What did you gain from the International Foundation Programme?

In the beginning, it was hard to write even 200 words, but we improved more and more. At the end of the programme, we had a 4,000-word critical writing review, which I got done in 13 hours. My writing has improved so much.

I started with an IELTS score of 5.5, and I did the exam three times to get that. Now, when I’m in tutorials with English students and the tutor sets us an essay, I start talking about structure and everyone asks me: 'How do you know all this, when English is your third language?'

The English students think I am so lucky to have had a foundation year. Everyone knows that students who have done the foundation are so good at writing, especially those who did their foundation at the University of Bristol.

How did you adjust to life in the UK?

Everything is different in the UK: the maps, the buses, the brands. It was so difficult in the beginning. However, I got lots of information from the Students’ Union to help me.

Everything is done in the Freshers’ Week. Whatever you want, you just ask. At the student fair there are lots of stalls – for taxis, restaurants, pizza. Everything a student could think of is around, because the University is in the middle of the city.

What were the teaching staff like?

The Centre for Academic Language and Development is home. The staff are the mums and dads – always asking why you’re not here, why you’ve not submitted your essay. They really care about the students, which is why lots of the students pass.

At the centre, they give more support than at undergraduate level. In the student representative meetings, when I raised an issue, in the next few days that issue would get fixed. They listen and there is a direct link to the Director of the centre.

How was the transition to an undergraduate degree?

I was well prepared, because now we have labs, unit assessments, posters for text response – the same things we had on the International Foundation Programme. They prepare students, because they know what students will face in their undergraduate year. The same things we had at the centre, we are having now at undergraduate level.

Did you enjoy living in Bristol?

I have moved a lot – I was in Liverpool for two months, Manchester for six months, London for three weeks. Bristol is the best place in terms of living cost, with buses and things like that. There were free buses in my foundation year. In terms of cost, it is cheaper because everything is around you.

If you don’t like branded food, you can go to this area called Easton. There you can find international food, anything related to your country. Bristol is linked together – from area to area, it’s easy to arrive by bus. We have lots of parks, a big mall, a bridge, a tower, the harbourside, lots of entertainment, rivers, big green spaces – whatever you want.

How does the University support your future ambitions?

We get plenty of information and support from the Careers Service. We have to apply for a placement, and they help us find companies, help us with CVs. On our placements, we might be doing things like checking drugs for toxicity. Pharmacology is different to pharmacy, because we make the drugs rather than just sell them.

I’d like to be a researcher, to do cellular molecular medicine at PhD or master’s level. I really like this subject. The staff are really organised and the teaching materials are so flexible. Maybe because we were communicating with them last year, during the foundation programme, they are taking care of us now.

What advice would you give new students?

Never, never get behind. Study hard from the beginning. Never say 'I’ll do it the day after', because you’ll have lots of things on top of you, especially at the beginning.

Take care with your laboratory work, because really good marks there can make a difference. Also, with academic writing and text response. You are building your grade slowly, slowly. If you do well in the beginning, you are likely to pass at the end – and at the same time it is beneficial to you.