I love the campus, its aura and infrastructure

Saad Asad is from Lahore, Pakistan. He pursued his Bachelor’s in Business Information Systems. He continued his study at University of Gloucestershire, as an MBA Global student. His dream is to gain skills to become a successful entrepreneur. He spent a long time researching different universities offering a variety of courses, checking each module on the course to be sure he found the right and emerging one for himself. He is sure that his choice to study at University of Gloucestershire was  the  perfect decision for him. He found the lecturers at University of Gloucestershire knowledgeable and supportive, and his biggest achievement was when he received International Scholarship.

Scholarships application

Saad offers advice to students who are applying: 

“Write your personal letters and essays according to level of course which you are applying to.

I mentioned about my personal life and why I would be the best eligible candidate.  I stated my short and long-term goals and how the scholarship would help me to achieve them.  

Show the application to your peers and parents. Ask them if this letter would be convincing enough for university to offer you the scholarship and does it make you stand out amongst the crowd?  

Finally, refine, be positive and send!”

Facilities

Saad is based at Oxstalls campus in the new Business School building. “I love the campus, its aura and infrastructure. I love the fact that it has very versatile atmosphere and it is the most sustainable University in the UK.”

Other engagement – course rep and start-up

Saad amplifies that being a student at University of Gloucestershire is not just about attending lectures and doing your assignments but taking the many opportunities to get engaged; from societies, to sport and additional activities. “I try to engage myself with co-curricular activities on the campus. I really want to enjoy my university life. Along with doing the full-time Master’s course, it is tough, but definitely worth it!”

Saad is the President of recently launched MBA Global Society and a course representative for MBA students. He sees it as positive side hustle and opportunity for developing skills. “I am learning how to manage my time efficiently and to work smartly. I have a great network with students and very supportive relations with them. I try to help them as much as possible. “

Also, he is excited to take part in Ingenuity Programme that offers investment and specialist mentoring for creating a start-up that generates sustainable impact. He received development programme to refine his ideas and create his own start-up. Now he is hoping to compete with his business plan on a national level. The Ingenuity Programme helps him with his long-term plan to become a successful entrepreneur.

Sports

In his free time, Saad takes advantage of excellent sports facilities at University of Gloucestershire. “It enables postgraduate student to enjoy and do any kind of sports during their academic week. It is really important for an international student to have the opportunity on campus to compete with the other students.” He plays tennis, badminton and attends yoga sessions, and hopes to start football.

Challenges

However, studying as international student is not without challenges. Saad was aware of the big and positive transformation in his life: “This is my first time moving for a longer period of time. I really enjoy studying over here but living alone carries its own challenges. It is the first time I’m ever experiencing the rule ‘do it yourself’. Back in my country, we aren’t used to it, especially living with family, we are not responsible for all the things. I had a roller coaster experience at the start, but now it’s been six good months and I know how to deal with it.”

“There was one time when I faced some personal issue, and I wasn’t expecting that university have counselling teams. Literally, I booked an appointment with them. And it worked out really well for me. They suggested me a lot of options which I could do in that situation. I was so reassured to know  that if I have any kind of issue or query, UoG’s student help-zone is always there to help me out 24/7.”

Places to visit

Finally, it is not all about studying. Saad enjoys discovering new places around Gloucestershire. He gives his top three places to visit: “On top of the list is Gloucester Cathedral. I visited there because my favourite movie, Harry Potter, was filmed over there. I’ve taken  pictures on the exact spot. Secondly, the Gloucester Docks. It gives you a historic view of how Gloucester was back in the days and there is a great Indian restaurant ‘Aroma’ near the docks! And finally, Forest of Dean. It’s just one hour from here. Again, some Harry Potter spots can be found there.  And the forest gives a really good vibe.”