Sinead Hossain tells us about her time spent studying in Strasbourg and then on a work placement in Paris. Take it away Sinead!
For my year abroad, I decided to take on both a study and work placement in France to make the most of both experiences. I spent my first semester studying in Strasbourg, and an internship in Paris. From these two experiences, I’ve gained valuable insights into the benefits and challenges of each.
Study in Strasbourg
One of the best things about studying in Strasbourg was the flexibility it offered. I could choose my own courses and class times, which gave me more free time to participate in ESN events and pick up new sports through the university clubs. This was a great way to meet local students and try different things! Strasbourg’s location, right on the border of Germany and Switzerland, also made it easy to travel, and I made sure to always have a weekend trip planned to explore nearby cities!
The semester exchange program, specifically for international students, allowed me to meet people from all over the world! However, since most students only spoke English, I didn’t have as many opportunities to practice French. Working on group projects with people from various cultural backgrounds was challenging, as it required time to adjust to different working styles. That said, I truly loved learning about different cultures and hearing the unique perspectives of others along the way!
Internship in Paris
With my internship in Paris, I’ve settled into a routine. While the workdays are longer, the work experience is incredibly insightful. The office primarily uses French, which gives me the opportunity to really improve my language skills!
With a busier schedule, I’ve learned to make time during the week and taking advantage of the weekends for exploring. I’ve enjoyed meeting other interns in the office for lunch and connecting with people my age. While it can be harder to meet new people outside of work, joining Erasmus student groups has been a great way to build friendships.
The biggest challenge so far has been how quickly time is flying by—it’s been a reminder to enjoy every moment of this amazing experience!
Queen’s student Muireann Porter gives her top tips for taking part in a study exchange programme.
Do the Research: Learn about the city you’ll be living in through Google, travel blogs or even TikTok. Look into cultural norms, public transport, safety tips, and the cost of living to feel more prepared.
Complete the Paperwork: Avoid last-minute stress by completing all necessary forms on time. Keep both print and digital copies of important documents such as visas and acceptance letters.
Connect with others: Speak with students who have previously spent time in your host country to gain insights. Many universities have social media groups where you can meet fellow exchange students before you even arrive.
Take a Course: if you don’t speak the language of the country you are going to, consider taking a language course. QUB Language Centre offers discounted classes for students. Getting a TEFL certification could be a great idea if you’re interested in teaching English.
Get Excited!: An exchange is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Embrace the adventure, keep an open mind, and look forward to an unforgettable cultural experience.
Queen’s student Luke Duffy, tells us about his top five things that he did not expect during his study exchange to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Take it away Luke:
1. “Southern Hospitality” Is Very Real I thought the phrase “Southern hospitality” was just a cliché. But at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (UNC), I was struck by how warm and welcoming everyone was. Me and my fellow exchange students were invited to several of our American friends’ homes for Thanksgiving, as they wanted to make sure we enjoyed the holiday properly.
2. How quickly I would get into the “school spirit”
Before I arrived, I thought school spirit was something you saw in the films. But within a week of arriving at UNC, I found myself chanting “Go Heels!” at football games, becoming extremely invested in the UNC-Duke rivalry and wearing Carolina blue. The pride students have in their university is infectious, and being part of that community, even just for a semester, made me feel instantly connected.
3. The Variety of Classes was Incredible
The selection of history modules available at UNC was amazing, and it allowed me to study topics I had never done formally at Queen’s. My favourite class that I took at UNC was on the history of aerial warfare. A retired USAF intelligence officer taught this class. This was very beneficial as he could connect the lecture material to modern trends in aerial warfare. For example, he linked lessons from WWII strategic bombing to today’s use of drones.
4. The variety of food
Before beginning my semester abroad, I paid for a meal plan for the campus dining halls. This allowed me to save time on cooking, as well as giving me the opportunity to try lots of new food. In addition to Southern classics like chicken and waffles, there were international dishes like Thai red curry. Beyond the novelty of all-you-can-eat food, the dining halls were a great social space. Getting together with your mates for dinner became a great ritual.
