Sergii Mukoid

My name is Sergii Mukoid and currently I am studying an MSc in Banking and International Finance at Leeds University Business School. 

Before that, I completed a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics at the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University in my home country, Ukraine.

Although I was always interested in issues regarding economic development across the globe, ultimately I realized my true passion is in the sphere of international finance, the importance of which became evident in the times of a severe crisis.

As I was willing to improve both my theoretical knowledge and practical skills, I decided that the best way to achieve this is receiving excellent education in an internationally recognised university. United Kingdom is arguably the best country for studying education, so my goal was to become a student of a high-ranking program in a UK university.

University of Leeds offers amazing value for money and, having already secured solid positions both in British and global educational rankings, continues to improve. Leeds University Business School itself has a good reputation, as it is one of the top British business schools for accounting and finance. The School is one of very few UK business schools that offers a dedicated course in banking so I decided a mix of banking and finance in my MSc program is indeed a good way to broaden the scope of my knowledge.  

Coming to the UK was a big decision for me, as this was the first time I was so far from home in a foreign country. However, it was quite easy thanks to all the information provided by the International Student Office and the Business School Staff before the arrival. The best thing to have was a ‘meet-and-greet’ service, which met me and my friend at the railway station, when we first arrived to Leeds and helped us to find our way around the city.

The University staff continued to support me not only in my first days here, at Leeds, but also throughout the whole course. The Postgraduate Office of the Business School was able to deal with any enquires I had, while my Personal Tutor provided me with invaluable academic and personal help.  

Studying in the UK turned to be a completely new and exciting experience for me. I was able to get in contact with active researchers in many topics, such as banking, behavioural finance and risk management. As a result, I was introduced to the latest advances in the financial sphere, so it is obvious my program has a clear practical perspective.

The teaching staff was very enthusiastic about their subjects and very engaging, so there was no single module that seemed boring or too theoretical. However, the best thing in studying in the UK is the possibility to meet new people from all over the world that share with you interest and passion for development. It is indeed exciting to make friends from different places and cultures and learn more about the life in their countries.  

Studying in the UK is indeed a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience and you surely do not want to miss it! That is why I think one important thing I would advise international students is to be open-minded and ready to accept everything new. You can learn many things and it is up to you, whether you are ready to embrace this experience.  

For those who still has doubts about studying in the UK: be confident and enthusiastic about your UK experience and future plans and, with a bit of studying, you will definitely succeed.  

Leeds is indeed a great place to live, so I would recommend it to everyone visiting the UK for the first time. In a cultural sense, it is a very special place to live in. Leeds is one of the very few large British cities whose centre retains its old, 19th-century look with a slight touch of modern architecture. Moreover, you can visit many interesting places in the city itself or, given its convenient geographical location, easily travel to any other place in Britain.

In addition, Leeds is big and vibrant and, with lots of pubs, cafes, restaurants and shopping centres, it is easy to find a place to relax from a hard day in studies.