University of Chester — Local services in Great Britain

Though there appears to be numerous negative reviews, I can only speak for my own experience, and I found this university great as I underwent the MSc Marketing Management course as an international student from 2023-2024. (This will be a long post but I hope it helps any nervous peeps out there who are thinking of studying here.)

To be fair, I won't lie - this university isn't the best and has its flaws (this mainly being my course's curriculum, hence, the 4 stars) but I believe this university is truly up and coming. It's not a new thing that HEIs are first and foremost a form of business so yes, the fees have made my wallet light, but the experience I've had with the Southeast Asia country manager (Zul) as well as teams from compliance, admission, and fees have been frictionless. They've never made me feel like I've been scammed or that my education wasn't important. The emails I've sent to them are promptly replied within the day or next, and they have given me all the information I needed to have a smooth process getting into and paying for this course, even as I pestered them with follow up questions.

I've never experienced rude or condescending staff even when I did part-time work and volunteering with the university; however, I have experienced this and forms of self-entitlement/ gender and racial discrimination from certain peers (students) of other countries. This can't be pinned on the university as the individuals in question are all adults, and should know better. However, I have to clarify that there are loads of amazing people that I've met and befriended who are from a diverse range of cultures, and these experiences definitely outweigh the bad.

The course in itself can be better as the syllabus does get repetitive and the information provided could be better explained. However, the lecturers that I've been taught by all have been willing to take the time to support students and answer/guide me to doing the best in my work. There weren't any examinations in my course, as it was 100% coursework heavy (i.e. academic essays, reports, proposals etc) but there were all the support systems in place like Academic Skills and Academic English. The latter had been given to all international students upon them getting into the course - this being greatly helpful for those who are actually interested in bettering their English (though I believe there should have been a better vetting system based on the English Fluency grade they requested for, rather than having every international student be put into it; however, the lecturer is there to evaluate and will help students accordingly).

Overall, the UK education system is entirely different from my own country, but I've found that it is one that encourages students to come out of their own shell to get what they need rather than being spoon fed. If you don't ask, you don't get, and that's what I have commonly seen as a Student Representative of my class and as one of the university's Race Advocate.

Everyone will experience this journey differently, but I've gained so much positive ones here that I would definitely recommend international students to come...

As a postgraduate international student of the Chester Business School finishing in 2024, I rate this University top-notch in delivering a positive and memorable student experience.

Library service Open 24/7 in the main campus with spacious study and work areas and well-stocked with computers as well as print and electronic books and learning materials with knowledgeable and helpful librarians.

Teaching standards Experienced and dedicated lecturers who deliver quality content and constantly encourage students' participation and engagement in classes.

Staff members in student-facing departments Friendly, warm, courteous and ever-willing to assist with enquiries and provide clarification or guidance.

Inclusivity and diversity International students are made to feel welcome with spaces catering to practices of individual faith and belief and activities that mark many cultural celebrations from around the world.

Facilities and infrastructure Sports and leisure, gym, clubs and societies, volunteering activities, students' common rooms, learning new languages, talks and speeches on a variety of issues, in-campus student accomodation, cafeterias that serve vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and many more.

Student Assistance Programme A free 24/7 support service provided to all students catering to any crisis advice or help needed such as tenancy and housing concerns, financial and legal matters, stress and anxiety issues and many others.

Personal Academic Tutor A member of teaching staff assigned to each student to offer support and assistance on any concerns or issues.

Careers and employability services Job opportunities support and assistance by skilled consultants.

Alumni Benefits that include free lifetime library membership.

Beautiful campuses The 3 large city campuses are by the riverside that provide a relaxed and conducive learning environment.

Proud to have been a...

Unbelivably bad post-grad support

I completed my master's degree here with Distinction, including a Distinction in my dissertation. I served as a Student Representative and Student Ambassador and worked incredibly hard with a clear long-term goal of continuing into academia and becoming a researcher at the doctoral level.

Unfortunately, my experience after graduation left me deeply hurt. When I reached out to my former lecturers for academic references to support my PhD applications, none of them responded to my repeated emails. I even visited the university in person, hoping for a short conversation or at least a simple refusal, but was met with silence. After dedicating so much time, energy, and trust to my studies, I felt completely ignored and unappreciated.

What made this even more painful was knowing that I had done everything right, achieving top grades, engaging in university life, and showing genuine passion for my field, yet I could not get even a basic acknowledgment or support from those I once looked up to. In the end, I managed to receive a PhD offer thanks to the support and references from my bachelor's professors, who still believed in me after all these years.

The experience left me heartbroken and disheartened. The main reason I pursued my master's degree here was to prepare for a future in academic research, but instead I was left questioning my worth and effort. I sincerely hope the university reflects on how it treats its graduates, because no student who gives their all should ever feel...