City of Sheffield

By Usman Sami Khan


Flying away thousands of miles from my home country to study abroad seemed pretty nerve-racking, but Sheffield as a city not only helped me overcome all my fears and distresses, but it grew to be my home. Sheffield is considered as one of the friendliest, safest and cheapest cities in England. Living costs are 10% lower than the UK national average! To back it up by facts, Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2015 has ranked Sheffield as joint first for social life and community atmosphere!

The greenery throughout the city is breathtaking! Sheffield is known to be the greenest city in the UK, from the city centre that has the Winter Gardens, being the largest temperate Glass house in Europe, all the way up to the Peak District National Park. Peak District is a stunning country side, with many magnificent sceneries all over the National Park. The best part - it’s only 10 minutes away from the City! 

Relating to shopping, Sheffield city centre has hundreds of stores, with diverse brands that fulfill all your shopping desires. However, if you have trouble finding any store, just take a tram to Meadowhall shopping centre, that’s not more than 5 minutes away from the City Centre. Meadowhall is one of the UK’s largest malls, with around 300 stores, that will surely satisfy all your shopping preferences.

In relation to living, there’s a wide range of student accommodations present around the University. After finishing first year, students usually tend to live around the Broomhill and Crooksmore areas that are both within 10 minutes on average away from the University. In addition to that, the rent is quite cheap, which as a student I find quite feasible. Being a hilly city, some houses up on the hills have gorgeous views of Sheffield; there is nothing better than just relaxing next to your window and looking at the scenery after a long day! However if someone is looking for apartments, there’s a wide range of them available in the City Centre within 10-15 minutes from the University at very affordable prices!

People looking for some good music are surely in the right city. Sheffield’s Tram Lines Festival is Sheffield’s own 3 day music festival, which is not only attended by thousands of people, but is really cheap compared to other huge music festivals! Having varied musical genres and being cheap is what students are normally looking for. Sheffield is quite famous for its student nightlife as well. Some clubs and pubs have been present for decades, and are well known all over the UK!

On the whole, it seemed pretty scary moving so far away from my home, but Sheffield as a city has surely been a blessing! Being cheap, friendly, and relatively small in the sense that it only houses two universities, Sheffield makes an ideal city for students and I’m really glad I made the right decision.

Joining A Society/Sports Team

By Usman Sami Khan

One of the best things on offer at The University of Sheffield is the most prized Student’s Union, which has been voted number 1 in the UK on numerous occasions. The University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union is home to well over 300 societies and committees, so I hope that you’re able to find one (or a few!) that suit the way you want to spend your free time. Societies are groups of students who enjoy a common interest. Most Sheffield students are involved in societies or sports teams because they’re the best way to make friends, try new things (or carry on your passions) and guarantee a worthwhile experience. You can join societies or sports teams at any time throughout the year, so all you need to do is get in touch with the concerned authorities and get on board!

There is also a chance to start a new society if something which interests you is not on offer at the Students’ Union. The Students’ Union has excellent support and facilities to help students see their ideas come alive and be as successful as possible! There is also a chance to join a committee of your interest and get involved in actually running a society. Committee members are the core team of people who run a society or working/representative committee. You lead, you decide, you publicise, you stress (occasionally), you have fun (always), and of course you make Sheffield Students’ Union ‘number one’ in the UK! As a committee member you may also be able to get your role recognized in the extra-curricular section of your HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report). Such experiences give you a good chance to write something about in your CV, and also show to prospective employers when applying for graduate jobs and summer internships that you have actually managed a group of people and decided upon things whilst being part of an executive committee.

I have personally been involved as a Secretary for Pakistan Society at The University of Sheffield last year. This experience was very worthwhile and taught me how to effectively deal with a group of people whilst maintaining consideration of the culture and beliefs of the society, catering to different interests that the society members may have. I was also involved with constantly updating the members of the society’s events via newsletters, ensuring that they stay interested in the society. I was also a part of Enactus Sheffield where I was working as an engineer for the Local Youth Project. This project aimed at providing transferable skills to the Somalian community present here at Sheffield by making wool-based products. I, along with my team, designed a storm drain that incorporates woollen insulation to capture water pollutants before heading to streams and rivers. This idea was passed on to Sheffield City Council.

