Why I Chose Christ University Over UCL?

In 2021 if someone had told me that I would not be pursuing my Master’s in the UK, I don’t know how I would have reacted. After over two years of maintaining good grades, months of crucial research, doing internships, upgrading my CV, short-listing universities, taking the IELTS exam, spending multiple sleepless nights perfecting my SOP, finally sending out my applications, and then waiting endlessly. When I eventually got accepted into one of the world’s top psychology universities: University College London, my happiness knew no bounds. It was like a dream come true. After all, I had dreamt about this for three years now. But it was only later that I realized the universe had something else planned for me. Essentially, what you want isn’t always what you need.

Declining my offer letters is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. If you have ever considered doing your Masters in Clinical psychology from the UK, this blog is for you. I have a list of things you should consider and read about if pursuing higher studies abroad has been your dream. This will be an entirely UK-focused blog, and since I applied to 4 universities in England and got accepted into 3 of them, I think I know what I am saying.

1. ROI or Return on Investment

Before enrolling in any course, it is crucial to check its return on investment. The course fees for UCL and KCL were around £35,000, approximately 35 lakh Rupees, excluding accommodation, food, and travel expenses. Moreover, there weren’t any scholarships available. It makes sense that education at top schools should be expensive, but going through with the expenditure only makes sense when you can earn it back in the next 5-7 years. Which is not the case for most graduates. This brings me to my next point:

2. Getting a Ph.D. or PsyD

Even when one graduates from their Master’s course in the UK, they are not eligible to practice as a clinical psychologist. They get to join an institute as a mental health worker and, if lucky, climb their way up to become an assistant clinical psychologist. To become a practicing clinical psychologist, you need to complete a PsyD in Clinical Psychology, a minimum three-year long course that costs around £30,000 annually, which means that the total cost, including other expenses, would easily cross over one crore rupees. Honestly, it just doesn’t make sense.

3. Future earnings and Job prospects

Most people I spoke to were struggling to find a job they liked, and their earnings didn’t seem significant compared to what they had invested. I was not pleased when I learned how much money postgraduates made there. Please talk to Indian people working in the UK and check if their pay seems good enough to you. Also, make sure you enquire about the availability and frequency of job vacancies.

4. Eligibility in India

My biggest deal breaker was that UK universities offer a one-year master’s course, which is not recognised in our country. In India, to practice as an RCI-licensed Clinical Psychologist, you need to complete a two-year Master’s in psychology, followed by a two-year M.Phil from an RCI-recognized institute. UK’s one-year Master’s degree isn’t enough for you to enroll directly for the M.Phil programme. Hence, in case you wish to come back, you will have to do your Master’s course all over again, followed by the M.Phil degree.

How am I supposed to decide if I want to settle in a foreign country even before going there? And if one wishes to return, do I really want to study for four more years before starting to earn well? This, however, is true only for clinical psychology. You could always work as a counsellor after you come back, but I feel it wouldn’t do justice to your calibre and why would one want to settle for less anyway?

5. Is this the right time?

Lastly, ask yourself, is this the right time? I still want to go abroad for my higher studies. The world today has come closer to each other than ever before. To truly experience life, living in a different country for a while is necessary. I want the international exposure and the opportunity to grow, gain knowledge, and make my mark in the field. However, for the aforementioned reasons, 2022 wasn’t the right time for me. Given an opportunity, I shall definitely try to do my Ph.D. abroad.

Why did I choose to do Msc in Clinical Psycho-oncology at Christ University?

Christ was the only college I had applied to in India, and luckily I got in on my first attempt. I wanted to go outside in the first place because I didn’t have a great UG experience. I thought all courses in India weren’t academically challenging; I believed I was capable and deserved more. This is also why, when I decided I wasn’t going to the UK, I wanted to do something unique, interesting, difficult, and demanding. I always knew psycho-oncology and palliative care interested me, but when I came across this course, I knew it was for me. I spoke to a few alums on Linkedin, did some research, and honestly, I just followed my gut. So should you :)

All this being said, it was indeed one of the toughest decisions of my life so far; however, I don’t regret the choice I made. After over one semester as a postgraduate student at Christ, I feel like I was always meant to be here. The course is academically rigorous. It is also practical and research-oriented, the faculty is excellent, and the overall environment serves as an excellent opportunity for you to explore your capabilities and become a better version of yourself. Your path doesn’t necessarily have to be the same, and that’s up to you to decide. This blog is just a means for you to ponder over things that you might not have considered. All in all, make an informed decision, and everything will turn out to be okay.