Outgoing: Lison Bossus at the University of Warwick, United Kingdom

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Lison Bossus is a Bachelor student majoring in psychology at the University of Bordeaux. She is currently spending her second year at the University of Warwick in Coventry, United Kingdom.

Photo : Lison Bossus © université de Bordeaux
Lison Bossus © université de Bordeaux

Why did you choose to carry out a mobility experience?

Perfecting my English was always one of my objectives whilst carrying out my university studies. The second year of my Bachelor was the right time for me to fully commit to an exchange year.

I knew I wanted to attend a British university, and when researching those available, the University of Warwick (one of the top 10 in the UK!) seemed like an ideal fit.

As an added bonus, if you want to discover the UK as a whole, living in Coventry is perfect: 20 minutes by train from Birmingham International Airport, and 1h30 by train from London – what more to ask!

I started my application in January and had already submitted the necessary documents by February 2022. My acceptance letter arrived late March, and I spent all summer applying for my visa and accommodation. The process is long but not too difficult, if you know what to look for.

What are your impressions of the University of Warwick?

When I first arrived, I was immediately surprised by how big the campus was, which I think was one of the greatest cultural shocks I experienced. Every first-year student lives on campus, meaning that thousands of people my age are gathered in the same place. Campus facilities include a grocery shop, a library (which is open 24/7!), cafés, restaurants, and even a nightclub! It truly feels like a small town full of students. Other than the size of the campus, I’ve also noticed that British people are very friendly and are always willing to come to your help.

In terms of study, the University of Warwick attaches great importance to readings (they provide a lot of them), which allows you to familiarise yourself with scientific literature and has helped me greatly in redacting my essays. The professors are really invested in your academic success and, again, always willing to help in any way they can.

A big advantage is that exchange students choose the classes they want to take, which is why I am taking third-year courses that interest me, despite being in my second year. I remember in my developmental psychology class, at least 40% of people were actually in economics.

I’ve become friends with people from all the over the world and, in a certain way, travelled a lot with my mind.

What have you learnt so far from this international experience?

Experiencing British culture is different from reading about it, which is why I am glad I took the step to pursue this exchange year abroad. The same goes for practicing English, which is something I can really do here and I hope that my British accent will live with me forever.

Not only have I discovered the British lifestyle but the University of Warwick also has an excellent international programme, meaning that I’ve become friends with people from all the over the world and, in a certain way, travelled a lot with my mind.