Such experiences with societies and sports teams provide you with a chance to not just work on real-life things, but also make new friends and meet new people from around the world in the process. I think societies and sports teams are definitely one of the most fun things I’ve been involved with since coming to Sheffield, and I would highly encourage you to do so as well if you do decide to come to Sheffield!

Part-time Job Whilst Studying

By Usman Sami Khan

Coming so far away from home, there is obviously a lot of financial pressure on a student when making an informed decision about their options available to support themselves financially upon reaching a new country. Part-time jobs are a very good way to be able to support at least your living expenses whilst studying at university. This also alleviates the burden from parents’ shoulders, which have to support their children’s education in some cases.

It is very much possible to do a part time job whilst studying at university. Such jobs add another social element to life, where you’re not only building up on your interpersonal transferable skills, but also meeting other students doing such part-time jobs in a similar capacity with the intention of getting something to fill their pockets. It also brings in an element of financial security, whereby a student has something to fall back on, if, God forbid, something were to go wrong financially.

However, it is essential as to not exert yourself more than what you can take; we all need to remember that academics need to be our first and foremost priority, and second to that come part-time jobs. For internationals, our visa states that we can work no more than 20 hours per week. However, the university recommends that students work no more than 16 hours a week in order to be able to prioritise their academics and strike a balance between studying and working. For internationals, the first thing to the route of finding a part-time job includes applying for, and obtaining a National Insurance Number, which every employer requires before you can start working for them.

The university runs a Careers Service, where experienced career advisors help you with refining your CV, and any other documents that you may need in order to apply for part-time jobs. Working on part-time jobs provides you something to put on paper-worth for your CV, and provides evidence to employers when applying for graduate jobs and summer internships that you really stand out from the crowd and have done more than just studying whilst at university. It provides you with an edge and gives you something to speak about in an interview and expand upon how it led up to building your interpersonal skills. In addition, the Careers Service runs a Skills for Work programme whereby students are pushed to completing 50 hours worth of work experience, upon which the Careers Service provides a student with a Skills for Work Certificate which is endorsed by leading companies and brands such as PwC, BT, The RBS Group, etc.

All in all, it is a blessing in disguise to be able to work on part-time jobs as they provide you with extra money to fill your pockets for the month. However, care must be taken that you prioritise your academics first over such part-time jobs and don’t let them get in the way of you reaching greater academic heights!

Celebrating Eid at the University

By: Usman Sami Khan

As Secretary for Pakistan Society at The University of Sheffield, a lot of work is centred around catering to religious celebrations, one of which is Eid. This was our first event of the academic year 2014/2015. Eid has never been celebrated properly, especially not in the Students’ Union where every other cultural occasion has been celebrated, such as Diwali, Christmas, etc.  PakSoc’s Eid Milan was for the first time being celebrated in the Students’ Union at Uni Central in a truly new and inclusive fashion. To encourage inclusivity and diversity in the society, members of The University of Sheffield Islamic Circle, ArabSoc, Bangladesh Society, Indian Society, and Malaysian Student Association were invited, who brought their respective members to the event.  It was a sold out event as the full capacity of Uni Central was reached. 150 individuals attended the event from different cultures and races, marking PakSoc’s biggest event in years.

