We don’t need no education? by Domitilla Sartorio

EDUCATION IN ENGLAND The education system is divided into stages based upon age: O Early Years Foundation Stage: ages 3-5 O Primary Education: ages 5-11 O Secondary Education: ages comprehends sixth form (lasts two years) O Tertiary Education: ages 18+

SECONDARY EDUCATION O A LEVELS O INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE O CAMBRIDGE PRE-U

PROS O You can choose your subjects and study only what you really like O Fewer subjects

CONS O This kind of system is limitative; at 16 you must already have an idea of what you are going to study at university O Lack of common knowledge O Universitarian approach

FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY UCAS (University and Colleges Admission Services) Predicted grades Personal statement Your university choices

THE IN BETWEEN LIMBO O Studying O Waiting for a letter from the university O Decide your 1 st and 2 nd choices

THE OFFERS O Conditional offer you must obtain the results you were predicted O Unconditional offer the university has already accepted you, if your exams grades are lower than those predicted they will still take you – unless you fail A lot of pressure is put on students – one set of exams will determine their whole life

ROYAL HOLLOWAY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

EUROPEAN STUDIES O Core module – International Relations / European Politics O A European Language O 3° module – any social science (changeable) (2 half modules) O 4° module – any social science (changeable) (half modules) O Period of Residence Abroad – it has pros&cons

UNIVERSITY LECTURES O Facultative O One class a week per module (through the whole year) O You must prepare before the class and do your readings SEMINARS O Compulsory O One class a week per module (through the whole year) O You must study and be able to discuss – participation is part of your final grade

GETTING ASSESSED O First year doesn’t count O Essays – one per term each subject O In class participation O Team works (e.g. ppts) O Exams – all in May O Eveything counts towards final grade

SOME DIFFERENCES… O Continuous investments O Final Dissertation is not compulsory O 99 per cent of exams are written O Lots of essays during the year which ask for your opinion - understanding a topic is more important than learning it by heart

…AND SOME MORE O Team work O No books but essays and other material O Your work needs to be unique – beware of plagiarism! O The process of handling in an essay

CAMPUS LIFE O Easier to socialise O Town within a town O Pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs O Accomodation

ALL THE EXTRAS O Careers’ office O Seminars – useful when applying for jobs O Extra curricular seminars O Gyms / Courts O Libraries

HOW MUCH IS ALL OF THIS WORTH? £9,000 per calendar year O It changes based on students’ nationalities O € 11,388 O Rose in 2012

STUDENT LOANS O Student Loans Company O All full-time students are entitled to a tuition fee loan which covers the full cost of the tuition fee O Maintenance loans and mantenance grants O Special Support Grant

INTEREST RATES Some salaries and typical repayments amounts Some examples of the interest rate that would apply, based on income

HOW TO STAND OUT? O OUTSTANDING GRADES O SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT O INTERNSHIPS AND WORK EXPERIENCES

THE GRADING SYSTEM O Fail [0 – 35] O Pass [35 – 40] O 3 [40 – 49] O 2.2 [50 – 59] O 2.1 [ ] O First Class [70+] It is a fair system as your final grade is not only based on your finals – yet you have to study a lot as YOU CAN’T RESIT EXAMS

SOCIETIES O Learning about specific aspect of one big topic O Learning about different positions within a sector O Networking O Socialising O Enriches the CV

INTERNSHIPS O Different structure of the academic year as in summer you are expected to find an internship O Importance of predicted grades O Applying for internships is a really long process and it can take up as much time as studying O They can go from one to six months

DRAWING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE O Ergon Comunicazione srl (Rome) O Huairou Commission (New York) O Ministerio de Economia y Competidividad (Madrid)

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INTERN O Work experience O It helps figuring out your path O You learn how to interact in a different environment O It enriches you on many levels

THE DRAWBACKS OF BEING INTERN O One hostile work place can make you dislike your passion O In some cases people are not mature enough to face working and this can affect them and their future choices

GRADUATION O You receive your result by a couple of weeks before graduation O Almost two months after your last exam O Beautiful ceremony

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE? O Motivation letter O Recommendation letters (one from a teacher and two from past employers) O Well structured CV

POSSIBILITIES AHEAD O Internship O Graduate programmes O Master O PhD in some cases O Getting use of the networking O Gap year

SOME TIPS O The Anglo-Saxon system provides you with analytical skills O Knowing English is taken for granted, sound knowledge of three languages O Apply to different positions, everything you do becomes experience, you never know! O Attach recommendation letters even when not asked to O If you can’t find an open position, send an O Put every experience in your CV

THANK YOU