One of my favourite things about Warwick is the campus. You can find everything you want here: a supermarket, bars, a cinema, lakes, a nightclub, a sports hub... Discover Lucia's journey at Warwick and what led them to apply for BASc Global Sustainable Development and Business Studies.

How did you find out about Warwick?

I was lucky to attend a school that promoted and provided all the information and help needed to study abroad. I first heard about Warwick during a university fair that I attended with my school. After that, I heard more about it because one of my friends started her studies there.

Did you consider studying anywhere else? What made you choose Warwick?

In recent years, studying in the UK has gained popularity because of the international environment of its universities. I wanted to live in a different country and to meet people of diverse backgrounds, so the UK was the country that appealed the most to me. I chose to study at Warwick in particular because it is one of the few universities that offers the opportunity to combine my two main areas of interest in a single degree. Moreover, the wide choice of extracurricular activities, the university’s prestige, living on campus, and having a friend happily studying here were factors that made me choose Warwick over other universities.

How did you feel to be awarded a scholarship?

My expectations of winning any of the three scholarships awarded were quite low because every first year international student could apply. Therefore, when I got an email in July saying that I had been awarded with a full fee scholarship, I was in shock, especially because I expected a response by August, so the news came very unexpectedly. I cannot explain with words the happiness that I felt. After two years of putting a lot of work and effort into the IB, the feeling of receiving such a great recognition is something wonderful. Also, having family, friends and teachers feeling so proud for your achievements is something that has motivated me and encouraged me to take the most out of this experience and to continue working hard as effort does pay off.

Who was the first person you told when you received the news about your scholarship and how did they react?

The first person I told when I received the news was my dad. I remember being in my house and running downstairs with my phone in my hand to show him the email, I was speechless. I let him read the email and I remember that he looked at me, his jaw dropped, he said a swear word in Spanish and we hugged enthusiastically.

How did you apply and did anyone help you with your application form and visa application?

I applied to Warwick via UCAS with my IB predicted grades. I was very lucky because my school provided a lot of help in the process, so I had a university counselor who advised me and explained everything that I had to do. She helped me when I had to ask for letters of recommendation and gave me feedback on my personal statement.
I did the visa application on my own during the summer before I got to Warwick. The application was a bit long, but it was very straightforward. Overall, I did not find any difficulties in any of the application processes.

What was your first impression of Warwick when you first walked around campus?

I remember that I was amazed by how big and modern everything was. I had looked at the online campus map many times before, but I could have never imagined that the buildings would be so big. Also, when I walked into the plaza, there were lots of people in a society fair that the university had organised, so I felt immediately immersed into the vibrant and welcoming environment of Warwick.

What is the best thing about Warwick?

One of my favourite things about Warwick is the campus. You can find everything you want here: a supermarket, bars, a cinema, lakes, a nightclub, a sports hub… What is so great about this is that you can walk everywhere, so you have complete flexibility over your timings when moving around, since you don’t have to depend on public transportation. Also, the campus is not isolated from other nearby places, there are different places where you can take a bus to move outside campus.

What is the worst thing?

I cannot think of anything that I dislike about Warwick in particular, but it is true that the weather here is terrible. Coming from a warm, sunny country like Spain, I am finding it really hard to get used to the unpredictable British climate.

How is your accommodation?

I am living in Tocil, which I think is the on campus accommodation that is best located. I can get to the supermarket quickly, and I am also two minutes away from central campus, where I have all my seminars. Some may think that living so close to the center could be stressful, but Tocil is very calm and the landscape is amazing. All I see from my window are trees. I initially applied to accommodations with en-suite toilets, but living in Tocil and sharing 4 toilets and 3 showers with 10 other people has not been a problem at all. Finally, what I love the most about Tocil is the people that I have met so far, most of them coming from diverse international backgrounds.

Are you a member of any societies?

I am in the women’s first volleyball team and in the tennis progression squad. Also, I have recently joined the Warwick Business School Society. I have attended different talks about relevant topics such as how to apply to “Spring Week” and I have received networking advice and guidance in CV writing and applications. Moreover, I attended a social event that the WBSS hosted in a nearby nightclub. I am planning to join other societies, such as the “Languages” and the “Women in economics” societies.

What are your plans when you graduate?

As of now, I don’t know what professional career I want to pursue, or where I want to work in the future. I would like to do an internship during my time in Warwick to explore more in depth today’s professional world, the careers that my degree can prepare me to pursue, or other careers outside of my degree that I could become interested in. I would like to apply my knowledge on sustainability and business from within a business, rather than from an international organisation, as I believe that, in order to move towards sustainable development, changes must be done from within businesses to increase profits with a sense of welfare.

What would you say to someone considering applying for an Undergraduate Global Excellence scholarship at Warwick, what would it be?

I think it is important to think about how the other applicants will answer the questions, so that you can really write something special about you and your interests that allows you to truly stand out and engage with the person reading your application. You must take into consideration that the people awarding the scholarships have probably read dozens of applications before, so they are tired of reading the same thing all over again. Don’t write what you think they want to hear, write something personal, that allows you to show them who you are and that reflects how much you want to study your chosen degree at Warwick.

What one thing makes you happy about Warwick?

One of the things that makes me happy about Warwick is how easy it is to make friends here. In the first week, there were many day and nighttime events that the university’s student union organised, and that allowed students to socialise and to meet other people. Also, you can always find people that you share interests with by joining societies or sports teams. Moreover, there are many social events that are great opportunities to meet people who are in other societies or studying different degrees, and everyone here is very friendly.