Meet some ISC students

“I‘d like to study Pharmacy and when I searched on the internet (Times online), I found the School of Pharmacy at the LJMU is one of the best. Additionally, some of my friends are now studying there and recommend this Uni to me.

At the ISC, I have been helped to deal with my weaknesses, such as bad communication skills and I have got many chances to improve important skills, e.g.  presentation and group work.

The course is well organised and clearly useful. The teachers have good knowledge and are able to make the lessons enjoyable and easy to understand. Besides, the teachers at the ISC are all patient and friendly.

The ISC designs the Foundation Year suitable for all international students. This course has improved not only my knowledge and English but other important skills like presentation and study skills.

My long-term career goals if possible I’d like to work in some charity organisations. I want to go many places and help many people. In my country, there are many people that need help especially in medicine."   

“I chose to study in the UK because my degree is unique but also to improve my English level. I am planning to do a degree in Science and Football after my Foundation Year.

At the ISC I am enjoying the environment and the chemistry between international students and also the company of my friends. I have known people from different cultures.

The course is a little hard but yet doable. We have awesome teachers; they help me in a personal level. The ISC is helping me to adapt to the new educational system. 

My long-term career goal is to become the President of the FMF (Mexican Football Federation)."

"I am planning to study Business and Management after my Foundation Year. I chose to study at LJMU because... the course at the ISC is really good and the teachers are amazing, friendly and patient with students.

The ISC is helping me with different things such as reading, grammar, writing and speaking, which will be really important to me in the future.

After Uni I hope to go back to Angola and work in the company that send me here and be successful there."

"I am planning to study MPharm at LJMU. I wanted to study at a UK university because education here is much better.

This Foundation course is very interesting and the teachers are helpful to all students. I think they are the best in the UK.

At the ISC I also enjoy talking to friends and meeting people from different countries and cultures. My long-term career goal is to become a Pharmacist."

"I came to study in the UK to improve my English. I am studying the Business Foundation and I would like to do a degree in Business Management.

At the ISC I enjoy the company of other students and the very warm teachers. The subjects were very interesting especially financial accounting one. Everybody at the ISC was very nice and warm. It has really helped to improve my English level and it also helped me with how to write coursework, essays and about how not to plagiarise and how to do research in the library.

My long-term career goal is to work in the fashion industry."

"I live in France, but I came to the UK to go to university here. I decided I wanted to study in the north and I really liked Liverpool, so that’s why I chose LJMU - because I have to do Foundation first.

I think the ISC teachers are all nice. This building is new and we are the first people here. I am enjoying my lessons and the teachers always try to make things interesting so we don’t get bored. They really help me too. For example, if I don’t understand something I can ask at the end of the lesson.

I also get lots of help from Diane, the Centre Administrator, with day-to-day living, with the paperwork, accommodation, and my visa etc.

I often study in the library because I have to do coursework in economics. The library is really big and it’s very easy to use. In my free time, I socialise with my friends, and go shopping because there are a lot of shops in Liverpool. I’ve had a look around Chinatown here as well. It’s not as crowded as the one in London.

I have made a lot of friends with all my classmates. At first I thought that it was going to be people sticking to their own groups but it’s much more mixed.

I would like to study International Business Studies for my degree, then after University maybe I will stay in France or go to China, but first I will have to study Chinese more."

"I came to the UK because my brother studied in the UK before and told me to study here too. I would like to study maritime business and I chose Liverpool John Moores University because I heard good things about its Maritime Business and Management degree. Also, I heard that Liverpool is a very good city.

I feel good about learning. There are very good teachers here and I feel better about my English, now that my English has improved. The administrator, Diane, is also very nice and she helps and supports us.

After class, I study about my subject. In my free time I go out with my friends to a nightclub or restaurant. I’ve made some good friends here at the university and at my student residence, Grand Central, which is very good. The city is very beautiful. I really like Liverpool – it’s a fantastic city.

When I have finished my degree, after 4 years, I want to go back to my country to work with my father and brother for the shipping company."

