Thomas N

Why did you choose to study your course at Surrey?

I was working as an Embedded Software Engineer on a radar product in the automotive industry. After two years, my enthusiasm for signal processing and hardware, especially related to radar topics, grew significantly. However, all the knowledge I gained during my bachelor's degree wasn't enough to fully understand all aspects of this challenging subject. This was the main reason I decided to study abroad to gain a deeper understanding, and Surrey proved to be the ideal environment. Surrey is renowned for its research in Radio Frequency, Microwave, and Signal Processing, and it is home to the well-known 5G/6G Innovation Centre. Besides, Surrey maintains strong links with the industry, which greatly benefits students because all the knowledge taught there is valuable and helps students stand out in the highly competitive job market.

What are the best things about Surrey and your course?

Firstly, it is a well-structured course. For my case, I want to pursue a career in hardware development for the telecommunications industry, and the programme leader, Dr Tim Brown, gave me advice on which modules I should study to best prepare for my career. The modules I took helped me gain knowledge in mathematics, hardware design, and practical skills. Furthermore, all modules complement each other, so that I could understand how systems work in general. Secondly, the teaching quality is exceptional.

"All professors from the 5G/6G centre have many years of teaching and research experience, and they involve their experience in the class, which ultimately makes the knowledge more intuitive and interesting, as you can see how it is implemented in reality."

What are the best things about life here as a postgraduate student?

That was the support I received from professors, staff, friends, and even local people in Surrey. I was a bit scared and nervous at the beginning of the journey as it was my first time living abroad. However, those feelings soon faded because many people were willing to help and offer advice on any topic.

"A postgraduate student’s experience isn't just about studying. For me, I had the chance to expand my network with students from different countries, discover the beauty of nature in the UK by walking through forests in the summer weekends, and learn about the country's history through visits to well-known locations."

What are your career plans?

Currently, I am working as an Analog IC Design Engineer. The knowledge I gained during my time at Surrey has been very helpful in my new role. This is just the start of my career. I am enthusiastic about this job because it is challenging and requires strong knowledge of maths, physics, electronic circuits, and even programming skills. However, it also allows me to apply theoretical concepts from books to solve real-world problems, and I believe this is what engineers do.

What advice do you have for students thinking of doing this course?

“The magic happens when you step outside your comfort zone”, this was the quote on the fridge that I saw on my first day in the dorm, and for me, it is totally correct. It was a long journey from preparing my application for Surrey to completing my course.

"Whenever I look back, I always feel happy and proud of what I have achieved. For any students from a similar background to mine, Surrey is an ideal place for you if you want to pursue a career in the telecommunications industry, and there is a lot of support for international students so that you can perform at your best."

Go to Surrey, enjoy your studies and do not forget to discover the nature there, you will fall in love with it.