Your guide to thriving at NTU: Opportunity every international student should know about

Taking the leap into student politics at Nottingham Trent Students' Union

Not long after settling in, I heard about the Nottingham Trent Students’ Union elections. I had never been involved in student politics before, and to be honest, I didn’t know if anyone would vote for me as I had just arrived six months ago. Many even told me I wouldn’t get more than 100 votes. But I felt it was my calling.

As an international student, I had already seen how easy it was for others like me to miss out on opportunities, support, and community simply due to lack of awareness or representation. That’s when I decided to run for Vice President Postgraduate!

I ran on a simple but powerful vision: to amplify the voices of international students and help bridge the gap between home and international postgrads. I wanted to push for clearer academic support systems and inclusive policies. Especially around AI in assessments, career services, and centralised information hubs, so international students feel even more supported.

How I secured 800 votes in my campaign

With no campaign team or prior network, I started alone. I had no backing—just a strong purpose to pursue what I wanted. I spoke to students personally, joined events, and used every conversation as a chance to share what I stood for. And it worked.

I received 800 votes, finishing just 290 votes behind the winner. From what I know, I became the first international student in NTSU history to secure this many votes in an election. That, to me, felt like a victory—not just for me, but for every international student who wonders if they can be seen and heard. You can!

What I've learned from running for presidency

Running for this role taught me a lot about resilience. It showed me that leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about the intention you have. I learned how to build connections, how to listen, and how to turn challenges into action.

Though I didn’t win, the journey inspired me to continue working towards the positive change I wanted to make. I now serve as the Secretary of NTU’s Pakistan Society, where I aim to build a stronger support network for Pakistani and other international students. We’ve already started collaborating with other UK-based societies and plan to launch initiatives around career guidance and community building.

More importantly, I realised that international students bring unique perspectives that are deeply valuable to the wider NTU community. Our journeys, our struggles, and our successes can contribute so much if we have the courage to share them.