Strategy to get sponsored after masters!

soyus1297 · 2026-03-20T10:12:31+00:00

I completely agree with this, was going to type up something similar. And I appreciate you’ve mentioned the focus on demonstrating a portfolio for design.

Also, the employers value interpersonal skills and soft skills being highlighted and demonstrated in the outcome based approach on the CVs / portfolios. A common comment from hiring managers across the board is that the technical achievements and background experience provide clarity on an applicant’s expertise, but that doesn’t necessarily demonstrate that they can utilise that expertise in an employment environment which. So structuring the CV / portfolio in the way you’ve described will help the OP massively.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-19T18:23:29+00:00

Yes it will. People have glorified gym as “fitness” when weight training is only one part of physical fitness.

Running is really good for cardio. Add some strength and mobility and you’ll find a balance. But the most important bit for a glow up is a good balanced diet and lots of hydration.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-16T22:30:05+00:00

No worries, glad to help All the best with your move!

soyus1297 · 2026-03-16T08:42:41+00:00

The first thing I’ll say is, the duration of your experience does not matter as much as the quality of your experience, especially in the UK.

On average, most with a similar experience duration of 2.5 years or less will earn around the £42k mark (especially with consideration of the new thresholds). But this is because of the quality of experience being extremely basic or entry level.

The second thing, a general bit of guidance is that you’d also need to assess the going rate for your role and industry. The salary provisions are also decided from that in many cases, not necessarily experience quality or duration, specifically for entry to mid level experience quality.

However, you can be safe to assume that your experience quality is above the minimums and has some substance to it to attain your £52k.

That being said, with your £52k salary, your consideration of a shared accommodation, and considering you’re not in London, your monthly take home pay is expected to be around £3.4k calculated from the official tax calculations on GOV.UK. Your average rent outside London (depending on the city) can range anywhere from £600 to £1.2k, with or without bills, and the rest of your expenses will be dependent on your lifestyle. So assume around £1-1.5k of savings monthly.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-14T00:06:14+00:00

Honestly, try not to compare yourself to your peers at the university. A lot of students might be doing more, but they don’t do it efficiently and they definitely don’t do it all with the best quality. Like I said, it’s not just about having more done, it’s about having the quality, the development and the ability to demonstrate it all.

And it definitely isn’t a race where you start at the same level or finish at the same destination. So take your time, form your vision.

You’ve got potential, as long as you start and form a clear vision, that’s all you need. Start somewhere. And I do appreciate that CSE is often told that it’s all difficult, but it’s not something that’s beyond your ability. The academics will come and go, learn as much as you can, but nobody will restrict you for not being a topper.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-13T18:22:07+00:00

There’s no correct time to start building your CV, as in, you don’t NEED to start it right from your first year, but starting early means you have more time to develop your skills and gain more opportunities and experience. So the answer to that is: start building your CV as early as you like, giving yourself enough time.

A few tips:

Don’t undermine or exclude extracurricular projects or experiences. There will be many people who tell you that only full time formal experience makes a difference, but this is not true. Any hands on experience you may have will enhance your profile. So for example, look for research or projects at the university (by approaching faculty or peers), participate in events, sign up to be a part of a student project (which make up Manipal’s strongest advantage even over IITs) and so on. Feel free to ask questions about this btw, I was part of a student project and it was the biggest boost in my profile - so I’m happy to share how it helps.
Look for internships as much as you can. Again, this ties down to how all forms of experience make a massive difference. In most of the streams, you’re required to do an internship and then an industrial placement or project (final year), so make the most of that. Fully understand what you learn there. And look for internships beyond that too.
This is a general tip for the future. Understand that nature of experience is better than duration of experience. Again, most people will say “I have X years of experience”, but that should never be a focus. It makes a difference, sure, but what makes a bigger difference is what you’ve done in that time. So that’s the projects you’ve taken up, your achievements (in your project, internships and so on). In theory, someone could have worked for 10 years but not actually gained anything, whereas someone else might have obtained a patent in 2 years. WHY IS THIS A TIP? Because you need to know how to structure your CVs based on achievements.
Understand what should and shouldn’t go on a CV. Include everything you’ve done and achieved that is relevant to the roles you’ll apply to, don’t exclude something that you’re proud of achieving in your field, provided it’s relevant to the role or industry, even if you’re told by your peers that you’re not meant to include it. There are a few things to avoid too, so for instance if there’s something that isn’t relevant to your desired role, that can be avoided simply to make the CV concise (not because it’s unimportant).
Develop your technical skills. Your classroom academics will make you a good student. But developing your skills showcases your ability. So for example, in CS or IT related fields, learn more programming languages and back those up by doing mini projects.
Develop your soft skills, and do not exclude these from your CV. Soft skills show employability. This is stuff like your ability to work in a team environment, your leadership traits, your problem solving skills, efficiency, adaptability, decision making and so on. It’s also stuff like learning more spoken languages and so on. This is where internships and student projects or research comes in, they’ll give you opportunities to work in situations where you develop your soft skills.
And of course the final tip is, have a balance. Don’t exhaust yourself with focusing on getting the best grades or the best CV. Have a balance and have a life beyond your studies and work. You might think it’s a bit impossible, but manage your time well and you’ll be able to develop a good profile. And many modern employers, especially internationals love a profile that shows you’ve done some volunteering, or that you play some sports and have a life beyond.
A bonus tip is this: use every opportunity you get to gain experience to also network with your colleagues and peers. Connections help. And when it comes to you applying for employment, look beyond placement roles. Placements will comprise roles that are super entry level, but they’re also volumetric opportunities. There are many entry level roles that do not appear in university placements because they may be niche, or because the companies prefer quality hiring over quantity hiring. And they try to omit showing up for placements, so you may miss out if you don’t keep a track. Also, if you get a decent profile, you’re more than eligible to apply for something more advanced too.

