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Here's Yoshiki from Japan. He studied the UCL Online English Course for International University Students in 2022.
Where are you currently studying for your undergraduate degree? What is your degree subject and when will you graduate?
I am currently enrolled at Shibaura Institute of Technology. I am studying software, hardware, and media networking and will graduate in March 2025.
Why did you choose to study the UCL Online English Course?
I wanted to learn academic English at one of the world's best universities and find out what I was missing now. Also, because I was interested in UCL and wanted to know what kind of university UCL is.
What were the highlights of the course?
All the activities were interesting however, I found it especially interesting to have the opportunity to listen to UCL lectures during the self-study time, which was a very valuable opportunity.
On the other hand, the part I struggled with was the Research Project. Writing a report and making a presentation in a short period of time was more difficult than I had imagined.
What was the most challenging part of the course?
The most challenging part for me was the report that we have to do during the course.
We had to work in small groups to make the report. The reason that I felt it was challenging was because of my poor English skills. Communicating with others was hard. I couldn’t express myself in the way I wanted to. But this was a good experience for me.
How did you find taking this course online?
I think this course offers the best curriculum of any English course available online.
Most online courses would specialise in speaking, this programme dealt with a wide range of four skills plus academic skills. It was definitely hard work, but I gained so much.
What was the most challenging thing about the course and why?
It was difficult to use academic vocabulary well. This is because we inevitably used only the words that were easy to use and could not paraphrase easily.
In this course, I learned a lot of words used in the academic field. However, I found it difficult to use them, especially in conversation.
What were your teachers like?
The teachers taught me English in a very kind and polite manner. They were also quick to respond to any areas that I did not understand. And when I couldn't express what I wanted to say well, they asked me again, which was very helpful.
What skills did you develop on the UCL Online English Course and how will they help you in the future?
I believe my English skills in the academic field have developed very well because I have learned which expressions are appropriate and which are not through practice.
I am enrolled in the Global Programme, a curriculum that requires students to take courses offered in English, which I believe will be very useful for my future university life.
What advice would you give to a student who is thinking of studying the UCL Online English Course?
The best part of this curriculum is that you will not only learn academic English but also broaden your own horizons.
I believe that learning about British culture and academic culture is the first step to understanding what the world is like. For these reasons, I strongly recommend taking this course.