Hi! I’m Li Yen, a second year BSc Business Accounting student. I’m an international student from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

I moved to Manchester in September 2021. It was certainly a journey; the effects of the tail end of the pandemic meant I was navigating delays for visa, travel restrictions and quarantine without the support of friends and family. However, the transition from life back home to a more independent one at university abroad was smoothened by my choice to stay in a catered hall for first year. It made it easier to meet people outside of your flatmates and you didn’t have to worry about your meals.

Li Yen and Friends at the Christmas Ball

I chose UoM because it is a well-ranked university, and it also had the degree I wanted. The university also has lots of societies and events that cater just about every interest you can think of. It’s a great way to meet people with the same interests or just to try something new. I joined the Malaysian Students’ Society of Manchester (MSSM) to get a little slice of home. I like Manchester as a city, having a bit of everything within walking or a bus ride away. It’s a major city so there’s a lot of things to do and its central location allows for easy travelling around the UK as well.

I was drawn to the Business Accounting degree, also known as the PwC Flying Start degree because it allowed me quite literally a ‘flying start’ in my journey to becoming a chartered accountant. Being able to gain 12/15 ICAEW exemptions and integrated work placements in Years 2, 3 and 4 in a Big 4 firm while still having the ‘university experience’ was like having your cake and eating it too.

A brief summary of what the degree is like:
For first year, you are like any other first year coming in. First year modules are more general, so you get to meet new people from different courses. Some of the modules carry exemptions which means the exams are moderated by ICAEW to ensure it is of the same question and marking quality as the ICAEW papers.

From second year onwards, the modules start to get more specialised. You have first semester as per usual, then you have a shorter second semester before you go on placement for around 4 months. Although I have yet to go on placement myself, the enthusiasm of my seniors who shared their experiences on placement is infectious. Don’t worry about not knowing everything on placement, they know that you are just starting out and your team will be there to support you.
One of the best things about this course is the people. The smaller cohort lets you get to know your course mates better. People all from different backgrounds but all equally driven and intelligent individuals. As we have more specialised modules for our degree, we end up spending a lot of time with each other. We also have the Business Accounting society that also organises events like the annual Christmas ball and other socials.

Some tips for a prospective student for Business Accounting:
1.    It’s going to be a challenging degree but enjoy the journey.
2.    Enjoy 1st year, it may not feel like it but looking back, it is the least busy year.
3.    Time management is important as it is to any degree.
4.    Ask for help, the staff that look after the programme are happy to help.

Written by Li Yen Tio

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