The night started off with a small introduction along with a slideshow presentation to convey why Eid is celebrated to non-Muslims and the Islamic background behind it. This was a very interesting and captivating talk which gave an insight into the religious background behind the celebration. After the talk was over, attendees were made aware of the other fun activities taking place at the event - a photobooth with various props was set up for attendees to take home pictures as remnants of the event, while a henna stall was set up for females to get henna applied on their hands. This gave attendees a good chance to indulge in the Pakistani culture, furthering the society’s aim of internationalization.  A Nasheed was recited by SMSA on the occasion, which enthralled the audience with its melodious harmonies, while PakSoc Sheffield and the Indian Society collaborated to sing a mashup of Pakistani, Hindi, and English songs to keep everyone in the room entertained. A three course meal was served, which included traditional Pakistani dishes such as qeema, sajji, and sweet dishes such as kheer. ArabSoc engaged the audience in their traditional dance performance, which got everyone up on their feet and whirling about. The night was concluded with a fashion show, with attendees displaying their traditional Eid outfits and romping the catwalk to win the title of the best dressed male and female of the night. A bit of initial pushing was needed for this one, but after a few people had gotten up to walk the stage, we saw quite a few attendees eager to walk the ramp!

The event turned out to be a much bigger success than we had imagined, with people from different races and cultures attending the event; whether Muslims or not. We were able to spread a positive message about Islam while setting a light mood for everyone to socialize and get to know more members of the society. This just goes to show how very welcoming the University is to students from different faiths, and helps out anyone who wishes to try to integrate students. 

My Summer Placement Experience

By: Usman Sami Khan

After finishing through with the first year of university, I was looking to find a summer placement back home in Pakistan. Fortunately enough, I managed to secure a placement at Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Pakistan’s national flag carrier. This was a two month long summer placement, from June till September. In the scorching summer temperatures of around 40°C, I started off my placement in the month of Ramadhan, a period of fasting from dawn till dusk for Muslims. As imagined, the field work pertaining to the placement really took the energy out of me during such high temperatures while observing fasts. 

The placement involved students being divided into groups and being rotated around Base Maintenance, Line Maintenance and the Engine Overhaul Shop. Seeing an aircraft with such highly precisioned engines in front of your eyes was a sight I cannot describe into words. While working at Base Maintenance, I was able to witness aircraft undergoing checks based on the class of check the aircraft was due to undergo depending on cycles and flight hours, namely the A, B, C, and D check. I also had a chance to work in Line Maintenance, witnessing how aircraft are serviced on ground before being sent off for flights. I have also worked extensively in the engine shop, where engines used to come in for shop visits and go through the rigorous process of being checked for snags before being sent off for service. After cleaning and NDT inspection, any components found that required machining or repair were sent off to the Machine shop where processes such as lathing, boring, and drilling were done to make the component serviceable again. This allowed me to witness Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) machines, including the CNC Vertical Turret Lathe and the CNC horizontal boring machine. After repair and modification, parts were sent to the general assembly area to be put together. The engines were then sent to the test bench for final clearance after verifying errors.

After having rotated around the aforementioned areas, we were also sought to assist ground engineers in helping repair any sort of snags that would come up. This gave us a hands-on approach and helped put our knowledge to use. PIA also services aircraft and engines for the other privately owned airlines in Pakistan, and therefore I also had a chance to go and help out engineers working on an Air Indus aircraft. Since the shops were located very close to the runway of the Karachi Airport, seeing aircraft taking off and landing in front of a matter of a few meters distance was simply breathtaking!

This placement provided me with the chance to put thermodynamics and fluid mechanics theories to practicality while learning about different aspects of aerodynamics, fluid hydraulics, and pneumatics. Apart from the obvious networking and teamwork skills, this unique experience provided me with an opportunity to learn extensively about the theory of flight and a basic gas turbine engine. This experience allowed my confidence to flourish while working in a team of interns in a very competitive environment.

Applying for a Year in Industry

By Usman Sami Khan

One of the misconceptions I had before coming to university, and I’m sure a lot of you will have too, is the very basic question of: What is a Year in Industry?