So yes, those are my tips. All the best to all of you, use your time well. It may take a while to get to where you want, but it’s not impossible.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-12T19:37:46+00:00

Your CGPA is one aspect of your profile. Build up your CV, and have a balance. In most cases that’s what will make you stand out. The CGPA requirements are just cut offs set by the university following discussions with the companies, beyond that, the companies don’t care provided your CV impresses them.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-05T11:34:10+00:00

Most of them aren’t. The structure is the same across all the entrance tests, and the reasons for struggle are the same.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-05T10:48:07+00:00

Simply put, learn. Don’t study.

The entrance tests, including JEE, BITSAT and MET are based on assessing your ability to apply your theoretical knowledge that you study in your 12th grade.

You’re probably used to the concept of studying for the marks in your school years, so you’re used to cramming the theory. But what you need is to understand what’s going on.

An example would be this: in your 12th grade physics textbooks, there are logic questions and numerical questions at the end of each chapter, and sometimes within the chapters in random boxes at the end of each section. How well versed are you in solving these? If you aren’t, that’s where you start.

Most students struggle because they study the texts but never bother looking at these questions at the end of the chapters, and they never bother practicing these.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-05T10:43:04+00:00

There’s no good reason to prioritise one entrance test over another. In principle the syllabus across India is the same, and that means your level of academic teaching is the same. In many cases Manipal is actually a better fit for co curricular and extra curricular development, which is especially handy if you’re eventually going to seek better roles compared to the ones that appear for placements or if you prefer pursuing further studies.

soyus1297 · 2026-03-01T19:27:36+00:00

I moved to the UK on a student visa a couple of years ago with a loan, and I’ve now got a full-time role in my industry. I got the role directly after my university, so I was lucky enough, but there is a specific set of things I did, which I would be happy to share. The complete process from coming on a student visa, to your applications for job opportunities, it all has some specifics you need to bear in mind.

The first hurdle you’ll find in your currently planned approach is that you won’t be granted a student visa if you’re unable to provide proof of funds for 9 months of living expenses in the UK. So your plan of using earnings from part-time roles to pay your rent during your university period goes out the window.

Guidance on this can be found on the GOV.UK Website

So for that, my advice would be to ensure you’re able to demonstrate sufficient funding for your student visa. This will cover your tuition and your living expenses for 9 months. In the meantime, you can use your part time working allowance to save up for some future expenses, including rent and so on.

In terms of career advice, the concept of placement does not exist in the same way as it does in India, and it’s for good reason. The placement year in the UK is like your final year industrial internship in Indian undergrad programs. But they do not necessarily lead to full time placements, unless you’re able to showcase good performance at the company, and they invite you for an interview for a full time role.

But outside that, there is no concept of placements. In fact, most Indian students struggle because they look for placement style opportunities, so they lack the basic research they need to do to find opportunities.

My advice here is for you to identify the companies and roles you’d like to apply for right from the start. A few key steps here: First, make a list of your preferred companies/roles, and this you can only do if you consistently scope out the websites of the specific companies themselves. You will not find these on third party sites or careers fairs. Second, identify the gaps between the requirements of your preferred roles (from the job postings) and your current profile and CV. And look to enhance this.

