Abdelrahman Elwan

Abdelrahman is a 21-year-old student originally from Cairo, Egypt. He came to LJMU through the International Foundation Year, a two-semester programme delivered at the International Study Centre by Study Group, that helps international students to further develop their English language skills and academic subject knowledge.

He moved to the UK for his studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenge of everyone adjusting to a different way of learning, Abdelrahman says his tutors provided extra support to make all students feel more confident and to develop solid foundations to taken them forward to then start their undergraduate studies with LJMU.

Abdelrahman considered applying to international universities because of his appreciation for academic and personal growth and his aim for a better future, influenced by his family.

“The opportunity to study in the UK intrigued me mainly because this meant learning and experiencing a new culture and environment.”

He was initially introduced to LJMU at a university fair. He did some research and found out that Liverpool is a city considered so lively and diverse. As well as from an academic perspective, it had great reviews for his chosen field with many potential opportunities to broaden his career options with an accredited degree.

Abdelrahman is currently in his third and final year of his biomedical sciences degree with LJMU.

“Biomedical sciences at LJMU offers a strong biology foundation with such a broad subject range, which is great for me because I always wanted to study a biology-related degree; however, I hadn’t settled on a speciality. Therefore, this was the best choice for me. Additionally, I have gained many unforgettable practical laboratory skills.”

Alongside his own studies, Abdelrahman volunteers as a student mentor for fellow international students on the MSc Management programmes. He helps to support them as they settle into life in Liverpool, just as he experienced himself, moving from another continent to pursue his education. He says he enjoys meeting these new individuals, remembering he was in their position once too.

Abdelrahman plans to stay in the UK following his studies. “I look forward to graduating and then embarking on further studies alongside continuing my work experience as a biomedical scientist. If you are looking to study in the UK, don’t be afraid. You learn a lot about yourself and the different cultures. It is such a memorable experience.”