Applying to University Booklet 2019 wcis_ATU_2019 | Page 18

SPECIALISED DEGREE PROGRAMMES
MEDICINE
Medical degree programmes have always
been the most demanding and competitive
of all potential higher education pathways.
Applicants will have to achieve consistently
excellent grades, have evidence of relevant
work experience, undertake specialist tests and
undergo a highly competitive interview process.
The issue becomes even more complicated
when you take into consideration that most
medical schools prefer to take on their own
nationals over international applicants, since
their parent country will always want to develop
new medical professionals who are going to
remain in the country. International applicants
will always be at a disadvantage when applying
for medicine – in the UK only 7.5% of places are
available for international pupils and most places
offering undergraduate degrees impose similar
restrictions. Anyone considering a medical
application therefore needs to cultivate a range
of viable options.
Other centres of excellence for studying
medicine at undergraduate level include Europe
and Australia. Hong Kong and Singapore also
have excellent medical schools but are highly
competitive. Hong Kong universities also require
spoken Cantonese. International pupils can
also apply to a number of new medical schools
in Malaysia: NewMed (a partnership with
Newcastle University) or to the Penang campus
of the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin.
International Medical University (IMU) is a viable
local option based in Kuala Lumpur.
Regardless of concerns surrounding their
international status, given the mathematical
chances of success, pupils should also consider
alternative courses. Pupils may wish to consider
degree courses in other health-related fields,
such as: radiography, pharmacy, physiotherapy
or a biomedical sciences degree that will lead
into medical research.
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HOTEL
MANAGEMENT MUSIC, FILM AND
DRAMA
The best training for hospitality and hotel
management careers can still be found in
Switzerland, at centres such as EHL (Ecole
Hotelier Lausanne) or Les Roches and Glion,
though there are interesting options in places
such as Australia (Blue Mountains), Thailand
(Dusit Thani), Dubai (Emirates Academy)
and Chicago (Kendall College). Entry is very
competitive and is often via a rolling admissions
process that requires a motivation letter and
evidence of sustained interest, such as work
experience, in this sector. Pupils wishing to follow a career in music,
film or drama need to make a decision as
to whether they wish for their studies to be
academic and/or technical and creative in nature.
This decision will help them decide between
types of institutions: film school or university
film department, conservatoire or university
music department, theatre studies or drama
school. Some university departments will
allow a creative or technical element within
their degree programmes, but they remain
largely academic (i.e. you will study music or
drama more than you perform it). Entry onto
a creative degree programme will be largely
determined by audition or portfolio - with their
academic performance in other subjects being a
secondary consideration.
ART SCHOOLS
The US has the widest range of well-known art
schools, including Parsons in New York, SAIC
in Chicago, RISDE in Rhode Island and SCAD
in Savannah. Parsons has a campus in Paris and
SCAD has a campus in Hong Kong. Emily Carr
in Canada has an excellent reputation and UAL
and UCA located in various locations in the
South East of England are currently two of
the best-known UK art schools. Most of these
institutions will send representatives to China
annually to visit schools and advise pupils on
portfolio creation and management. Entry to an
art school is largely determined by portfolio and
pupils may be required to take a foundation year
before they decide upon their area of major
interest. Many art schools are now offering
courses in business linked to a career in the arts
(such as courses in the business of fashion) to
reassure pupils and parents of the employability
of their graduates.