A Year in Industry can be undertaken as part of both your BEng and MEng degree, in the penultimate year of both the respective degrees. This involves taking a year out of your academics to pursue a 12 month paid internship in a company, which gives you the right amount of exposure to applying all the theoretical aspect of engineering to practicality. This also gives you a chance to impress prospective employers, who may offer you a graduate role in the company upon completion of your placement year.

Actively intending to pursue a placement year as part of my BEng Mechanical Engineering degree, much of my time in the first semester of second year has been spent applying to various companies in the UK. The University of Sheffield’s Career Service offers the myVacancies service which actively shows any work placement postings and deadlines, which help you find posts to apply for. Apart from the university’s resources, there are various other job boards such as TargetJobs and Gradcracker, all of which post placement positions according to their deadlines.

These applications are very hectic and time consuming, as each application presents different questions to be answered. After successfully passing the first stage, companies usually send links to online tests which usually involve a combination of numerical, verbal, situational, and personality based questionnaires, which helps the employer to screen applicants according to their capabilities to proceed them onto the next stage. The next stage involves a telephone or video interview, which involves basic competency based questions, including motivations for applying to the specific company and the role. After successfully passing this stage, applicants are screened onto the last stage, which is an assessment centre at the location you have applied for a placement. The day involves a chance to learn more about the company and the role, including the working environment and how employees feel about working in the company. It gives a chance to network with senior officials in the company over lunch, which helps to get to know officials in a lighter environment.  Apart from networking and building contacts, the day also involves a technical and competency based interview, which tests your basic knowledge for the role you have applied to. The day will also involve a combination of a presentation, group work, or an aptitude test, amongst other things.

Having applied to numerous companies for a placement year, I have started hearing back from quite a few and have currently got eight assessment centres lined up for February, which will take up quite a bit of time in my schedule for academics. Here’s to hoping that this information helps all of you in making an informed decision about which degree course to choose and how to go about applying for placements! 

Why choose UK

By Usman Sami Khan

The UK is home to a wide array of multicultural individuals, all living together in a nutshell. This diversification leads to people from different communities interacting with one another to live in an environment of peace and harmony. Pakistanis, in particular, are welcomed with great warmth. There are Pakistani societies in many universities across UK, including the Pakistan Society at The University of Sheffield. This makes it particularly easy for Pakistani students to adjust with the new surroundings, away from home. This is one of the major reasons why students, in particular Pakistanis, tend to be more inclined towards the UK as a destination for pursuing higher studies, where they can experience multiculturalism as well as practice their religion in a liberal environment.

The UK is home to the most renowned universities of the world. Such rankings are testament of the fact that UK education standards have been consistently high and universities such as The University of Sheffield are seen as being one of the most prestigious universities in the world – both in terms of education as well as student satisfaction. UK, and in particular The University of Sheffield, is a world leader in terms of research and this success is reflected in the world rankings. All in all, this makes it an ideal place for Pakistani students to pursue higher education as they are exposed to ideas and discoveries in a very open and welcoming environment where they can express their thoughts freely.

The UK also offers a wide range of scholarships to international students. These scholarships are available at both the Undergraduate, as well as at the Postgraduate level. At the Undergraduate level, some of the highly prestigious scholarships being offered include the Pakistan Undergraduate Merit Scholarships at the University of Sheffield. These scholarships tend to be a source of great affinity for students on the lookout for saving some money off from the highly burdensome tuition and living fee all across universities in UK. Some of these scholarships directed towards Pakistani students serve as an incentive for many capable and deserving students to be able to afford world class education abroad at their dream universities. Having personally received the Pakistan Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, it is safe to say that such scholarships can actually change around the finances involved in studying abroad drastically, which is the sole purpose that I have been able to study at The University of Sheffield. (Find more about them here).

UK degrees at the Undergraduate level are also confined to a 3 year programme as opposed to a 4 year programme in other countries, having the benefit of being cost-effective and time efficient. UK degrees are internationally recognized and students have the advantage of being able to work anywhere in the world with a degree from a university in the UK.

