International Student Ambassadors are responsible for helping at events and representing the university from an international student’s perspective. I’m currently a postgraduate student, but I’ve been an International Student Ambassador since the first year of my undergraduate studies. The role has given me so many new skills and experiences. I’m going to share my story and help you decide if it’s the role for you.
Am I the right fit?
I was unsure about trying for the role in 2018 as I wasn’t sure if I was the right fit. At the time I was still trying to settle into life in the UK. However, the university welcomes anyone, regardless of their background. The flexibility and casual nature of the job attracted me and the application process was fairly straightforward. It was the first job I actually applied for at university, so it was a big milestone for me! The only other job I‘d had was a part-time Teaching Assistant role in my gap year.
International Student Ambassador – what does the role entail?
The role has many different responsibilities, from delivering campus tours to prospective students, to answering questions on UniBuddy. Outside of these though, there are many other opportunities, as the role is super varied! Since becoming an ambassador I have:
- done a campus tour livestream on Facebook
- featured in videos for the university
- provided a city tour to the university’s Southeast Asian representatives
- helped test a virtual event platform
- and even proofread English-Malay translations of marketing materials!
Delivering campus tours sounded daunting at first and being on camera was admittedly scary with how self-conscious I am. However, looking back, they ended up being invaluable experiences that helped me gain new skills.
I myself benefited greatly from the insight provided by current students when I applied for university. I couldn’t afford to fly over for open days so it was the best way to get a student’s perspective. I’m grateful that, as an ambassador, I’ve been able to help other international prospective students like I was.
What are the benefits?
Throughout my time as an International Student Ambassador, I’ve gained so many new experiences and highly recommend applying. As it’s a casual position, you don’t have fixed hours, so you can accept shifts when you’re able to do them. This makes it possible and easy to fit the role around your studies and other commitments. I’ve been able to fit my ambassador work around my other commitments like volunteering, being a Student Blogger, working as an Events Steward for the university and amongst other things. The role has challenged me yet has also bolstered my CV. It has allowed me to meet new people and work with the lovely International Recruitment team. The role has become an integral part of my university experience and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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