Middlesex University London — Attraction in London

There are some very mixed reviews here. Some are very harsh. Others are, I would say, fair. My own experience of MDX has both good and bad elements.

It is true, I have to say, that the general administration of MDX is, at best, difficult (it's often been known by students as 'Muddlesex' - muddled meaning mixed-up). I do not believe this has anything to do with the staff, but rather it is something to do with the various systems they use and the way they 'talk' to each other. I was a full time MA student but was registered as part time for nearly six months. There were many trips to many people to collect many forms, but it didn't seem to help. None of this really mattered until it came to registering for dissertation and course work submissions. Then it became critical. I had completed work that they were unable to accept. You get the idea.

The facilities at MDX are good, but like any University in close proximity to London, the facilities have many challengers. This can give a biased view by just how good or bad things are. Having studied at a Kings College London and MDX, it would be fair to say the facilities are comparable.

There are great sports facilities. There are many food outlets. There are places to study and hang out. The online resources are excellent (once you have learnt to use them). The support services, if you access them in time, are second to none.

All my tutors, even the ones 'I didn't like', were excellent. In the 'real world' you'll find many people you don't want to be around, but you will have to work together. They are not waiters who serve a tray of information - as some reviews seem to perceive them. At best they are collaborators. At worst they are a NECESSARY evil. Suck-it-up and focus on what you are there to achieve. If you think you can come to MDX and buy a degree, think again.

(One reviewer commented that they didn't like the smell of the corridors. If the the choice of cleaning product is something that really concerns them then, I have to say, I'm beyond works. MDX is clean. Clinically clean.)

There are many international, fee paying, students at MDX. This is a very good thing. But it does mean there are two groups of people at MDX. There are those who come from very affluent backgrounds who have extremely high expectations. Then there are other students who live a much more modest existence and experience things differently. For me, this accounts for some of the extremely negative reviews of the services and facilities. For any international student, fees can be considered very high. But, they are comparable with all other London universities, and in fact, in many cases are lower. (Recently I heard of a student at London School of Economics who raised a petition to gain a refund for a class that was cancelled because the Tutor was very ill. Really? I hope this attitude never comes to MDX).

Although money is a core factor when attending a university, whether taken from the perspective of MDX or a student, the purpose of a University is NOT operate purely on commercial terms. MDX comes from a tradition of colleges that consider practical application as relevant as purely academic concerns. They also aspire to make education available to all - whether low income locals, or affluent internationals. These values are part of the core of MDX. It's what sets it aside from other colleges. MDX, I believe, does it's best to fulfil its ambitions. Thus, you get mixed abilities, mixed incomes and muddled...

Extremely not organised, the customer service is awful (Tried to find nicest words from what I’m really feeling). They ruined my chance to study this year. I’m so shocked, I never thought that it’s possible to find any university like this in the UK!

This will be long story, but every detail is important.

I applied for the Game Design and Development in 3 different universities with the UCAS. One of them was the Middlesex University, which was my N.1 choice. Soon I received the email from them that I need to upload my portfolio in 28 days. I’ve done it in 6 days and right after (literally an hour later or so) I received the reply that my application was declined because I didn’t attended interview (I didn’t receive any invitations). I called Middlesex and the team told me that this reply is automatic because I uploaded it too late, after the UCAS deadline.… And I need just to wait, that my application is processing and they will tell me the answer until next week. Long story short - I called them every week during a month. I received offers from other universities and accepted them (Middlesex team recommended to do so: “Accept the offers, and if you will get the offer from us, you can cancel them”). After a month I finally received the reply - “YES, you do have a place is our university, everything is fine - the portfolio, the qualification. Now you need just to withdraw your application with the other universities”. Just in case I called few times after, to be sure that it’s true, that I really do have a place. After they assumed that it’s 1000% for sure, I was so happy, so excited - I fully withdrawn my application and applied directly through the university. And again - silence. I send them AGAIN the portfolio, my transcript from the college. I called them every week and they asked me to wait, that they are just processing my application.

Two days ago I received the email from them. In email they wrote me (are you ready?) - that they showed my portfolio to the tutor and he didn’t accepted it. I called them crying as I was in shock - They saw this portfolio before, they told me for sure that I do have a place, that I NEED to withdraw my application with the other universities, that everything is GOOD. The team wasn’t sorry at all, they told me : Oh, first time your portfolio viewed one tutor, and this time another. he thinks that your portfolio will suit better the graphic design course, not the game design. sorry”.

I tried to at least reapply to the Graphic Design course (I’ve studied the Graphic Design 1 year in another college), just not to loose the year, as my application was withdrawn, as there wasn’t places in the Clearing in the unis I’ve applied before. They told me that they will call me back. And again - silence.

I can’t express how awful do I feel now. The Middlesex kept me waiting for 2 months. They assured that I have a place, that I need to decline the offers from other places. It was my choice, because I trusted them, because I wanted to study there. Now I lost one year.  That’s...

I really hate to write this review, but I am so frustrated with the Unihelp/Unihub service that the University relies so heavily on. I have no where to go for feedback or to request what I need from the University. This seems to be the only way if they care at all.

I am a graduate of Middlesex. Recently I need to order an official transcript to be sent to another university to support my application for a higher education. I have called almost every day over a week during their posted office hours but never got anyone to pick up. (In fact, as I am writing this, I am still on the phone waiting for over an hour.) I then tried to submit an enquiry online just as they suggested over the phone while I was waiting. But whoever that monitors and supports the online enquiry system keeps closing my enquiry ticket by asking for the same information over and over again even after I have provided what they have asked for (i.e. student number, name, programme studied, etc.) And they only responded once a day (sometimes once every 3 days). So, for each correspondence I will need to wait for at least a day to get another one, which will be the same every time (asking for the same information.)

Then I tried the online chat service. The person whose name was James, told me that I need to respond to the enquiry and he cannot help me because there will be duplication (i.e. sending the requested transcript to the destination university more than one time.) But I was not even at the stage of providing them any information about the destination university yet. How could things be duplicated? Then he replied by saying "I can't change the department policy." I don't understand what kind of policy that is.

Either way, after about 5-6 times back and forth with the online enquiry, they finally let me know that they couldn't find my record with my student number. That is even more mysterious. My student number has always been the one I have provided. And in fact, I have just successfully requested to have the official transcript sent to another institution in January this year. What possibly can go wrong within the past few months? Did Covid-19 still my record?

So, I am trying to call again to see if talking directly to someone would help to solve the problem. But here I am, listening to the automated message for over an hour…

I tried to go to the Middlesex webpage again to see if there is any other way to contact any other person who can help me. Apparently, there is not a lot of options except for going through the Unihelp/Unihub system that I am having trouble with. I am not located in the UK right now so I can’t visit the campus. So, what other options do I have now? Can someone please help?! I am just trying to order an official transcript. Since when does this become such a difficult job?...