Natalia Garbarek

Hello everyone, my name is Natalia Garbarek, I’m 20 years old, and I’m in my second year of International Law at Coventry University. My decision to study in England was made spontaneously, and I’m very happy that I took this opportunity. In March of my third year of high school, I went to Poznań, where the International Poznań Fairgrounds hosted educational fairs. Representatives from various universities promoted their programs and assisted prospective students in making their final choices. There were also organizations recruiting for studies abroad, such as Edu4u, which offers assistance in applying for studies in the UK. After a presentation describing several universities and their majors, I decided that such a decision could change my life. I had considered studying abroad before, but I always thought it was a nearly impossible dream, associated with high costs and an incredibly challenging application process. The answer to all this is a definite no! The application process is very quick and straightforward, and you also receive guidance from Edu4u on how to do it. The application is through the UCAS platform, where you can apply for up to 5 courses, and some universities even don’t require language tests like IELTS or TOEFL. When I applied to Coventry, I needed a 75% score on the extended English language exam, which meant I didn’t have to worry about language tests.

I chose the International Law program because it offers a lot of opportunities and promises good financial stability in the future. The study is very interesting, each semester contains 3 subjects called modules. We learn the basics of English law, which provides us with the opportunity to stay in this country and pursue a legal profession. However, we also have the chance to go abroad since my program focuses on comparing jurisdictions worldwide, allowing us to work wherever we can dream of. There are 2 lectures and 1 seminar per week for each subject. The seminars are interactive lessons with approx. 20-person groups. Lecturers always publish what we need to prepare for the seminar, and then we discuss it. Every time, the lecture presentations are available on our student server CUMoodle, which helps a lot when revising for exams. The exams last 3 hours, and there are 3 essays to write, so it is quite stressful, although if you are prepared and focused, you can do it. Each semester includes an additional stimulating subject designed to improve our advocacy skills or simply being a good lawyer. For these subjects, there are no exams, but rather assessments through presentations and essays of around 1500-2000 words. In this semester, we have a subject called “mooting,” which takes place in a room designed like a small courtroom. This is by far my favorite of all the stimulation subjects we have had so far. It involves simulating a court session every week, where we take on the roles of a lawyer and a defender. Thanks to this, we learn how to conduct ourselves during a court case, how to address judges, and how to present arguments in a persuasive yet formal manner.

Coventry University offers a sandwich year for students, which is a year-long break between the 2nd and 3rd years. This allows me the choice to either take a year-long job placement or study in another country (Erasmus). This is an incredibly beneficial option because, if I choose placement, I graduate with a year’s experience in my profession. The university assists in finding placements both within England and abroad. With Erasmus, you can get to know a new country while studying the same course. When applying for Erasmus, the university provides a free Linguae Mundi language course (usually costing £80-£120), offering a choice of 31 languages, including sign language. The university also offers the Global Leaders Programme, allowing me to participate in extra workshops and lectures related to my field. There are meetings and lectures with court representatives, as well as respected law firms. Upon completing the studies, you receive a certificate from this program, which can be included in your CV.

Although there is a tuition fee, you can easily get a tuition fee loan, which covers the cost of tuition during your studies. In terms of livelihood, jobs are very easy to find and also depend on what kind of work you want to do. Regarding part-time jobs, warehouse positions are available, where you can earn up to £11 per hour. For less physically demanding jobs, the hourly rate usually starts at £5.90 and varies based on age. If you’re 21 or over, the rate automatically increases to £7.38. I work as a bartender at a restaurant bar across from the university, so I can easily balance my studies and work. In such places, the hours are very flexible, and the shifts are tailored to my class schedule.

Coventry itself isn’t expensive, and if you’re looking for a bigger city vibe, Birmingham is just a 20-minute train ride away. Housing is a cost of approx. £330-£450, and it also depends on the standard you’re looking for, but usually, the proximity to the university has the most impact on the price. You can get caught up in the location very quickly because the numbers in the zip code indicate the distance from the center. CV1 is the inner city, whereas CV3 means approx. a 30-minute walk to the city center. The neighborhood is truly pleasant, everything is close by, and all university departments are within a 5-minute distance from each other. There’s also a 4-story 24-hour library where you can find all sorts of books and articles from every field of study. The professors are friendly, and you can always ask them when you don’t understand something. They also have their emergency hours, where you can book a meeting and ask for an explanation of a certain topic. The university is continuously growing and expanding. When I started my first year, a completely new building called the Health & Life Science Building was opened, equipped with a huge laboratory and state-of-the-art equipment. Another Engineering Building is also being added at this time. The university itself is in the top 12 in the country and 2nd in terms of teaching excellence. I highly recommend studying in England, as it’s not only about achieving a perfect level of language proficiency, but also an opportunity for independence, getting to know various cultures and making friends from all around the world, learning responsibility, and having an unforgettable adventure.