Name: Shohei Fukuda
Degree: MSc in Human Resource Management
From: Japan

Why Manchester?

I came to Manchester for several reasons, including the fact that the University is highly rated internationally. It has a Japan office which supports applicants from Japan who are interested in coming to Manchester.

Accommodation

I live in student accommodation in the northern area of campus. It is close to Piccadilly Station, just five minutes walk to the city centre and fifteen minutes to the University.

I have four classes per week. My morning classes are from 10am to 1pm and afternoon classes from 2pm to 5pm. On Wednesdays and Thursdays I don't have class, so spend my time reviewing lecture notes and preparing for the next lecture.

I usually use the main university library and the School library to study during the day and study in my room in the evening. I can do almost all the work on my laptop because we have internet access from our individual rooms - it's brilliant (and so cheap)!

Going out

At the weekend, I like going to the pub and getting together with my friends. I often go shopping to the city centre, where there are many things to do, from shopping at supermarkets and clothes shops to going to the cinema. It's much cheaper to see a film here in Manchester than in Japan (the price is about one third).

We often have small parties with our friends, or simply have a meal together. Especially when it comes to someone's birthday, we will make elaborate plans for preparing presents and food.

We sometimes visit cities near Manchester like Leeds and Liverpool by train or coach. And of course you can easily and cheaply go to London (it takes three hours by train and a cheap return ticket will cost about £15). Within Manchester, if you have an annual bus pass, you can go anywhere freely.

Top tip

My advice for students thinking of coming to study in Manchester is that you need to manage your time efficiently and enjoy not only study, but also many kinds of social activities.

Also here in Manchester, there are many ethnic groups and different people from around the world and the classroom is no exception. So we have many opportunities to meet and get to know people from many countries.

In my opinion, if you want to make your life here meaningful, you should make enough time to have fun with your friends, as well as time to study. Good luck!