5. That I’d Grow Professionally Without Realising It
While I wasn’t working during my exchange in the States, so many day-to-day experiences while I was out there fed into my professional development. I developed skills such as delivering a presentation to a mixed audience and planning group projects across time zones. I spoke fairly good Spanish before I left Belfast, but the campus’s significant Spanish-speaking population allowed me to practice even more. Looking back, I gained skills I didn’t even know I was building—language skills, resilience, and initiative, which I’ve already used in job interviews since returning.
Queen’s student Lucy McDonough talks us through the importance of sorting your own ‘admin’ for your year abroad.
Hey, my name is Lucy and I spent one semester in Murcia, Spain and the second in Lisbon, Portugal during my year abroad. Whilst these were invaluable experiences, the looming stress of admin tasks has the potential to overshadow your enjoyment. Staying on top of it all is a key aspect, so here are some tips and tricks so you can jump straight into the fun!
My first piece of advice is to make sure you’re aware of everything you need, depending on your type of placement this can vary. I recommend making a checklist and ticking things off as you go along. That little sense of achievement goes a long way in preventing you from getting overwhelmed.
For my teaching work placement in Murcia in Spain, I needed an NIE number and a Certificado de Empadronamiento, and in Portugal I needed an NIF number. These appointments take time to get as there is currently a backlog. For this reason, I would recommend arriving to each of your placement destinations a week or two early at the least to ensure you have plenty of time to sort these admin tasks out!
Another really useful tip is to join any Erasmus group chats on sites such as Facebook or WhatsApp. These are not just great tools to organise social events, but many students ask and answer questions on admin issues and you get to learn from the other student’s tips and tricks who are in the exact same position as you.
Lastly, ensure you have photocopies of important documents such as your passport, driving licence, Learning Agreement, any DBS or ICPC (teaching placement specific), rental contracts etc. Some municipal offices require these and often keep the copy so it’s best to have a few of each, preventing you from stressing about where you can make copies or print documents whilst you’re still finding your feet.
Last but not least, whilst the first few weeks of settling in will undoubtably be stressful, this is an incredible experience and a chance for you to shine.
Go in with a positive mindset and allow yourself to enjoy it!
Queen’s student Kara Clerkin talks us through her study exchange semester in Rotterdam.
“Settling in to a completely different campus in another country with new people can be daunting – but it doesn’t have to be! I took part in a study exchange semester to Rotterdam in my final year and here are my tips to help you get settled.”
Be Prepared
“Make sure to be as organized as you can as this will make the overall experience a lot less stressful. Try to get your flights and accommodation organized as soon as possible after your place at the host university has been confirmed; most universities will send information about student accommodation but there are also websites you can use such as housinganywhere.com. “
“It’s also worth doing some research to find out any requirements for living in your host country. Do you need a visa? Do you need to become registered?”
“It’s also smart to have an idea about how local public transport works and what the etiquette is regarding travel whether that be by train, tram, bus, bike or on foot.”
Explore
“Shortly after you arrive, take some time to get to know your surroundings. How far is the university from your accommodation? Is the city centre close? Where is the closest supermarket? Taking this time to get to know the area will help you settle in to your location.”
“It’s also great to have a couple of routes to go for a walk and clear your head as being away from home can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming.”
Get Involved!
“Make an effort to get involved in as many welcome activities as you can – often there will be events for international/exchange students to meet and get to know each other. It’s also worth finding out where the popular student spots are to get out and get talking to other local students and make some friends!”
“You can also join Facebook groups or some universities off apps to help you meet other people before heading out to your host country which is always useful if you’re feeling nervous about not knowing anyone before going.”
We held the annual Queen’s Spring Careers Fair on 03 March 2026, in the Whitla and South Dining Halls with over 80 Employers onsite to chat with Queen’s students.
