Phuong Tran

I came from Vietnam, a small country which is far away from the UK. I studied MSc Economics and Finance at Leeds University Business school. The course is designed to bring you both theoretical knowledge in economics and practical knowledge in the financial world. Since I was in high school, I had a desire to complete my postgraduate studies in the UK for several reasons. Firstly, the UK is world renowned for its education, with a wide range of study fields and with many universities in world rankings. Secondly, with fast track learning in only 1 year, studying in UK is a cost efficient choice for me. Besides, I believed studying in a European country would give me opportunity to experience different cultures in such a short period of time.

I applied for some universities but Leeds University Business School was my final choice because the School has always been in the UK top 10 for research and the world top 200 universities and its ranking has improved year on year. I knew my decision was right when I came to Leeds.

Since the first day at the University of Leeds, I was well equipped with information about my modules, how to enroll, how to make full use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and the Portal, and the School and its facilities for my studies, like the 24 hour computer clusters and the library. Though it was my first time abroad, I didn't feel any confusion about my study at all. Things like the VLE or the student Portal are what I've never experienced before and it's almost as if I cannot live without them because almost everything I need for my course is there. Additionally, social events pre and post semesters are wonderful times for me, as social events at the beginning of semesters give me time to get to know professors and teachers, learning more about each module and the events at the end of the semester brings me and my classmates closer and we always had a great time having fun and chilling out after busy exams.

Studying in the UK opened my mind a lot as I've gained new experiences as time goes by. What I love the most is the teaching staff. Professors are more than helpful and they're willing to sit with you, discuss your problem and give suggestions unconditionally. Teachers always encourage us to think critically and ask because for them, there's no silly questions. Studying in the UK is truly about receiving and sharing, spending time with professors makes me feel that I'm getting better everyday. Learning with international friends makes me realise how fun sharing knowledge is. I got more from studying in the UK than I expected and I'm thankful for that.

To those who are considering studying abroad, the UK is never a bad choice. I have no idea about other universities but for me, Leeds offered me one of the most wonderful times in my life. My advice is just to figure it out yourself, make use of your time to interact with people and professors, otherwise you will regret it. Therefore, prepare well for your application, spend time searching for the program that suits you the best and then get ready to pack and go.

Though Leeds is not the most bustling city, I still love it because it's a good place for city. Not too crowded, not too busy, things are in balance and more importantly, the living expense is reasonable for students. Besides, I think Leeds has a perfect geographical location, whether you want to enjoy idyllic countryside or modern cities or historical sites, it doesn't take you too much time to travel to other cities and campus is just about 20 minute walk to city centre so that I find it convenient to shop daily.