So you want to study abroad?

Are you considering travelling abroad for further studies but have no idea where to being? Have you also wondered how you will fair, or what life is like once you get to your host country? This week, we talk to four young Kenyans who give an insight into what it takes to apply to a university abroad, as well as how to adapt to life there.

DAMARIS NJOKI MACHARIA, 23

Country                       United Kingdom

State/City                   London

University                    University of Greenwich

Course studied               Msc Accounting and Finance

Year joined                  2015-2016

Duration of course      1 year

You say that studying abroad was a long-running dream for you…

Yes, I was especially attracted to the UK. I thought studying here would give me a competitive advantage over my peers, more so after having acquired my Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA, qualifications at Strathmore University and thereafter awarded a BSc in Applied Accounting by Oxford Brookes University.

I decided to pursue an Msc in accounting and finance to build up on the skills I had. I applied through UNISERV, which aided me through the entire process and matched me with the best university. They match you after considering intake in progress, the course, as well as grades.

Say I want to study in the UK, what would be required of me?

Before being granted a student visa to the UK, the immigration office demands submission of financial documents to prove that you have sufficient money to cover the tuition as well as maintenance costs.

 My parents paid my school fees and catered for my accommodation initially, but shortly thereafter, I got a job and was therefore able to foot my accommodation and living expenses, which are quite expensive here.

What kind of jobs did you take up?

London is quite an expensive city, so one has to work hard to make ends meet. I first worked as a cashier in a McDonalds outlet and thereafter as a cashier in a Kenyan owned club in London known as Thatched House. I got these opportunities through references from friends that lived in London.

How vibrant is the social life here?

There is a vibrant Kenyan community in the UK bearing in mind that Kenyans are spread across the UK. The many societies here come up with various forums for Kenyans in the UK, from worship to investment. I got to know of these groups through a friend who was living in the UK at the time.

Whichever area you live in, there is a WhatsApp group through which activities within the area are updated, so you need not be lonely.

However, prior to travelling, it is important that one links up with a friend or a friend of a friend who will show them around to easily blend into the community.

How long did it take you to get employment once you landed here?

I applied to several individual jobs and registered with several leading agencies prior to travelling to the UK. However, before undertaking any job, you need a bank account and a National Insurance number.

The working hours on a student visa are also normally set at either 10 hours or 20 hours per week. The time limit presents itself as a challenge in getting a formal job.

What perceptions do people hold of life abroad that are untrue?

The most common one is that life is much better and promising abroad, which is false.

To make it in a foreign country like the UK, determination, resilience, dedication, hard work and time management are the only catalysts for success. Also, life there is much more demanding as it is more expensive. What I missed most while here was family and how often I interacted with them as well as the good weather that we take for granted.

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HARON BARONGO, 26

Country                       Turkey

State/City                   Ankara

University                    Hacettepe

Course studied             Economics

Year joined                  2012

Duration of course      Four

Why Turkey and not popular destinations such as the UK and the US?

 I had an opportunity to travel to Turkey in 2009 and liked the country. Also, having studied in Light Academy Nairobi, a Turkish institution, I had an opportunity to learn elementary Turkish and after high school, the country was among my top choices for tertiary level education. I applied online and got accepted in two universities, Hacettepe University and Sheffield University-UK.

With Sheffield, I got a partial scholarship but even with that, I was to raise about Sh1million every year of study. Light Academy offered me an offer I could not refuse - if I chose to study in Turkey, I would get free accommodation for my entire stay.

Life in a foreign country must come with its own unique set of challenges…

There were many, but I will narrow them down to weather, a constricted social life and language barrier. Turks love their language with a passion. In fact, they rarely speak any other language. It helped that I had learnt a bit of their language, this helped me adapt faster and enabled me to build a social life with some ease.

If you do not know their language, adapting to life here would be next to impossible. Many are also not interested in the outside world, such that they may not know that Africa is a continent; most think it’s a small country somewhere.

Luckily, there is a vibrant Kenyan community here, and having served as the chairman of Kenyans living here, my team and I managed to organise dinners in Ankara and Istanbul often. As a community, we had WhatsApp groups that kept us in touch with one another; we would also update upcoming events.

Would you say that life there is easier/harder, compared to Kenya?

I will compare life in the capital cities of the two countries because I have lived in both. Life in Ankara is easier and cheaper compared to life in Nairobi.

In terms of accommodation, for Sh20,000 per month here, you can get a decent three-bedroom apartment in a serene environment similar to Kileleshwa or Lavington.

The transportation system in Ankara and the entire country is also cheaper and more modern unlike what we have in Nairobi.

Was choosing Turkey to further your education worth it?

I would say yes. I have made two achievements worth mentioning. One is graduating amongst the top in my year within three years in a four-year course.

Another was establishing a financial consulting firm which I registered late last year. We are getting ready to get into the market.

What could make a foreign student get kicked out of this country?

