an email telling me that there was a consulting agency in Berlin who worked together with the Arts University and could help me to get accepted. I actually didn't even want to go to Bournemouth first, but after the interview in Berlin, I was determined to get in. The lady of the consulting agency told me to be positive and already prepare everything because she was quite sure I would get an offer.
So, I registered for the student portal of the university to fill in all the application forms but it was all very easy. Basically, you create an account, fill everything in you need, upload photocopies of your past qualifications and references and click the 'send in' button at the end. If you have any questions, the university staff is always very kind and answeres all of your questions quickly.

After you have done that, they usually send you a portfolio request and you send in the evidence of your creative work by post or upload it online. 
I sent in my portfolio on a DVD, so I didn't have to send in my whole Din-A2 folder of drawings and paintings, and waited for a reply. 

At the end of May, I received a conditional offer from Bournemouth and was the happiest I could be. I had dreamed of going to England for more than three years and now it was official! Well, almost. Because a conditional offer means that you still have to past some conditions to definitely get accepted. My conditions were to get an average grade of good (2) in my German Abitur (which is the same level as the British A-Levels) and at least 13 out of 15 points (1- in Germany) in my English course, which also had to be a main subject (Leistungskurs in Germany).
Actually, I got an average of 1.5 in my Abitur and got 14 points in my English exam, which meant that I had passed my conditions.

After sending in a copy of my Abitur grades, I received an unconditional offer from the university and was definitely in. At the beginning of June, I found a cute little house in the district of Boscombe in Bournemouth, which I will have to share with two other students from my uni. I will be renting a room in the house until June next year. Actually, I wanted to apply for student halls on the campus of the university, but they are very pricy if you look at the fact that you only have a small room and need to share everything else with about 10 others. It would definitely be a great experience for my first year of uni to live together with so many other freshers, but I am actually a person who needs their own space and privacy and especially when it comes to sharing a bathroom I get very fussy to be honest.

The course I will be studying is called "Diploma in Art and Design - Foundation Studies", you can read everything about it here .

For further instructions about how to apply for a course like mine (which is higher education, NOT a Bachelor or Master course!!), you can read everything on the university's website here .

Also, I searched the Internet for websites to help students to apply for a university in a foreign country, as studying abroad is something special because you have to organise many different things from language tests to insurances and all that stuff. 

A very useful website is Study in England , where you can find literally everything you need to know!

If you need an evidence of your English language qualifications, most universities all around the world usually accept the IELTS Test.

Everything else about studying in the UK, you can find on the website of the British Council, which is the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

The usual portal for everyone who wants to apply for a British university is UCAS , where you can create an account, upload your qualifications and send them to different universities at the same time, so you don't get any confusement in your email folder, haha.

If you have any further questions or need advice, feel free to leave a comment on this post, send me an E-Mail or contact me on any other social media!




Thank you for reading my first blogpost,
Vivi :-)

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