The Fair facilitated many important conversations between students and Employers about the various graduate roles, work experience, internships and placements on offer, which was great timing for National Careers Week.
Students were given the opportunity to prepare in advance of the attending the Fair by registering via our Careers management tool, MyFuture. Here, students could visit exhibitor profiles, interest areas and job opportunities that were available for them to peruse ahead of the event. They could also follow Employers of interest in preparation for meeting them face to face at their stalls, and review the roles they were promoting.
As always it was a busy day with students from all degree pathways taking time to visit with Employers from a range of sectors at their stands. On the day we held a “quiet time” period to support the diverse needs of our students, when numbers were restricted and noise levels reduced. A limited number of one-to-one appointments with Employers during the Fair were also available for Queen’s students who are registered with Queen’s Accessible Learning Support. Students could also chat with our Careers Consultants at the Career Zone in the entrance of the Whitla Hall about the companies at the Fair and also about any quick Careers queries they had.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff in our Careers team, as well as our Careers Student Assistants for all their hard work at the Fair. We could not have done it without you, and undertaking a role as a student assistant at the Fair is always a great way for our students to get experience working at a large-scale event, (Queen’s students – keep an eye on QWork for future roles at our Fairs). A special thanks to our Fair sponsor EY and to all the Employers who were exhibiting, and a final thanks to all our Queen’s students who attended.
We hope you found the day a useful platform to help you to shape your future.
Here’s what one of our Queen’s students had to say about their experience of this year’s Queen’s Spring Careers Fair:
“Had the opportunity to attend the Spring Careers Fair at Queen’s University Belfast today, and it was a truly valuable experience. A big thank you to Careers, Employability and Skills team for organising such a well-structured event and creating a platform where students can directly connect with employers and explore future career opportunities.
The Fair brought together 80+ employers on campus, giving students the chance to learn about graduate roles, placements, internships and work experience opportunities across multiple industries.
A few key takeaways from the event: • Had the chance to interact with professionals from organisations such as EY and many other companies. • Gained insights into graduate recruitment processes and industry expectations. • Engaged in meaningful conversations with recruiters about skills required for careers in finance, consulting and other sectors. • A great opportunity to network, ask questions, and understand different career pathways available after graduation. • Events like these help students bridge the gap between academic learning and real industry exposure.
Grateful to Queen’s University Belfast for providing such opportunities that allow students to explore their interests, build professional connections, and better prepare for the future.”
Employer Insight Visits (formerly Work Shadowing Week), give Queen’s students the opportunity to spend a day in participating organisations to get an insight into an organisation and sector and observe professionals in practice.
Employer Insight Visits will take place from Monday 30 March – Thursday 02 April 2026.
The objective of the visit is for you to gain important real life organisation insights into work and have the chance to engage in meaningful conversations and observations in a workplace setting.
The day itself will involve but not be limited to, a facilities/site tour, opportunity to ask questions of the team, to include lunch and observe some work in action. Transport is provided to the Employers premises.
Employers Taking Part in Employer Insight Visits 2026
ALMAC
ARUP
Baker McKenzie
Cooneen Group
Foot Anstey McKees
Funds Axis
Henry Brothers
Kukoon Rugs
McQuillan Companies
Oxford Instruments
PwC Ireland
RSM UK
SAM Aerospace
Sumer Accountants
The Keystone Group
Queen’s students can apply to take part in Employer Insight Visits via MyFuture where all these opportunities will be advertised until 06 March 2026.
Remember – applications will close on 06 March 2026 so get applying!
This is what our students had to say about 2025’s Employer Insights Visits, (formerly Work Shadowing Week):
Kirstine Dela Torre, International Business with French Student at Queen’s University Belfast
“So grateful to have taken part in the Work Shadowing Week with Energia Group! From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with open arms (and a goodie bag), and I got to spend the day with the Micro Energy – Renewables team.