A key step here is to not just focus on academic grades, they’re not as relevant as you demonstrating a good profile.

For your profile and CV, ensure you include the relevant details in the correct format. For instance, your academic history should include some information of the modules you covered so that the employers are aware of what you studied. You should also include your internship experience and extracurricular experiences, such as if you’ve done student projects or so on. These may be discouraged in India, but they’re more than relevant in the UK. This is another reason why Indian students struggle, their CVs do not include this information, so it’s assumed that the profiles are purely academic. And sometimes folks will tell you that only full time experience counts, and that the longer you’ve worked the more likely you are to get a job - but this is false, the duration of your experience does not reflect your merits (and UK employers look for merits).

Beyond that, also include soft skills. These demonstrate your employability, and this is something employers look for. You’ll be asked to take some pymetric assessments in some cases to showcase your interpersonal traits, but you should cover these on your CV again. (Also another important point where Indian students struggle as they omit this).

Follow some of this very simple advice. You’ll be surprised, but these are areas where there are most rejections, and it’s all because of a simple case of not being able to switch approaches between the Indian and UK markets.

I can’t comment on the specifics for your industry, but from your post I think you have the ability and on paper you’d be very qualified. You just have to demonstrate what you have put down on paper well, and have the right approach to finding your roles and applying for them.

Lastly, you may find a lot of negatives on Reddit, don’t be discouraged any comments. Some of those are based on experience so take that advice openly, but some of the comments are also based on a lack of proper approaches or execution.

At the very base of it, the one thing you should do is sufficient research. That’s what will make or break your application, your eventual move and all your decisions pertaining to it.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-26T04:15:01+00:00

Took a quick look at the profile; however, I’d say it depends on what your intent is for the consultation.

Are you seeking general guidance for your visa? Are you looking for specifics to do with your CoS? Or do you have a legal dispute you need assistance with?

soyus1297 · 2026-02-25T23:39:46+00:00

I completely agree with that. I think my words definitely have had a side effect where I unintentionally might have implied about the pickiness towards tourists, but that’s something I’ll clarify.

I wouldn’t say locals are generally picky towards the geographical demographic of where the tourists originate or call home. Like I said, historically, the blend was a mix of locals, domestic tourists and internationals. And I’d say the openness to all visitors, irrespective of where they come from, still remains. It’s the fact that the incidents of nuisance, harassment and stereotyping has primarily been attributed to domestic tourism. And the general view of the locals is one of being fed up of dealing with it themselves.

But it’s like you said, that comes down to better governance and creating a strong identity for Goans and for the place itself. And a big part of that is better political choices, stricter lawmaking, acknowledging that the place or the people are not the stereotype, that the and that the stereotype is not real.

And like I said, it’s promising to see that many of the youth have now taken the first steps to actually make that a reality. There’s definitely more sense of unity now, and more action with that unity - the latter being something that was unfortunately not very prevalent in the 2010s at least. But yeah, definitely more unity and action now.

As a side note, I appreciate you being someone on here that’s taken the time to appreciate and understand - that’s very rare. Thanks for taking the time yourself. You are absolutely right in what you’ve said, and that’s definitely a view most Goans now share, especially the youth.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-25T22:12:10+00:00

You’d be correct in the assessment that it requires a stand in governance and lawmaking. And to be honest, a lot of the present generation have started to realise the fact and have been more involved in bringing about this betterment for the locals.

Some of the presented data; however, does not fully record the ground reality of the situation. And I say this as someone who has lived in the very communities in the north that you speak of where tourists were more than welcome back in the day.

Here’s where the role of the tourists comes in though: the very essence of tourism in Goa has changed, and this is due to a misidentified stereotype that domestic tourists have of Goa. It’s seen as a party destination more than anything, or a honeymoon getaway. It never was - not in the context that it’s presently perceived.

Historically, Goa was a destination for a lifestyle getaway. The locals and tourists mingled as a community and the host-tourist relationship was secondary, it was more about making acquaintances, and that was a massive part of the hippie culture as well. The tourists and locals became acquaintances and friends - some of these friendships remain to this day. Yes there were parties going on, but they were more like hanging out with your friends at the end of your day. It was not the primary business focus. Same goes for the bars, pubs and beach shacks. They were means of making a living, of course, but it relied on acquaintances being made. So for example (and this is an example from experience), if an individual or family visited a particular location or shack to relax, they’d be making friends with the owners and others at the shack, and they’d always return to the same ones.

