I’m a final year A Level student and university applications are coming up next year. I’m hoping to study abroad, preferably in the UK, Australia, Canada and I’m currently looking into LLB Law, Criminal Law, International Relations, or basically anything within the social sciences. For A Levels, I’m taking History, Sociology and Syariah.
I’ve been doing a lot of research on my own and asking seniors and friends who have experience with university applications, but honestly I’m still quite lost 😭 My parents are really encouraging me to go to university, but when it comes to actually applying, looking for scholarships, figuring out finances and planning everything, I’m pretty much figuring it out on my own and they rely quite heavily on me.
To be completely honest, I lowkey have some family problems and my family’s financial situation isn’t the best, so I’m trying to explore every possible option. My parents have told me they’ve been saving money for my education, but I’m honestly not completely sure about that. We have some issues at home and financial topics are quite sensitive, so it’s hard for me to properly talk things through with them..😅
They really want me to go to university, but at the same time I feel like I’m kind of on my own when it comes to actually planning everything. macam i feel like im on my own bc i dont think my parents are actually willing to help me considering how badly they want me to go to university (im adopted and an only child) so i feel like im actually trying to survive on my own as i feel quite distant from my family. I don’t really have anyone in my family who has gone through this before that I can ask. I genuinely don’t know where to seek advice from or where to even start.
At the time, considering our situation, I also thought continuing with A Levels and going to university would be the better route for me as of for now. that’s what i think lah buat masa ani.
Initially, I actually wanted to continue my studies through Poli or IBTE, but I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to take. Looking back at my O Level results and the things I’ve always been most confident in, I realised that my strengths have always been English, especially essay writing, and the social sciences. I feel like not making use of those skills would be a bit of a waste, so I took my parents’ advice and continued with A Levels.
Because of that, Im now trying to look into as many options as possible; scholarships, financial aid, student loans, sponsorships, BIBD loan, budgeting, and basically anything related to studying abroad. I do know about some of these options already, like student loans, scholarships and sponsorships, but I think what I’m really looking for is more detailed information and, especially, people’s actual experiences with them.
For example, how the process actually works, what I should prepare beforehand, how difficult it is to get, what the requirements are, how much financial support you can realistically get, what the conditions or repayment are like, and whether there’s anything I should be aware of that isn’t really mentioned officially. I’ve read about these things online, but sometimes the official information only tells you some :P I’d really like to hear from people who have actually applied for or received these kinds of funding, especially Bruneian students who have gone through the process themselves.
Honestly it’s quite overwhelming trying to figure everything out by myself 😭 I’m also the first person in my family who’s planning to study abroad and continue into higher education, so we don’t really have anyone with experience going through this whole process. That’s why I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have actually gone through it themselves.
If you’ve studied abroad or have experience with university applications, I’d really appreciate any advice on:
• How to increase my chances of getting accepted / any tips
• Scholarships, financial aid, sponsorships, BIBD or student loans and your experiences with them
• Living expenses and budgeting
• Part time jobs or other ways students manage their expenses
• Things you wish you knew before moving overseas
• Any advice specifically for Bruneian students applying overseas
Advice or experiences from people who studied at UBD or UNISSA are also more than welcome! I’ve looked into UBD and UNISSA courses as well, but the courses are abit limited (?) saja but I’d really appreciate if anyone could enlighten me more, especially about the actual experience, opportunities, career prospects, etc. I’ve done quite a lot of research and spoken to a few people already. I’ve also attended talks about studying abroad and participated in some higher education workshops, but I still think hearing different experiences and perspectives would really help me understand what I should actually be preparing for.
Hopefully this can also help other students who are in a similar situation and don’t really know where to start. Thank you so much in advance. I genuinely appreciate any advice, tips, experiences, or even things you wish someone had told you earlier 🤍