It was eye-opening to see how much technical detail and teamwork goes into making renewable energy solutions work in real life. Energia Group’s commitment to making a difference was evident in every conversation.
A massive thank you to Careers, Employability and Skills at Queen’s University Belfast, Lynsey Foster and to wider Energia Group for making this experience so insightful and welcoming. As a student navigating the early stages of my career, this experience reminded me that the future of energy is bright – and it’s powered by people who care deeply about impact.”
Eoin Loughran, BSc Geography student, Queen’s University Belfast
“I had a fantastic experience attending a work shadowing day with Energia. A big thank you to the welcoming and knowledgeable team for sharing such valuable insights into the energy sector.
It was especially rewarding to see firsthand how EVs and solar panel technologies are being implemented in real-world projects, bridging the gap between the theoretical knowledge I’ve gained during my undergraduate studies and its practical application.
I’m very grateful to Careers Queen’s University Belfast and to Lynsey Foster for organising this opportunity.”
Nikita Jain, MSc Finance Student at Queen’s University Belfast
“I had the pleasure of attending a Work Shadowing Day at Sumer Northern Ireland, organised through Queen’s University Belfast. It was a valuable opportunity to gain insights into the firm’s operations and learn from such a welcoming and knowledgeable team.
A big thank you to Lynsey Foster for guiding us through this experience, to Careers Queen’s University Belfast for providing such a valuable opportunity and to Shannon Savage for walking us through the day. Grateful to everyone at Sumer NI for hosting us and making the day so engaging!”
Krupali Thakur, MSc Artificial Intelligence, Queen’s University Belfast
“Had a fantastic day at BT Group, an experience that truly brought the world of work to life!
From exploring BT’s rich legacy and its broad ecosystem, including Openreach, EE, and Plusnet to hands-on tech sessions, it was a day full of inspiration and learning.”
Hitesh Gidwani, MSc Finance, Queen’s University Belfast
“Had the amazing opportunity to shadow professionals at PwC Belfast as part of Queen’s Work Shadowing Week 2025! I had the chance to explore PwC’s dynamic work culture, learn about account verification, auditing processes, and discover how their core values shape everyday operations.
A big thank you to Lynsey Foster for leading this initiative and to the Careers Queen’s University Belfast for making it possible, and a huge thank you to PwC and PwC Ireland especially Rachel Kelly for graciously hosting us.
The experience was packed with insightful conversations, a networking lunch with PwC professionals, and an exclusive office tour giving us a first-hand look into the day-to-day life at one of the Big Four.
Grateful for the exposure, inspiration, and connections made!”
Our popular Stock Market Challenge returned on 28 January 2026 to provide the opportunity for Queen’s students from any course background to gain real-world experience of analysing markets and making investments.
Stock Market Challenge is a fast-moving and exciting stock market simulation game called Finance Lab Pro owned by SolutionSim, who were our hosts for the evening at the Queen’s Computer Science Building.
Set in a fictitious world financial market this competitive game gives participants the opportunity to experience analysing the market and making investments.
The best part is you do not have to be studying a finance related subject or have any specialist knowledge of finance!
It’s a game of strategic thinking and pressured decision so the students got to demonstrate many of the skills necessary for business life, including, team-working, problem-solving and critical thinking.
Students taking part enjoyed some pizza and networking with the Employers also taking part on the night, with prizes including insight opportunities with the participating Employers. This Careers programme is alsoFuture-Ready Award accredited through the Combined Route so students who took part can apply for this award before they graduate.
We want to give our thanks to the Employers that took part, Deloitte, Kainos, First Derivative, Funds Axis and Grant Thornton and thanks also to our delivery partner Liam Barnes at SolutionSim, and to everyone who took part and made it the success that it was!
Congratulations to our Stock Market Challenge 2026 winner Cadhan Nelis, you played a great game! And congratulations also to the runners up and everyone who took part in the popular competition.