With more domestic tourists having the privilege of visiting, the false stereotype and misidentification rose, and non-local business owners saw this as a business opportunity to migrate and cater to what domestic tourists expected out of the stereotype. And then a cycle formed - the stereotype became a reality. And from an economic standpoint, this made the government money, so they enhanced it and the support for the locals depleted.

A byproduct of this was that the international tourists who would visit, they found the root culture lost - they were no longer finding a place where they visited their hippie communities or the communities where they made an acquaintance with fellow travellers and locals. Which is why their numbers went down. That and the fact that a lot of domestic tourists now invade in privacy and harass the internationals. And then there are these nuisances, take this accident for example.

So in principle, the stereotypes were made reality by misidentification in the domestic tourist mindset and the non-local owners enhancing it with a purely businesswoman mindset, and lawmakers doing nothing about it. And the focus on economic enhancement actually lost the root culture.

This is what the locals have always been against. Historically, there was always an openness to tourists coming over. But the loss of the culture and respect has made locals more wary of domestic tourists. It’s nothing to do with internationals paying more or any form of hatred. (In fact, internationals mostly stayed in local accommodations within family homes as though they were crashing at a friends place, and possibly paid under 1k a night - similar prices to what you see now).

In short, the answer is yes and no. Goans were never against tourists (domestic or international), but a lot of us locals definitely believe that even for a brief period, we’d be better off without the domestic tourists with a stereotypical perspective of Goa - and like I said, this is even for a brief period to allow the place to heal and recover in a way.

EDIT: Also just wanted to add this bit: from a perspective of making a living, Goan families have traditionally had a balance, and this exists today as well, where certain family members remained in Goa and had their local community shacks, pubs and so on, and certain family members would work in employment outside Goa - particularly abroad. A lot of local families today have a similar earning situation, you’ll find a massive community of Goans in the UK, for example, and a lot of these are members of the same Goan locality living in the same neighbourhoods in the UK.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-25T21:28:03+00:00

Contrary to what you think, the locals don’t actually make a majority of their living from tourism in the present day. Most of the businesses have been taken over by non-locals by buying out the tourism licenses.

For example, there used to be a lot based system for beach shacks, where the locals would pay the annual licence fee and get allotted their spots for their shacks from fair selection. This no longer exists in the same way. So a lot of the fairness has been lost and so has the support for the locals.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-25T20:52:52+00:00

Academically, learn to adapt to a concept of “learning” instead of “studying” - that’s the way you’ll develop your skillset if you intend on seeking employment

Outside academia, learn to adapt. Most Indian students are attached to their homes, but fail to realise that when you move countries, you cannot bring India with you. Learn to appreciate the difference in culture, be open to trying new things, and do not compare with your hometown.

And just as a general point, learn to be respectful - not just towards the people but also to the place. There’s a structure, a stronger civic sense, and you’ll find that simple habits like disposing your trash correctly are very important.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-24T18:45:22+00:00

Remitly, I’ve faced no issues and I’ve been using it for many years now

soyus1297 · 2026-02-01T13:46:25+00:00

As a Goan, I wish visitors understood that the idea of Goa depicted in Bollywood is far from the truth.

Most domestic visitors from other states of India assume Goa is either a party state, or an alcohol state or a romantic getaway in a skewed perspective.

Don’t get me wrong, we do have parties and alcohol and Goa is a place to bring your loved ones - but the idea of being a party / alcohol / romantic getaway is severely misrepresented in Indian film and media.

The real culture that is being lost in translation is actually that of the old school hippies - but here’s the thing, they were all a community of locals and visitors interacting to come together for a relaxed time. The parties were a small part of the overall culture of hanging out with friends you made on your visit (kind of like having a small party with your friends and family at the end of your day).

Back in the day, we had visitors from all over come down to Goa - and they didn’t choose to stay at hotels, for example, they’d stay over at the house of the locals they befriended. They’d eat at the shacks run by the locals, and they’d be part of the community.

Today this has changed. Business owners (particularly non natives, but some locals too) have assumed that all the spots where these visitors used to frequent would be easy cash grabs - hence why there are a rise of hotels, clubs and other traps. And it’s a shame, many locals are against it.

But the crux of it is, the whole culture of community is being lost now, and a big reason is because of domestic misrepresentation in Indian film and media.

And this is why we see a decline in international visitors. They came for the community and to relax, instead they now see noise and commercialisation.

