Bursary win for Master's Student Betsy

Master’s student Betsy Uchendu has been awarded £500 as a winner of the Postgrad Solutions Study Bursary 2019. Betsy, who is studying on the conversion course, MSc in Computer Science at the University of Kent applied for the award by writing 200 words about why she felt she should be eligible to receive it.

Betsy said, "I was over the moon when I received the email! It was such a wonderful surprise and a welcome relief to know that I would have support financially from Postgrad Solutions. Winning £500 has really lifted a weight off my shoulders and it's made me want to do even better knowing that I have been selected from such a large number of people. It's been a great motivator and I am sincerely grateful to have been chosen."

Betsy decided to study MSc in Computer Science because she is fascinated with the subject matter. She explained, "I had a desire to understand the foundation of how programs work from idea, design, input and output, and how we can use programming languages to create an experience with a final product. I'm invested in learning how to build and design systems that meet both organisational and human needs from a range of perspectives."

So far, Betsy has enjoyed the challenge of studying Computer Science. "The course has been extremely rewarding from the get go – I was confidently writing simple Java code in less than two weeks! It's been a stepping stone, particularly as I have come from a different field having studied Psychology for my undergraduate degree. Because of this, every day feels like a different challenge – but it has made the small, daily wins even more satisfying. I have also found myself more curious and fascinated by modules and topics I didn't think I would, which has made learning exciting again."

Betsy first visited the University of Kent during an open day and found herself immediately drawn to the university. She recalls, "I found myself comfortably walking around the campus from the moment I got there, exploring new buildings and speaking to people even though I'm usually quite shy! I knew I was going to be doing my masters degree there immediately; visiting the School of Computing and speaking to other masters and PhD students only confirmed this and really showed me how great University of Kent would be for studying Computing. It also felt like I would have the freedom to explore my previous interests in Psychology also to make the two subjects work together."

Betsy commutes to Kent's Canterbury campus from the Medway campus, and is always pleased to find herself onsite. She says, "I always feel welcome and excited to be on the Canterbury campus. There are always cultural events, film showings, or sports and societies holding something to attend! It's a great atmosphere all the time and even if you haven't been to something before, there's always space for new faces. The library is also a great place that I enjoy spending time in; everything I need is so easily accessible."

Betsy made use of Postgrad.com to gen up on what to expect from her masters course. She says, "I think Postgrad.com is a great asset for postgraduate students from different perspectives; those who are already at university, those who have already decided to go and those who are contemplating their decision. There's a huge variety of content, information and valuable support or advice wherever people are on their journey. I read a lot of the advice information during the summer before I started university, and it was very useful in ensuring I was prepared for everything that was to come."

The next University of Kent postgraduate event will be held on Thursday 5 December 2019.

Postgraduate applicants to the School of Computing can apply for the 2020 Postgrad Solutions Study Bursary until 14 September 2020.