Kings is THE place to be! King's College London, University of London
- PujaIndia
- King's College London, University Of London, United Kingdom
- M.Sc. Human Resource Management and Organisational Analysis
- Postgraduate
- 2008
Kings is a great place to be academically it is renowned the world over, and ranks as the 20th top university. It is in the top 5 among UK institutions. Another major attraction is being able to study in London. It is very student friendly, and theres something for everyone here. Its best to keep an open mind and really make the most of the year.
There were no exams as part of the admission process, as Kings had sent me a conditional offer in January after an interview I had with the College representative at The Chopras office in Delhi. Once I got my third year results, I sent them in and they sent me the unconditional offer which I accepted. I took the IELTS, though it was not necessary as we have been taught in English throughout school and college, which cancels that requirement for us. Luckily, my visa experience was very smooth. The form was a bit annoying, but it helps to work on a draft first. They require lots of documentation, which can take a while to put together. The interview was quick and my visa took only three days to arrive. Getting tickets to London was easy, but since its a busy time, fares are usually higher. I flew Virgin Atlantic it was alright, and there was no student fare, though they did allow for a little extra baggage, above the usual 23kgs. I was required to take a chest x-ray with me in my hand luggage, as Immigration officials at Heathrow wanted to do a brief check of health records. All first time students stand in a separate line for this check. It can take a while especially at busy times of the day (mornings) when lots of flights are coming into Heathrow. There was no Meet and Greet service at the airport we drove down to my accommodation in Central London. It took around an hour and a half to get there-- traffic, etc. For those living in Central London, the National Express Dot-to-Dot is a great service, it is a shuttle bus that takes you from Arrivals (at Heathrow and Gatwick airports) right to your place of residence for about 20 pounds per person. There is a desk at the arrival area. It is cheaper than hiring a black cab and just as good. The underground also goes to Central London, it is a good option if one can handle ones luggage comfortably.
The college does offer some scholarships but not for an entire waiver. Competition is high, so applying for one early is advised.
I am pretty happy with the way my program has been structured. The lectures were great and I was always keen to attend. I did wish, however, that it was a little more practical than theory-based, and that it was a two year programme. Fitting a Masters degree into one year with much of the year off for winter/easter break and the dissertation, leaves just a few months of teaching time, which I found condensed everything. It was rigorous and the pace was very quick. The professors were fantastic, which for me was the highlight of my experience. We learnt a lot from them during our Tutorials (interactive classes) and they were always helpful and available. The lecture halls are great, and the AV aids are used for teaching we didnt take our laptops to class, we were given handouts and were free to take notes on them. The Library is a fantastic place, our college has five libraries spanning the five campuses. (they shot the Da Vinci Code at one of them !) I like to go study there since its quiet, there are lots of students and it is a supportive environment. They have computer workstations as well, so its good for the dissertation work too. There are photocopier facilities, quiet study areas, group study areas, etc.
I live in student halls in the postgraduate block, which is much quieter. Ive been pretty happy, halls can be a sociable place when you want it to be, but if one needs quiet study time, thats easily managed too. My residence had flat arrangements, where 7 people shared a kitchen, but had separate bedrooms and bathrooms. It was ideal. My flatmates are my best friends in London. For part-time jobs, too, one needs to apply early there is no campus recruitment, so a lot depends on your personal enterprise there are always jobs in College at the information centre, or even the student bar. The ones at the library go first! The social scene is great, as is the night life. There is a lot to do- lots of concerts, plays, movies, sports events, museums, shopping, and it is a great place to be if you like food. The weather in London is okay. It gets quite cold December-January but it is warm in July-August. One always needs a light cardigan dressing in layers is effective. It did snow this year for a day but it doesnt usually. As far as student societies go, postgraduates arent very active in them in my college. I am not a member of any society, but everyone gets lots of invites to special events like the Diwali celebration, or a charity fashion show through the Kings network on facebook.
They have a placement cell- the careers service, it s good to keep dropping in and letting them know you are on the look-out for work. Being visible is key. They also have career fairs where lots of employers come and it is a good idea to attend these, take a copy of your CV with you. Kings also organizes workshops on how to write a good CV, how to improve interview skills, how to prepare for a telephone interview, etc. lots of companies attend these, and some are leaders in their fields there are also external career fairs, and at times, the department where you study at will circulate an e-mail about an employer that is interested in hiring through the college. Joining a website, the milkround.com is a good idea, it deals only with graduate level jobs. With the state of the economy at the moment, jobs are fewer, especially for international students, but they are not gone. You should have a crisp CV, and should know what you are looking for. Companies may not sponsor your work permit application, but all of that is decided in your interview. I am not aware of the role of the alumni society at Kings, though one does exist.
Located in Greater London.
Click on the map to view the location of King's College London, University of London in more detail.
Rankings for this institution
View all rankings/rating tables
If you are studying right now or you have completed your studies, then help future students by sharing your experiences.