"I want to work for a multi-national company, so I decided to study a business. I needed to do the foundation before so that I can improve my English skills.

The university is really good and people are really friendly here. The life is good. In the library I’ve been working, doing my assignments - it’s open 24-7. I’ve borrowed so many books from there. I don’t have to buy the books, I can just borrow them or I can browse the computers and it’s really easy to access them.

I’m enjoying the lessons. I find them easy because the teachers are really helpful.

Accommodation is really good – I like it. I’m in Grand Central residences which is really nice. I’ve made friends there, and make more every time I go down to the common room. A lot of ISC students live there.

In my free time I enjoy going to the city centre. Sometime I go to the gym - that’s my favourite pastime - and I borrow books from the library to read. The city of Liverpool is really nice. Everyone is fashionable here wherever I go, so I try to be fashionable also!

After finishing the Foundation Year I’d like to do a BA in Business Management. Right now I’m applying to do a part-time job in a call centre and after university I’d like to apply to a multi-national company."

"My father told me that the best universities in the world are in the UK, so I study here. The pre-programme foundation is very good for me because my English is not so perfect yet, and I need to prepare for university.

I’ve been nominated as a student representative for the ISC. Every term, I represent any complaints or problems that students have. I can submit them anonymously and it’s very good that we have this system here.

I’ve met many other students and when I interact with them, I can improve my English and at the same time see how people from many cultures are different and how they are similar.

One of the pluses of the Foundation Year is the general atmosphere. The teachers have an informal style and their teaching is interesting. When I talk to teachers they try to understand me. They help us with everything related to the school but also outside school, like places to go in the city. I feel more confident because I know I can solve any problems.

Relationships between people in England are good and the country is very tolerant. I feel good in the UK: I don’t feel marginalised or discriminated against. When people come to this country, I think they change and become more open. It’s a great place and it satisfies me.

I would like to study a business degree, as well as Chinese language. But I’m also planning to work with professions that relate to biology or medicine, maybe. I’d like to study Chinese medicine and acupuncture, meditation etc. Even metaphysics – I have lots of plans!"

"I came to the UK because I want to improve my English. Actually I want to become a volunteer in the 2012 London Olympic Games! In four years time, I’m sure my English will be very good and many people from other countries will come for the Games and I’m very excited about that.

Liverpool is an old city and there are many beautiful old buildings and it’s near the sea. The people are very friendly and if I don’t know how to say something they will tell me.

I really like John Moores University because the teachers are very, very nice. At first my English was poor and I didn’t understand what they said but they are very patient.
The university is almost 200 years old, but the ISC building is really very new. At the ISC, I like that I can learn about the culture of different countries and I can tell them about Chinese culture.

After lessons, I usually stay at home, play computer games and study. I live with my Aunty and she has many restaurants here in Liverpool so sometimes I will help her, or do activities such as yoga.

It’s very interesting, the things I have seen here that I’ve never seen before in China. There is a big clock, and big gardens with many trees. I went to Bangor, near here, last weekend and the beach is very nice. Many houses there can move!

After my degree I’d like to do a Masters in Business and after University I’d like to become a hotel manager here, because I like England."

"I decided to come to a UK university because it’s the best place to study, I think. I choose LJMU because when I finish this foundation course I can enter directly into the undergraduate degree.

The staff and teachers are very nice. If I don’t understand, I can ask the teachers and they will explain exactly what they mean to me. The ISC administrator helped me sort out my flat, and now the accommodation is comfortable.

I go to the library to study where it’s very quiet. In my free time I like to go to the swimming pool and I enjoy making new friends. I’ve made many friends from different countries.

I think Liverpool is a good social city. The people are very friendly, and are always nice. Some of my friends live in London and I travel on the coach to visit them. It takes 4 hours – it’s not too far.

After the foundation year, I want to do a Business undergraduate degree at LJMU, and then do a Business masters, also in the UK. My parents would like me to go into politics, so I am thinking about that too."