My journey to the UCL Global Business School for Health

Hello, I'm Intan! In this blog, I will reflect on my journey to pursue my master's degree in Global Healthcare Management (analytics route) at the UCL Global Business School for Health (UCL GBSH).

Let's get right into it!

Looking back, when I decided to apply for a master's degree, I just googled the universities that offered programmes in what I was interested in. After visiting university websites, I listed all the courses I could see myself studying. My search focus was public health data science, health economics, and management, albeit my first degree focused on clinical midwifery. I compiled detailed columns for every requirement listed in the bulleted points of application requirements. After an exhaustive search, the MSc Global Healthcare Management (Analytics route) at the UCL GBSH grabbed my attention since it offers multi-dimensional modules and was relevant to my career goals.

Since English is not my first language, I first needed to take an English proficiency test. At that time, I took IELTS and gratefully got a score that met the requirement on my first try. The other crucial parts of the application for the MSc Global Healthcare Management (analytics route) are a personal statement, degree certificate, academic transcript, and CV —showcasing my experiences and career goals. I also contacted my previous supervisor to give me a reference to apply. Determining how long I should wait before following up with my supervisor to provide a recommendation was also a significant hurdle. I subsequently got a confirmation email once my referee had submitted her reference on my application.

Next, I had to start thinking about funding. I consumed various resources to learn how to construct the perfect essay for my scholarship application. The scholarship I applied for was the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education. I faced a three-step selection process, including an administrative, scholastic aptitude test and an interview at the final stage. Thankfully, my internet was stable during the tests as I conducted all the processes online. During the interview, the questions mainly focused on my experiences which I stated in the essay, CV, my specialisation and what it was all about, my current job and future contribution. I also considered applying for one of the funding opportunities that GBSH provides.

It was pretty challenging to balance having a full-time job alongside applying for my master's and scholarship, not to mention maintaining my hobbies and finding time to rest. Finding that balance required a lot of dedication and energy. Fear of failure haunted me throughout my journey, but with my family and closest friends' support, I could stay strong and get over this fear. I was highly grateful for all the help I had during my journey. 

The day when I succeeded in receiving an unconditional offer to study was the month before I got the scholarship announcement and secured my funding from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance. My dream eventually came true, and all my hard work paid off. I am so glad I worked hard to apply for the UCL GBSH and for my scholarship, as I have really enjoyed my first term studying here!

Read Intan's student spotlight to learn more about her background and academic interests.