Journey of a Muslim

Personally, I think Sheffield is a very good place for international students simply because there are a lot of international student here. You could see a huge cultural diversity; not only in the student population but also in the native population of the city. They are from all over the world; Cyprus, Costa Rica, Iceland, Singapore, Hong kong, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Pakistan and the list just goes on. And that makes student life in Sheffield very special because they have the opportunity to interact and learn about different cultures. We can’t really get that experience when studying in our home country. The University of Sheffield is centred around the City Centre itself and is a very nice place to study. Indeed, it's also one of the top universities in the UK.


Facilities



At sheffield, you will be able to enjoy your life with so many facilities around you such as:

-Libraries (there are 3 libraries. Information commons is the biggest one. The other two are Western Bank Library and St George’s Library)
-Sports centre, with many interesting facilities such as swimming pool, bouldering, gym and many more. There is a specific time slot for university hall residents to use for free but otherwise you would have to pay.
-Prayer room (located in the Student Union, St Frederick Mappin Building and Information Commons)
-Piano room (can be booked in the Student Union)

University of sheffield also hasthe Best Student Union in UK- receives award for this nearly every year!

Apart from the university ones, we have a wide range of facilities in Sheffield which you might like:

-An ice skating rink
-A ski village
-Multiple gyms and swimming pools- way cheaper than the university ones
-A bowling centre
-Meadowhall shopping mall!



Course

Malaysians mainly do science, accountancy, engineering and mathematics. We do have one or two medical students as well.


Accommodation



Usually students prefer to stay at private houses as compared to the university hall. And those who stayed at university halls in the first year would opt for a house the next year. However should you wish to remain in university halls for your second year you may do so. Freshers would usually be allocated in a building with only freshers. Most of the university halls are quite far from most of the department building and are a bit more expensive but you get your money’s worth.

University hall

If you’re an engineering student, it is advisable to apply for Opal 1 or Opal 2 or Broad Lane Court which is near to Engineering Department. St Georges (the church converted into hall and lecture theatre) is said to be a bit stuffy so that's not recommended. These are the hall located near the city centre. They say Endcliffe and Ranmoor is far from everything so think carefully before choosing.

If you’re a muslim, it’s better to choose a self-catered hall.

Private Hall

Again, near the city centre, there’s West One(is said to be very expensive), Broco, St George (not the church, this one is next to Opal 2).

Private houses

Broomhall area - 15 minutes walk to city centre, 10 minutes walk to library and Student Union. Nearly half of the price of the university halls per month.



Life as a Muslim

We have Muslim Welfare House Sheffield (MWHS) which is a mosque and a Community Centre. It aims to serve the needs of Muslim and indigenous community of Sheffield.
There are also plenty of Islamic socities in the UK such as the University of Sheffield Islamic Society (USIC) whose members compose of muslim students from all over the world. They often hold islamic talks and events at the uni involving reputable scholars in the UK. There are also various societies registered with the Malaysian Student Department who offer islamic circles and programmes amongst the Malays as well.



Halal Food

You will have no regrets leaving all the kicap, Maggi, etc as we have TAI SUN here in Sheffield! This is a small, simple, convenient store where you buy your asian food. e.g noodles, Chinese buns, variety types of sauces etc.

It's unbelievable that you can find Milo, Adabi, perencah Brahim and even Kipas Udang! Though the price is a lot higher than Malaysia, at least it is there for our own convenience if we run out of stock! hehe.

Yafai and Sons- which is a local butcher and groceries shop situated in Broomhall where most of the private houses Malaysians opt to stay is. They have quite cheap halal meat and a wide range of Asian food as well.

There are few others halal shops here and you don’t have to worry about it at all.

Halal fast foods and middle eastern foods are available in many streets at affordable prices.



Malaysian Community

We have a lot of Malaysian undergraduates as well as postgraduates who have quite a close relationship. We celebrate eid together, have ‘foster families’ and tend to visit each other during festivals and celebrations.



What to Prepare

At least a pair of warm inner clothing before you find better ones.
Stationaries ( test pad, pen ). Mechanical pencil(s) and lead since I don’t think they have them here.
Your preferred bag (for class, for outings) as the range of bags sold here isn’t as wide as in Malaysia.
Basic food to bring are: santan, cili kering and ikan bilis. most of the others you can get here.
Ibadah related stuff such as telekung, quran tafsir, almathurat, etc.
Our traditional dress: baju kurung/baju melayu because we do have traditional celebrations/ events here as well where you might want to have a few of these dresses with you.

According to a survey of 26 university towns and cities in the Natwest Student Living Index 2008, living costs for Sheffield students are the 3rd lowest in the UK.

Also, you get a lot of student discount on buses and public transports in sheffield where you cannot get anywhere else. You can a minimum bus fare of 50p for students travelling inside Sheffield which is half of what others normally pay elsewhere.

Sheffield also has a very strategic location being at the centre of the UK map. It is close to a few shopping outlets and big cities such as Manchester and Leeds are only an hour away. You’ll have loads to do on weekends and holidays!

Lastly, hope to see you in Sheffield! :)

A 2-years-ago video about Sheff university..





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