List of Stock Market Challenge 2026 Winners and Runners Up:
1st Place – Cadhan Nelis, Queen’s Computer Science ,with William Gordon from Deloitte.
2nd place – Diarmuid Lawell, Queen’s PPE, and Robin Smyth, Queen’s PPE, with Hannah Flemming from Kainos.
3rd place – Kyan Cassidy, Queen’s Finance, and Oliver Billing, Queen’s Applied Maths – with Joanne Marron, Aoibhin McKinney from First Derivative.
4th place – Alex Dunne, Queen’s Aerospace Engineering and Colm Daly, Queen’s Aerospace Engineering – with Hannah McCloskey, Phoebe Callista from Funds Axis.
5th place -Yash Somaiya, Queen’s Aerospace Engineering, and Neha Hendre, Queen’s Business Management – with Conor Gallagher, Jason Smyth from Grant Thornton.
6th place – Rosaleen Grant, Queen’s Finance and Trading, and Harry Jackson, Queen’s English student.
We all know that interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences: sleepless nights, endless flashcards, trying to feel comfortable in some newly-bought interview clothes. But whether you’re worried about what to say, how you come across, or just freezing up under pressure, Big Interview is here to help. Think of it as your own AI-powered, personal interview coach, available around the clock, giving you honest feedback so you can walk into an interview feeling confident and prepared.
What does the AI actually do?
Big Interview uses artificial intelligence to help you practice and improve:
Instant Feedback:Record yourself answering questions and get immediate feedback on your tone, pace, and even the ‘um’ and ‘like’ fillers that we all use when we’re nervous. Big Interview also picks up on eye contact and facial expressions – meaning you’ll soon be feeling confident enough for any interview scenario.
Practice that fits your schedule: Whether you’ve got a few days or a few weeks before an interview, Big Interview adapts to you. Choose Fast Track if you’re short on time, or dive deeper with the Mastery Track which covers more complex or difficult interviews. Big Interview is there to work to your schedule, meaning you can fit it in when you need it most.
Industry-specific questions: Practice with real questions from your field and get personalised feedback each time you try. You’ll soon see yourself getting better, which is a huge confidence boost. It also means that when you meet with the staff in our Careers service, you can focus on specifics instead of having to go over the basics.
Track your progress: See exactly where you’re improving and what you might want to work on a bit more. It’s all laid out clearly so you know you’re making real progress: this is particularly useful when you are having Careers conversations with Queen’s staff, as you can discuss the areas you know you need to work on.
Getting Started
Practice anytime: Jump in whenever suits you: midnight, Sunday afternoon, between classes, whenever: Big Interview will always be there when you need it.
Try, review, improve: Record an answer, watch the AI feedback, then try again. Repetition is how you become comfortable and more confident in yourself.
Complete assignments: Your Careers team or lecturers might set you specific tasks. These are designed to prepare you for real interviews in your industry. They are hugely useful as they will give you a glimpse into real-world experiences and make sure you are prepared for your post-graduation journey.
Ask for help: Big Interview is just one tool among many at Queen’s: make sure that you reach out to Careers, Employability and Skills with any questions you have about your employability journey.
Check out the student guide to get up and running quickly. The sooner you start practicing, the more confident you’ll feel when the real interview comes around.
We’re excited to announce the return of the Brighter Futures Grants Programme this academic year, in partnership with Santander.
We’re giving away 10 grants of £1,000 each to Queen’s University Belfast students.
All students can enter, including, undergraduates, postgraduates, part-time and full-time students.
You can use the grants for anything you need, whether it’s buying tech or textbooks, upgrading your study space, or covering living expenses – the choice is yours.
Entering is quick and easy:
Register for Santander Open Academy, a free online learning platform (if you haven’t already).
Click the verification link in your confirmation email.
Log in and choose ‘Get Started’ to complete your entry into the Brighter Futures Grants programme. Select Queen’s University Belfast from the menu.
Submit your entry by 11pm on 27 November 2025 for your chance to win.
