{"id":426,"date":"2025-12-20T10:34:59","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T10:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/gsp\/?p=426"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:38:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:38:32","slug":"scholar-insights-advice-from-a-final-year-architecture-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/2025\/12\/20\/scholar-insights-advice-from-a-final-year-architecture-student\/","title":{"rendered":"Scholar Insights: Advice From a Final Year Architecture Student."},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

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When I received my place to study Architecture at the University of Bath, I felt proud but also uncertain. Coming from a foster care background, the road to university wasn\u2019t straightforward. I\u2019d worked hard to get here, but I didn\u2019t always see others like me in academic spaces. That\u2019s why being accepted onto the Gold Scholarship Programme meant so much more than financial support. It gave me the opportunity to be part of a community that recognised what I could grow into.<\/p>\r\n

The Gold Scholarship<\/a> gave me the tools to build my future with more confidence. From day one, it was about more than money. It was a network of people: mentors, fellow scholars, and staff, who understood what it means to come from a non-traditional background and still have an ambition that reaches far beyond it.<\/p>\r\n

Architecture is a demanding course, especially at Bath, being so highly ranked. Between the design work, the long hours in studio, and constant deadlines, it\u2019s easy to get lost in the pace of it all. I had a mentor during first year who made a real impact and reminded me that my background wasn\u2019t a weakness, but a unique perspective I could bring into my work. That perspective shaped how I approach design. I think a lot about how spaces affect people, not just aesthetically, but emotionally, socially, and environmentally. Being a Gold Scholar gave me the chance to develop those values, not just in the classroom, but through real-world opportunities, personal development, and volunteering.<\/p>\r\n

One of the most fulfilling parts of my scholarship experience was getting involved in volunteering. I took part in outreach programmes aimed at encouraging young people from underrepresented backgrounds to consider higher education, which felt especially meaningful to me given my own journey. I also volunteered with the Wildlife Trust, contributing to conservation efforts and learning more about the relationship between natural environments and the built world. On a completely different note, I regularly helped at local community park runs. These were simple, energetic ways to give back and support others\u2019 wellbeing, and they reminded me how much of a difference small, consistent contributions can make. Each experience shaped me in different ways, and I\u2019d encourage any first-year scholar to give it a try, even if you're unsure at first. You never know what you\u2019ll take away from it.<\/p>\r\n

There have been challenges. Coming from foster care means learning early how to be independent, how to adapt, and how to push forward even when things don\u2019t come easy. At university, those skills helped me, but they also set me apart in ways that sometimes felt isolating. The Gold Scholarship helped bridge that gap. It didn\u2019t erase those differences. It embraced them.<\/p>\r\n

One highlight for me was taking part in volunteering projects that allowed me to give back and connect with others in meaningful ways. It reminded me why I chose to study architecture in the first place: to design spaces that feel human, that support people\u2019s lives, and that respond to the real issues we face, from climate change to social inequality.<\/p>\r\n

To anyone thinking about applying for the Gold Scholarship Programme<\/a>, do it. Don\u2019t second guess yourself because of where you come from or what you think you\u2019re lacking. The scholarship isn\u2019t just for people with polished CVs or perfect grades. It\u2019s for people with potential and drive. If you\u2019re starting out at Bath, especially if you're unsure about fitting in, know that the G<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

old community is here to support you. Go to the events, ask for help, and say yes to the opportunities. They really do add up to something meaningful.<\/p>\r\n

As I graduate and step into the world of architecture or adjacent fields, I carry with me the lessons I\u2019ve learned through this scholarship: to design with empathy, to lead with integrity, and to keep\u00a0building a future I believe in.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I received my place to study Architecture at the University of Bath, I felt proud but also uncertain. Coming from a foster care background, the road to university wasn\u2019t straightforward. I\u2019d worked hard to get here, but I didn\u2019t...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1710,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[10,3,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gold-community","category-skills-development","category-using-support-at-university"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1710"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/undergraduate-scholarships-and-bursaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}