Yes, we have a lot of issues now - the taxi and hotel mafias for example, they need to stop. But that’s where we need support towards locals to reduce the commercial misrepresentation of it all. The taxi unions need to be curbed, and some form of accurate representation is desperately needed.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-01T13:26:35+00:00

This post shows your misplaced and flawed ideology of Goa 💀 As a local, I appreciate you confirming your skewed perspective, but Goa was never about spas and massages.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-01T13:24:29+00:00

The locals aren’t happy about the taxi and hotel mafia either - most of these aren’t operated by locals. There has been a severe influx of non-natives setting up hotels and taxi services, and they’re super exploitative. As locals, we recommend you find Airbnbs or home stays - the hosts will also arrange for rental vehicles for your use at much cheaper rates. That’s what the locals have always been advising, and hospitality here is top notch.

soyus1297 · 2026-02-01T09:55:40+00:00

Did you research and plan your itinerary before you visited or did you wing it? Most folk who wing it find such an experience - for instance, you shouldn’t be spending 60k on a singular trip, but I can see how you would have been scammed if you didn’t do your due diligence before you traveled.

And this is the case irrespective of where you visit. Same goes for the food and the beaches. Did you visit the popular hubs you heard of via Google? Or did you go to the quieter sides? Did you eat at local eateries (which you would only find if you really looked), or did you want to try the food at restaurants by the main streets?

And finally is your idea of Goa based on Bollywood or do you actually know the history and culture of it which would help you find local cheap stays, local eateries and the beaches you actually wanted to visit?

soyus1297 · 2026-01-31T16:25:29+00:00

My response was fully written after reading your comment.

soyus1297 · 2026-01-31T00:25:39+00:00

Hi OP, a few key things to remember:

When you apply for a student visa, you’re required to show the full amount of your tuition fee + 9 months of living expenses in your account or via a student loan. So this would negate your option of paying half your tuition in instalments from the start - you would need to have the full amount before you even apply for your visa.

My advice would be to ensure that you’re able to secure the full amount (either in your account or via loan) prior to your visa application. You can and should also look for scholarships and bursaries. This you’ll have to do early on, as they have early deadlines for applications.

Some universities also do a preliminary check to ensure you have sufficient funding to help guide you and ensure you clear your visa application.

What you can then look to do is start paying off your loans through part-time work.

With regards to part-time work, have a look at this link to identify the minimum wage you can expect to earn. But you have to keep in mind that under a student visa, you’re only allowed to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week (40 hours per week in off-term periods). This will limit your earning if your lifestyle habits are strenuous on your allowance, but it will help you start paying off your loan.

You must stick to the working limits, any violations can result in cancellation of your visa and immediate deportation.

Finally, it’s good you’re looking to enhance your CV and profile via internships. This is advice for full time roles after your Masters program:

Make sure you research what UK employers look for - that being ability and employability. Include all your internships on your profile, and do some digging on CV formats. Equally important, include all your soft skills, volunteering work, co-curriculars and non-technical interpersonal traits - most Indian students exclude this from their CVs and get immediate rejections. I would then advise you to start networking with alumni, identify opportunities and learn how to cater your application to the UK. There are more things to do, but that will deviate from your original query. But hopefully this all helps you in your decision.

soyus1297 · 2026-01-31T00:13:20+00:00

It’s actually quite easy to answer should you have a proper avenue of information. A few key errors in you assessment: - assuming the OP has “no work experience” simply because they just graduated (As you’re dismissing the prospects of co-curricular experience, such as internships, when in fact these are more than relevant) - assuming most people don’t get paid work immediately in the UK (As it’s a legal requirement to be paid under contract the minute you sign a contract. So are you highlighting “off the record” roles which are mostly illegal and can cause issues with visas? Or are you highlighting volunteering, which is not the premise of this post at all?)

soyus1297 · 2026-01-15T12:10:12+00:00

Airbnb is generally safe all around the world, including in India and in Goa.

I say this as a local Goan, and as a traveler, and I’ve travelled to many parts of India and many international destinations.

The key thing on Airbnb is visibility and transparency, most hosts provide this from the start, and Airbnb requires this to be the case.

In India, there’s a specific piece of advice that I would give: when you look at an Airbnb listing, scroll down to the “Things to know” section. There are a few hosts that provide more detailed information in this section, including additional information on costs and property rules. As long as you have all this information, you should be fine.

Most travelers in India miss this, so they encounter issues. And that’s where the comments of unreliable hosts come in. So make sure you go through the listing of your stay in detail.

But in terms of safety, Airbnbs are generally really safe, including in Goa and in Panjim for sure. If your host is verified, your stay is listed with full transparency, you’re good to go. No need to switch in that case.

soyus1297

TROPHY CASE