Anil Daniel moved from Pakistan to study MSc Advance Architectural Design at RGU and shares his experience and his advice for students entering the UK job market.

What brought you to RGU?

So initially, I hadn’t thought of studying at RGU but once I started applying for international scholarships, RGU soon made its way to the top of my list.

I wasn’t successful in securing the fully-funded Chevening Scholarship, however RGU came through with an offer to help me apply for an alternative scholarship. The team helped me apply for the Saltire Scholarship which helped cover the cost of my fees. 

How was your experience moving to the UK?

It’s a bit of a daunting task for international students. You’re not just moving countries but you’re essentially switching culture so there’s a lot to take in.

The team at RGU were a huge help in searching for accommodation. They helped me find the right place, the right landlord and made a confusing task much more straight forward.

As my scholarship only partially covered my university fees, I needed to find a part-time job to help cover the costs. I got in touch with the Careers Team and before I knew it, I was in updating my CV and being sent jobs to apply for.

The CV help is a massive bonus and something that I hadn’t thought about. Because my CV was in a format suitable for job-searching in Pakistan, it had to be changed to suit the UK format. Without that support, it would have taken me longer to get a job for sure.

Tell us about your role as a student ambassador

So, I was working in my part-time job and the International Team got in touch to offer me a part-time role within the team. The role involved answering queries from students coming over from Pakistan or another Asian region, so being very familiar with that world, I jumped at the chance.

It was great being able to draw from my own experience to help others who had the same questions I had when I moved over. Knowing exactly what students are faced with really helped me give them a full picture of what to expect and warn of any grey areas that they may have not thought of.

Funnily enough, a common question was, “is there Pakistani spices in Aberdeen” but I totally got it – I had the same queries. You just don’t know what life is like in another country and the last thing you want to do is leave you culture behind. Luckily, there are plenty of spices in Aberdeen and plenty of restaurants too.

I really enjoyed the role and when I left, I got a letter of appreciation from the team to say that my work helped increase the number students coming over from India and Pakistan. That was a great feeling.

Where are you working now?

I’m working as an Architectural Assistant down in London for a firm called Pascal and Watson. The firm specialises in airport design and I’ve been involved in working on large-scale projects. It’s been 11 months and I’m now sponsored by the company on a Skilled Workers Visa. It’s been quite the journey working on various projects and I’ve been fortunate enough to work with renowned architectural firms like Zaha.

Before landing your role, what was the job search like for you?

If I’m being completely honest, I owe a lot to Theo Dounas – the course leader for MSc Advanced Architectural Design. He was my lecturer all the way though my course and was instrumental in helping me navigate my career search.

He helped me develop key skills and gave me important insight on how to apply for jobs in at architectural firms in the UK and how to deal with interviews. He was always on hand (even after I graduated) to give me crucial guidance.

It can be a lonely space when you’re applying for jobs. The market is competitive and it’s rare that you ever get an email that your application has been unsuccessful, let alone get any feedback, so it’s hard to gauge if you’re doing the right thing at application process. Theo gave me guidance to help make sure my applications were of good standard to give me the best shot.

Your portfolio is key when you’re looking for roles in architecture and Theo really encouraged us to explore key trends and reflect that in our portfolios – it all helps catch the eye of employers. That was something I wouldn’t have thought of without his guidance.

What would be your advice to international students once they graduate from RGU?

Your lecturers are your biggest asset – keep connected to them.

They’re so well networked in the industry you’re studying and have a wealth of knowledge in the field to help you find your way. Keeping up with Theo after I graduated really helped me stay on the right track and make sure I was doing everything I could to secure a job.

Lecturers have connections and you never know who they may be able to introduce you to during your search. Theo referred me to a few firms that he knew were recruiting – I didn’t end up getting a job with them but the support was really appreciated.

Find out more

To find out more about the support available to international students: