It was my dream to come to the UK and study here. With a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, I managed to fulfil this dream.
What do you enjoy the most about your course?
What I find the most interesting are projects. In my third year, I worked on two projects – Verification of Neural Networks, and Detection and Mitigation of Effects of Panic Attacks. Doing research and applying theoretical knowledge obtained as a part of my course to find a solution to challenging real-life problems is very satisfying for me. The fulfilment I feel in the moment when I realize that the idea I had works is truly special. The thing I look forward to the most next year is working on my master thesis which will be in the fields of machine learning and biomedical engineering.
How is your subject taught?
There is a considerable difference between the first two years and the rest of the course. In the first two years, the course is very theoretical and is consisted of 8 hours of lectures, 2 hours of tutorials, and 5 hours of labs per week on average. In the third year, two projects need to be completed as a part of the course, and the lecture and tutorial schedules are a bit more flexible. In the final, fourth year, students spend most of their time working on their master thesis, and there are no labs.
“Putting in a lot of effort in preparation for tests and interviews, and showing your interests and personality in a personal statement is the key to success.”
What made you decide to apply for Oxford/Oriel and do you have any top tips on the application process?
I remember first reading about Oxford and Cambridge in my English language textbooks when I was 11. I was fascinated by the history and reputation they had. Since then, it was my dream to come to the UK and study here. With a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, I managed to fulfil this dream and spend three wonderful years at Oxford (one more to go!). When it comes to the application process, I would say that putting in a lot of effort in preparation for tests and interviews, and showing your interests and personality in a personal statement is the key to success.
How did you prepare for your interview?
Firstly, I talked to people who successfully became students here and asked them for advice. Then, I did a lot of interesting math and physics questions from a variety of books. I also read a lot of articles and watched some YouTube videos about the interviews at Oxbridge. It’s hard to say what one should do to prepare for the interviews, it really depends, but from my experience, putting in a lot of effort always pays off!
What advice do you have for prospective students interested in studying your subject?
Do your research and carefully consider all of your options. Be true to yourself when deciding on what to study, and once you decide give your best!
What do you like the most about being an Orielensis?
“The college puts a lot of effort into making everyone feel welcome and included. It’s simply an amazing place to spend four years.”
People at Oriel are very bright and friendly. It’s very easy to be yourself and feel comfortable regardless of what “being yourself” is for you. There are a lot of possibilities to expand your knowledge in different fields and pursue your interests. Tutors know a lot, have fascinating interests, and have great personalities! The college puts a lot of effort into making everyone feel welcome and included. It’s simply an amazing place to spend four years, and one of the proofs of that is a few of my friends from other colleges who always ask me to hang out in Oriel because they simply love it so much! Another important thing is that accommodation facilities and food are very good.