The influx of Pakistanis to the UK for higher education is definitely due to an amalgamation of factors which together constitute the various reasons why Pakistanis choose to prefer UK over other countries.  

"Whatever the reason may be, the crux lies in the fact that those students have secured a brighter future for themselves, as well as for the nation that gave them their identity – Pakistan."

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Usman Sami Khan

Name: Usman Sami Khan

Course: BEng Mechanical Engineering

Nationality: Pakistani

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Before studying at the University of Sheffield, I was enrolled at Nixor College for A Level Studies where I successfully scored 2A*’s, 1A and 1B in my A Level examinations. For my O Levels, I was enrolled at Foundation Public School, scoring 4A*’s and 5A’s.


Why did you choose the University of Sheffield to study your subject?
Currently holding the 3rd position in UK for Mechanical Engineering (according to The Guardian University Guide 2015), The University of Sheffield’s Engineering Department is widely reputed as being one of the best engineering department in the country. The programme also gives me an option of switching from my Bachelors programme (3 years) to a Masters programme (4 years) which would save up time and resources. Reputable companies such as Boeing, Rolls Royce and Siemens have their research centres located at University of Sheffield which enhances future job prospects.


What’s the most enjoyable thing about studying your subject at the University of Sheffield?
With such a reputable ranking for Mechanical Engineering, one does expect a lot from the university. However, it is safe to say that I was not let down in any way. In fact, my expectations surpassed. The most enjoyable thing in my opinion would be the fact that much of the learning is based on practicality rather than conceptuality. I have been used to a much more conceptual learning experience in my past, and the switch to a more practical based learning environment is very exciting!


What do you think of the teaching and study methods at the University of Sheffield?
The teaching and study methods employed at the University of Sheffield are designed around easing the study patterns for students. My Online Learning Environment, more commonly referred to as the ‘MOLE’, is the place to log in to for any lectures, notes or assignments that you may wish to go through. It is an actual lifesaver - For if you miss any lectures, this is the place to visit!


What do you see as the benefits of an education from the University of Sheffield?
The University of Sheffield is consistently ranked in the top 100 universities worldwide across various world rankings. One can therefore only expect an all rounded education experience. The University of Sheffield equips you with the necessary skills required to function effectively in the real world while providing the very best in academics.


What in your opinion is the best thing about student life at the University of Sheffield?
One of my biggest fears about moving so far away from home was the settling in factor. I was really nervous about whether I would be able to settle in well and make good friends. But now, a year later, I can vouch for the fact that settling in over here is definitely not an issue of concern. There is no discrimination here at all. I have found myself meeting such loving and caring individuals here, who make this place a home away from home for me.


What do you hope to achieve after you’ve finished your course?
My country has massive unused potential for growth in sectors that could utilise Mechanical Engineers. Pakistan's textile machinery, automobile, surgical instruments, oil and gas industries are a few of many examples of local industries that need our generation to step up as students of mechanics and engineering and stimulate micro and macro-economic development over the next half a century through investing their education in the growth of our industrial sector. The University of Sheffield will groom me towards implementing such efforts while engineering will help me think systematically and analytically, and provide me with insight into tools that will greatly aid my ability to indulge in problem solving for my country.


What advice would you give for prospective students coming to Sheffield?
For prospective students intending to come to Sheffield for higher education, don’t be too scared about feeling homesick. You will realise that there is always something to do over here. Be it meeting new people from different countries on the different societies you will join, to just exploring the city in general. You will find that this place has a lot to offer, as a new international student in Sheffield, I almost instantly felt at home. You should, however, be prepared to walk a lot over here as well as engage in more group work and individual learning. Gone are the days when teachers used to spoon-feed you all the literature – This is university, where you are supposed to do individual learning to comprehend all the lectures. However, this does not go to say that there are insufficient resources and help available at your hands; your personal tutors are there to guide you along the way. Prioritise your life and you will find yourself striking a balance between your academics and social life.