‘World of competitive, driven students’: University of California Berkeley student shares study abroad experience

I was born in Mumbai and did my pre-primary schooling at Holy Cross Convent School. While I moved to Doha in 2009, I returned to Lucknow to complete my BTech in Mechanical Engineering from BBD University Lucknow (2017-2021).

When I was in Class 10, one of my seniors was selected at the University of California Berkeley. This motivated me to study at a highly ranked university. I was aware of the UPES global pathway programme, and I got to know that the institute has collaborated with UC Berkeley for the abroad semester programme. This was an amazing opportunity to study business administration and management at Berkeley Haas which is among the world’s top 5 business schools.

Admission and scholarship process

Berkeley is an exceptionally competitive institution with a lot of brilliant and driven students. The institute has rigorous eligibility criteria. The selection process only admits 100 students worldwide per semester and I decided to take my chances.

These requirements include submitting a unique and compelling statement of purpose, maintaining a consistent academic record with no backlogs, achieving a minimum IELTS score of 7 or a TOEFL score of 90, and having an undergraduate grade point average of no less than 3. Reflecting on my academic achievements, I was confident about seizing this opportunity, as I scored 96.7 per cent in my undergraduate studies and 91 per cent in the first semester of my MBA programme at UPES. To make my application stand out, I worked on my SOP for around 25 days.

Another challenge that I faced was that my second semester coincided with the application period for this programme. During this time, I found myself juggling the demands of my MBA programme, which included academic submissions and preparing for exams for 12 subjects and simultaneously devoting considerable effort to my study abroad applications. To ensure I have everything in place, I took a week’s time to collect all the mark sheets, scorecards, and personal documents in a precise order.

After the application submission, it was a span of three weeks for the results to come out. It was around 2 am when I got the congratulatory e-mail from Berkeley Haas. I was surprised and emotional at the same time.

California is the second most expensive state in the US after New York and my next challenge was figuring out how to afford to live in Silicon Valley. I dedicated time preparing a scholarship letter, but unfortunately, it did not yield the desired results. The mounting pressure was intensified by the fact that I had 50 days to arrange both my living expenses and the academic fees for the programme. I was fortunate to have the support of my father in pursuing this opportunity.

Berkeley — Daunting but worth it

I came to Berkeley in August 2022, and I was very excited to embark on this new journey. All the students were warmly invited by the Cal band and there was a welcome ceremony organised for us. I was amazed to see that my classmates were from seven different continents of the world.

However, my initial week presented some challenges. The programme did not offer accommodation for international students and finding one was a difficult task. They guided us with the roommate matchmaking events. It took me five days to secure a living arrangement near the Berkeley Haas campus.

For future students travelling to Berkeley, I highly recommend considering I-House as a housing option. It not only offers a place to stay but also helps in building meaningful connections with people from various countries through their regularly organised cultural events.

Berkeley is an incredibly diverse city. Having previously lived in a foreign city — Qatar — adapting to the local cuisine was relatively smooth for me. I used to prepare dinner three times a week. Also, San Francisco has the best Chocolate factory, a delightful treat for any chocolate enthusiast. I used to get my groceries from Costco which had good quality products and low prices.

The experience was quite daunting during the first few weeks. However, I quickly adapted to the new environment, realising that my primary objective was to learn each day and make the most of my time here.

Moving to Silicon Valley filled me with immense excitement and joy. However, it is worth noting that the cost of living in this area is higher compared to most parts of the USA, although it is on par with living expenses in cities like New York, Singapore, London, and Hong Kong.

The university provides detailed information to students about the average cost of living, which typically amounts to $10,000 – $15,000 per semester. Personally, I managed to keep my monthly living costs around $2000. I shared an apartment with a roommate, which had a monthly rent of approximately $2400. The apartment was conveniently located just a five-minute walk away from the university campus, in the southern part of the university.

For the first two months, I relied on financial support from my father. However, once I secured a job on campus, my financial burden eased a bit. Getting an on-campus job at UC Berkeley is quite difficult, given the high number of students who apply every semester. I used to visit the HR department of the library and it took me 35 days to finally get a job at the university library. As a library supervisor assistant, I was paid $17 per hour for a maximum of 20 hours per week, with a minimum requirement of 12 working hours. I chose to work the full 20 hours and even took extra shifts during the vacation period. Working in the library provided access to study materials and a peaceful environment to complete assignments.

Future plans

Studying abroad has significantly transformed my perspective on my career path. My future plan entails pursuing a PhD in sustainability business in Europe. I made up my mind during my time at Berkeley, where I engaged in extensive networking and gained valuable insights from my classmates and professors.

I also received a job offer for the role of Business Analyst at Wipro through UPES campus placement. This was an exciting offer for me as I was getting multiple opportunities just after getting enrolled at Berkeley.

Additionally, I was a Student Advisory Board Member at Berkeley Haas throughout my programme. This volunteer-based association provided me with valuable opportunities to develop skills in leadership, event planning, management, and advocacy.

‘Be confident, open-minded, and optimistic’

The most important takeaway from my studying abroad experience is that immersing oneself in a new environment expands horizons and helps in exploring different cultures while learning to integrate with them. My tip for any prospective international student is to be confident, open-minded, and optimistic, as these qualities will pave the way to success.

Another important lesson I have learned and would like to impart to future international students is to clarify their objectives of studying abroad and evaluate whether the particular course aligns with those aspirations. While it may seem obvious, some students can overlook this crucial step, especially amidst the excitement of venturing into a new country.