My experience as a Polish student at the University of Brighton

Hi everyone, my name is Wiktoria. I was born and raised in Wroclaw, Poland. I’m currently finishing my second year of Film BA(Hons) at the University of Brighton. I started my degree in 2020 and that’s when I first came to the UK.

As we all know 2020 was a bit of a difficult year for everyone. I applied through UCAS before the pandemic started and got my offer after about a month. I remember receiving a yellow envelope with the prospectus and the official letter. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment – I felt excited and nervous at the same time. Looking through that prospectus made me feel like my dreams were coming true. I still had to finish High School and take my Matura Exam. After I got my results, I needed to get them sworn translated and send them to the University of Brighton admission team. The entire process was quick and easy. I was ready to start this new chapter in my life.

How did you hear about the University of Brighton and why did you choose to study here?

I always knew I wanted to live in a creative place so when it came to choosing a university, I started by googling the most creative places in the UK. That’s when I stumbled upon Brighton, I already knew about Brighton as a city, but I didn’t know a lot about the university. After visiting the website and looking at the course structure, watching videos, and reading student blogs I decided that it was a place for me. The University of Brighton encourages individuality and equal opportunities. It’s a perfect place to meet like-minded people and make life-long friendships.

What is your favorite thing about your course?

The reason why I chose to study Film at the University of Brighton is the course structure – we do both theory and practice. I love that besides learning history, technicalities, and critical thinking we get a hands-on approach to filmmaking. Each year we get to make a short film and it’s a lot of fun to be collaborating with friends doing what I love. I also really enjoy talking to my tutors. They recommend books, films, and podcasts that supplement my learning. Another great thing about the film course is that every few months we have socials where we get to meet and spend time with film students from every year group as well as the staff in a casual setting. The last one was held at a local pub called Hobgoblin.

Why do you think living and learning abroad was the right choice for you?

When I moved to the UK, I didn’t know anybody, so I really had to put myself out there – go outside, meet new people and socialize. The first few months of uni have really changed me. I became more confident, outspoken, and mature. Living abroad really widened my horizons – I’ve met people not only from all over the UK but also the globe. I have friends from the US, China, and Spain. They’ve taught me a lot because at university you really get to meet people from all walks of life.

Do you have any tips for students from Poland who are considering studying in Brighton?

GIVE IT A TRY. I know moving abroad seems scary and I’m not going to lie, it is but it’s also an incredible experience. We’re only going to live one life so go out and try things you want. If you don’t take chances, you’re only going to wonder what would’ve happened if you did. In my opinion, Brighton is a perfect place to take chances because people here are the kindest, most down to earth, understanding humans I’ve ever met.