I am a first-year student at the University of Warwick, and my experiences throughout the first and second terms are only positive.

I am studying Health and Medical Sciences in a small cohort of around 40 people. It makes the student-staff relationship incredibly personal and helpful. The staff always encourages feedback and is always ready for questions and limitless explanations. Along with our personal tutors, they guide us throughout the course and stay on top of our performances in the subject area but also keep track of our overall satisfaction with the University. The course excellently integrates the medical and health sciences throughout lectures, group discussions, technology-enhanced learnings, and my favourite, case-based learnings (CBLs). In CBLs, small groups of students are given imaginary patients with diagnoses aligned with the course covered material, and by combining a variety of areas like biology, pharmacology, genetics, epigenetics but also psychology, sociology and similar, they try to find treatments for the patients.

Regarding the student social life, UoW isn’t located in or near a big city. However, there is still plenty to do, and the university campus allows students to make friendships with first-year peers and make the transition to living away from home easier. Some would say that the accommodation isn’t always the best, but I’d say it is more than you need in your first year. It allows you to meet incredible people and even those with the “worst” accommodation make unforgettable memories.

UoW is located near a lovely town Royal Leamington Spa where students go to clubs, pubs and restaurants and mostly live there during their later university years. The Student Union is also a great way to meet new people. It provides students with all sorts of events meeting everyone’s needs, from pub quizzes and karaoke nights to the party bus to Birmingham every Friday night, where those into clubbing can go to excellent Birmingham clubs.
Besides the “nightlife”, there are hundreds of societies and sports clubs where students can be competitive, improve or even take up new skills. I made incredible friends in the sports clubs, and I love the opportunity to attend competitions, trainings and different socials that give you a break from the ordinary uni life.

As a foreign student, I haven’t met many international students, although supposedly there are many. Still, the UK students are more than welcoming to the internationals and I never felt excluded because of it.

To conclude, UoW is a fantastic place with staff that genuinely cares about you and opportunities to make lifelong friends and enjoy the university experience.