Dealing in or taking drugs.

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WANGARI MUMBI, 23

Country                      Canada

State/City                   Toronto

University                    University of Toronto

Course studied              Statistics, Mathematics and Economics

Year joined                  2013

Duration of course      4-5

Why did you choose to pursue your higher education in Canada?

After I finished my International Baccalaureate Program  (IB) at Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi, in 2013, the world pretty much opened up for me. Canadian universities embrace IB students because of the great foundational background the program gives, and offers scholarships and awards.

I had also heard positive experiences from several people who had studied there. I decided to do a double major in mathematics, statistics and economics because it would give me a flexible and diverse skill set that would allow me entry into various industries, including finance and consulting. 

What should one expect of the application process if they wish to study in Canada?

The application process was intense but not hard. They required good grades, a strong mission statement, and a good reference letter. The intensity comes when applying to different universities at the same time, all with different requirements. Once I got the admission letter, I applied for the Canadian study permit. Of course, like with every visa application, there is a lot of paper work, and the Canada consulate requires you to do a two-day interview coupled with medical tests - that was the tough part. There is also the three-month wait for the permit. Everything however, is pretty straightforward but requires patience and attention to detail.

What challenges have you faced in the three years you have been here?

The weather is one of the biggest challenges – it is freezing cold in winter. My first year here was tough, my body could not cope with the cold, physically and mentally. I was also home sick, and it did not help that I had to deal with social and cultural differences. There are also incidences of discrimination because I am black. To cope, I joined the Kenyan community here, who have helped me blend into the society. I live in multicultural Toronto. There is quite a large East African community here. There are also particular churches and mosques where you can find Kenyans. There are meet-ups often and East African hang out joints where people congregate.

What are some of the reasons that could make you get into trouble with the law here?

Jaywalking, crossing a road where it is not permitted, with disregard to approaching traffic. You will be fined if caught.

Pirating is also a serious offence here. Some countries are lax about this but in Canada, illegal streaming and downloading of copyrighted work is heavily monitored by Internet service providers.

Cheating on tax returns is another weighty offence. Filing of taxes is done in such an efficient manner here, that if you try to cheat, you will be automatically flagged, leading to an audit.

What do you do when not at school?

I have a part time job as a school site facilitator in various high schools in Toronto. The job entails offering mentorship and counselling to high school students. I have been saving my earnings in a fixed savings deposit account and plan to invest in Canadian Government Issued Bonds. 

What advice would you give to a person seeking an opportunity to study and work abroad?

Before settling on an institution, do your homework thoroughly. Find out as much as you can about the university and the country. Also bear in mind that studying or working abroad is not a direct path to success, you have to make deliberate choices, plan and lay out strategies.

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NYAMBURA IRUNGU, 31

Country           UNITED KINGDOM

City     London

University        University College London

Course PhD Biomarker Discovery and Proteomics

Year Joined     2012

Duration of course      Four years

Why did you decide to travel to the UK for your higher education?

I first travelled to the UK in 2008 to study for a master’s in Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology) at Middlesex University. After completing the course in late 2009, I came back home and worked for about two years at KEMRI.

In 2012, I returned to pursue a PhD as a Commonwealth Scholar in Biomarker Discovery and Proteomics at University College London.

I decided to study abroad so that I could experience a different education system within one of the world’s best universities.

How easy or difficult was it to get a spot at this institution?

 For my master’s, I did all my applications through UNISERV, a firm that assists with university selection, admissions and visa application guidance for those that wish  to study in the UK.  The process was free and took three months.

What UNISERV did was match my credentials and desired course to universities in the UK.

Applying for my PhD was different as I was applying for both a commonwealth scholarship and an admission. For the scholarship, the application had to be made locally via the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.

I then submitted a research proposal alongside my application. Once approved, I applied directly to the commonwealth scholarship commission via their online portal.

Meanwhile, I found a PhD supervisor and secured admission, after which the scholarship was fully awarded. This was the most challenging bit within the entire process.

How did you finance your travel, fees and accommodation and how are you now financing your stay?

My parents, with the help of well-wishers, paid for my master’s degree, and when I got there, I got part time jobs to make ends meet. My course was quite demanding, so I could only managed to hold two jobs: I worked as a cleaner and later as a customer service attendant at a shopping mall in London.

The system there allows a specific number of work hours for foreign students. Studying for my PhD was easier because I was going there as a Commonwealth Scholar; this caters for fees and up keep whilst you are in the UK. 

What are the reasons that could make a foreign student get kicked out of this country?

One of them is exceeding the stipulated working hours of 10 hours a week.

What are you doing now?

I am working as a consultant awaiting to go back to the UK to exploit an employment opportunity.

What advice would you give someone seeking an opportunity to study and work abroad?

When you get the opportunity, seize it and remain focused as the freedom of being in another country with no eyes on you is quite distracting and can lead you away from what took you there in the first place.