Thinking of Working as a Sabbatical Officer During your Masters?: Rajkumar’s Story

#3 What was the homesickness campaign?

The campaign focused on creating awareness of homesickness among postgraduate students. We gave tips on how to deal with it and signposted welfare support and services available on campus. We also ran a free event for people to come to and socialise together at.

When I came to the UK to do my Masters, it was my first time overseas so, for the first six months, I suffered with homesickness. I went through a lot of mental health struggles, and many postgraduate students go through the same. It doesn't matter whether your university is a few miles from your hometown or on the other side of the world. Moving to a new city, away from family and friends, can be very daunting. That’s why I made this campaign my priority.

#4 What have you learned from the experience?

The sabbatical office role is the best experience I have got during my Masters. This role has pushed me to a whole different level in terms of skills, knowledge and experience. I've developed transferrable skills in leadership, negotiation, public speaking, planning, coaching, mentoring and communication. I am confident that I can use these skills in the roles I am going to take up next after my Masters.

#5 What made you want to do a Masters in the first place?

I did my undergraduate degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam (my hometown). After graduating, I worked as a Software Quality Assurance Engineer with Amazon, Chennai in the field of software testing. I learned a lot about the professional software development process and I wanted to broaden my knowledge by studying abroad. I chose the MSc Computer Science because it’s related to my work experience and future career goals.

#6 What is your typical day as a Masters student?

During the week, a typical day would be attending classes then spending time in the library with friends discussing modules and assessments. I’d then go to the Students’ Union to see if there were any events happening around the week. My evenings are spent with friends exploring the city. I usually do a part-time job on weekends to support my living in UK.

#7 How did you research your Masters options?

I used a recruitment consultancy in India who helped with all the research and application process. They were free and made my job easy.

#8 What are you looking to do next?

I am returning to university this September to finish the last semester of my Masters. I am aiming to finish by the end of the year and then find a job in the UK in the Computers and Information Sciences sector.

#9 What advice would you give someone thinking of studying a Masters in the UK?

As an international student I wish I had been told lot of things. My advice is to do a lot of research before you arrive. Learn about the assessment system and how the education system differs to your country. Find out what support is on offer at your university and speak to students about what it’s like being an international student in the UK. And once you’re here, talk to the Careers Service about the UK job market and opportunities.

Raj has fulfilled his goal of expanding his information technology knowledge and has joined Strive Gaming as a Software QA Engineer (similar to his previous role at Amazon). He says his success is down to the valuable transferable skills and experience he gained as a sabbatical officer which he can use for the rest of his life.

You can read more about Rajkumar’s experience as an international student in our study abroad interview. His homesickness campaign was Highly Commended in our Outstanding Contribution to Student Wellbeing category.