Why did you choose to study at LUMS?

I chose to study at LUMS because this is one of the best business schools in the UK and in the world, particularly with regards to the Accounting and Finance department. Moreover, I did research how different universities compare in outside-of-school activities: Lancaster has a decent campus with many facilities such as bars and a sports centre.

Describe your time at LUMS in three words:

Challenging – rewarding – impactful.

What are your best memories of your time at Lancaster (course, social, work experience…)?

I can definitely recall the frequent Friday nights out at a club called Dalton’s as well as the opening week, where the whole campus turns into a large festivity for five days with lots of social events throughout the day (and night). I made long lasting friendships in my first week. In fact, the first week was also when I met an attractive girl of the psychology masters – who I can now call my wife! Everything happens for a reason.

What impact did scholarships/funding have on your degree experience?

Scholarships played an important role in my Lancaster experience.

The Accounting and Finance department offers an exclusive CFA dissertation route which I decided to take. The main goal is to sit the June Level I CFA exam, while others write their dissertation. In fact, the score on the CFA mock exam counted towards my dissertation score. You will enjoy a month of live classes with a CFA instructor (that are really otherwise really expensive). To get into that program, however, you need to work a bit harder than the rest since the intake is limited.

I was part of a handful of students to receive a full CFA scholarship (registration fee waiver). With no further intentions at the time, I took the CFA Level II exam a year later and am currently registered for the Level III exam in June 2019. If intending to work in Finance, I highly recommend taking advantage of such an offer.

What impact has your Lancaster experience had on your career?

A huge impact. Beforehand I worked for a regional bank in Germany and lacked structure of how to steer my career into a direction of my choice. The year in Lancaster made me very employable by not only granting me with a valuable degree but also channelling my thoughts towards working for and achieving what I desire, and optimizing my CV as well as my pitch. This was the result of multiple one-on-one sessions at the career centre (special thanks to Paul and Peter) and many more career events such as in-house fairs.