Accommodating to London’s Life as an International Student

What made you choose to study in London?

I always liked the idea of studying abroad and after looking into different options, London definitely seemed like the right choice for me. It’s an exciting, vibrant city with a great TV and film industry. And it’s still relatively close to my home country and therefore easy to visit my family and friends there. So far, I definitely think I’ve made the right decision.

What were the factors you looked for when deciding on where to study?

I compared the different film schools and universities in London and attended their online open days. This was a great opportunity to ask questions and talk to current students. Of course, I was interested in the course outline and the different projects the students worked on. But even more important for me was to find a school that felt like a community; where tutors are approachable and students support each other.

How did you feel when you first arrived in London?

I felt pretty overwhelmed at first. Moving from my parents’ flat to such a big city in another country was definitely a big change. But it also gave me the opportunity to explore this new place, try new hobbies and meet new people. With all this excitement, I was glad that I regularly video-called my parents. It also really helped me to go to a park and unwind for a bit before going on new adventures in London.

How did you make friends? 

It always takes some time to build solid friendships, especially when you just moved here from a different country. The first people I met in London were my classmates from CFS. We started working on projects straight away and after school, we often went to local pubs together. I made some really good friends here but I also met cool people outside of school. I can definitely recommend picking up new hobbies or going to local events to make friends.

How do you find studying in our new location?

CFS’ new building is great! We now have two big studios that we can use for our productions and a lot of space for classes, meetings and hanging out. I also like the new post-production zone and the small library. It definitely feels like a very creative space, although that’s probably due to the students and tutors.

Do you feel like London could potentially become your second home?

Absolutely. I really like it here and I’ve met some great people. Of course, I have to see where my career leads me but I really hope that London’s media industry has something in store for me.