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My Journey to Choosing International Relations and Politics at Queen's

While scrolling through the various Politics courses on UCAS in my last year of high school, the Queen's page stood out. From early on in school, I knew that I wanted to attend a university abroad that had a strong focus on international appeal.

Queen's main campus at sunrise

Discovering Queen's

The first step in my journey was discovering Queen's University Belfast on UCAS. While UCAS is a popular route for applying to UK universities, prospective students can also apply directly to Queen's. The combined International Relations and Politics programme interested me because Queen's is one of only a few universities in my research that had both factors.

The deciding factors

After researching more about my programme and Queen's in general, I reached out to the international student team for more information. The response was quick and thorough, covering everything I needed to know about the programme and the university. The international student team was helpful and engaging, consistently communicating with me throughout the process.

Take a quick tour of the Queen's campus!

Two of the biggest things I learned more about were the advantages of studying in a smaller city with a lower cost of living, which made the financial aspect of studying abroad much more manageable. The other significant aspect was my degree programme's emphasis on practical experience with its many study abroad, placement, and research opportunities.

Application process

Next, after discussing my situation with the North American team, I sent in all the requested documents, including country-specific academic and testing records. Thanks to the university's clear guidelines, the application process was streamlined and straightforward. After a few weeks, I was thrilled to receive an unconditional offer of admission.

What do our North American students think of life in Belfast?

Applying for Scholarships

The final step was applying for scholarships. Queen's University offers various scholarships to international students, and I was fortunate to receive a generous award. This financial support made my decision even easier, as it significantly reduced my tuition and living expenses.

Ultimately, I decided on Queen's University Belfast because of the streamlined application process and all the factors that made Queen's stand out from the rest. The combination of a strong International Relations and Politics programme, abundant opportunities for study abroad and research, a supportive international student team, and the benefits of living in a smaller city with a lower cost of living made Queen's the best choice for me.

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Emily Scott

International Relations and Politics | Undergraduate student | Washington D.C, USA

My name is Emily Scott and I’m originally from Washington D.C. I am currently in my first year studying International Relations and Politics. The best thing about my course so far has been being able to attend seminars of distinguished guest speakers. My favourite activities around Belfast include going to the Belfast Central Library and trying different restaurants in Queen’s Quarter.

Other hobbies of mine include swimming, reading, and watching films. On campus, I like to spend my time mostly at the McClay library and the PEC and I’m always looking for new study spots. My all time favourite spots around campus include the Botanic Gardens and I love exploring the new exhibits at Ulster Museum.

Emily Scott
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