Dengan Menulis, Dapat Beasiswa S2 dan S3 Ke Inggris

Setelah 3 bulan kursus, saya di tes lagi, nama tes nya adalah IELTS, International English Language Test System (tes TOEFL nya orang Inggris).  Syarat untuk dapat beasiswa harus mencapai nilai 6,5 (skala 0-9).  Waktu itu hasil tes saya cuma 6.0.  Lagi-lagi saya diwawancara, saya tunjukkan lagi surat "sakti" dari Bristol University itu.  Dengan nilai 6,0 seharusnya saya tidak bisa berangkat, tapi surat itu telah membuat saya dapat tiket ke Inggris, dapat beasiswa untuk MSc.  Segala tiket, paspor, visa, uang saku dan lain-lain ditanggung oleh pihak British Council.

September 1991 saya berangkat ke London, di airport Heathrow saya mencari kantor perwakilan British Council.  Di situ saya diberi uang saku lagi untuk ke Bristol, dari airport saya naik taxj ke terminal bis yang menuju Bristol.  Sampai di terminal Bristol, saya naik taxi lagi ke Universitas.  Sampai di Universitas saya sudah disambut oleh petugas dari International Student.  Saya dikasih kunci kamar untuk tinggal di asrama universitas Bristol selama sebulan untuk kursus bahasa Inggris, untuk pengenalan budaya Inggris, supaya tidak culture shock.  Setelah itu saya dipindahkan ke Long Ashton Research Station, kira-kira 6 mil dari pusat kota Bristol.  Di Long Ashton saya ketemu oarng Indonesia yang mau pulang ke Indonesia, saya dapat warisan catatan kuliah, soal-soal ujian, laporan praktikum dll.  Berkat warisan tersebut, saya jadi orang yang paling "pintar" di antara mahasiswa program MSc di situ, walau dengan bahasa Inggris yang cuma pas-pasan.

Baru 6 bulan kuliah di Bristol, saya sudah menunjukkan tugas-tugas dengan nilai yang meyakinkan, saya pun melamar untuk terus ke program doktor (S3).  Saya minta rekomendasi dari Direktur MSc Course.  Dan dia memberi surat rekomendasinya begini :

Date:  19-2-1992

From:  MSc Course Director

Nur Tjahjadi has made a good start in his studies and his continuos assessment marks reflect this.  He is conscientious and hard working and has integrated well on the course and appears no difficulties.

No formal examinations have yet been taken, so his performance under examination conditions cannot be assessed at present.  However, his continuos assessment of course work ia averaging close to 70 % (pass mark 40 %), with consistent performance over the range of disciplines so far taught.

Before starting his MSc course, Nur Tjahjadi received a 4-week intensive course in English at The University of Bristol, English Language Ssupport Unit.  Although his pronunciation can be somewhat stilted due to first language interference, his English language skills are good and he should have no linguistic problems with the course.

Dengan surat rekomendasi ini saya melamar di University of Bangor, di North wales United Kingdom. Padahal saat itu saya baru 6 bulan di Bristol, penelitian saya juga baru mau mulai pada bulan Mei 1992.  Tetapi,  pada bulan juli 1992, saya dapat balasan surat dari Univ of Bangor begini :

I am writing to confirm that a place has been kept open for you to pursue postgraduate study at the University of Bangor in the forthcoming academic session, subject to your satisfying any conditions which may be outstanding.  The results of many applications for financial support (studentship or scholarships) have yet to be announce, and it is recommended that you make absolutely certain that you have been awarded a studentship/scholarship or are able to support your studies from other means, before you make final arrangements to travel to Bangor.  I enclose details relating to the registration procedure.  You should read the information carefully, and return the relevant forms as instructed in the notes for new post graduate students.  You should note, particularly, that you are required to register for your studies on Friday, 2 October 1992.

Accomodation cannot be allocated untill all conditions of admission have been satisfied.  All queries relating to your accomodation should be directed to the accomodation officer (Tel ext. 2032).