Alessia and Madeline
Tecca

Why NTU…

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

We chose Nottingham Trent University after we met Tee Dymond from NTU Global at our previous school in Canada. After her presentation we made it our goal to study here! As we have both shared a strong interest in the fashion industry and studied it before attending university, continuing our journey in this field felt like a natural step. NTU’s reputation and creative environment made it the obvious place for us to complete our degree and grow both academically and personally.

What’s your favourite thing about your course?

Our favourite thing about our course is how personal and supportive it feels. We really value the close guidance from tutors and the strong sense of community within our classes. We also love the industry guest speakers, as they help expand our horizons, give us real insight into the fashion world, and inspire us to think about our future careers.

A standout experience for us was an influential guest lecture from Jane Johnson from the Visual Merchandising team at Paul Smith, which was followed by a trip to the Paul Smith headquarters. During the visit, we had the chance to meet teams from marketing, visual merchandising, design and more. This gave us a real insight into how the industry works and made the course feel even more inspiring and connected to real careers.

How have you found the course facilities?

We’ve found the course facilities to be excellent and really supportive of our learning. Having easy access to the library has been so helpful, and we love that staff regularly come in to deliver lectures and guidance sessions. The CAD team has been incredibly supportive too, with scheduled sessions that teach us what technology is available and how to use it confidently. The collaborative spaces in Barnes Wallis are also a huge help, especially when we’re working on group projects or just need a productive place to focus and complete our work.

Has your course included any guest speakers or industry trips? What have you enjoyed about this?

Our course has included so many inspiring guest speakers and industry trips, which we’ve really loved. We’ve heard from professionals across brands like NEXT, Frasers Group and The Beauty Tech Group, as well as many small business owners.

We also enjoyed visiting the Paul Smith headquarters in London, and during our optional trip to Copenhagen we visited the Les Deux headquarters. It was incredible to see inside these brands and be inspired by the strong brand stories behind each of them. We even had the opportunity to meet the CEOs, which made the experience feel so personal and motivating. These visits truly brought the course to life and helped us better understand real career paths in the fashion industry.

When I’m not studying…

What three words would you use to describe Nottingham?

Lively, Inclusive, and Creative

What do you think of the creative and cultural scene in Nottingham? Is Nottingham a good city for an Art & Design student?

We really value the creative and cultural scene in Nottingham because it feels welcoming, inspiring, and full of opportunities for Art & Design students. The city has a strong independent spirit, and we love how many markets and pop-up events celebrate local makers, designers, and artists, giving students the chance to discover new work and even start showcasing their own.

Alongside this, there are galleries, exhibitions, and creative spaces running throughout the year, so there is always something new to explore. We feel this environment makes it easy to stay motivated, build connections within the creative community, collaborate with others, and gain real-world experience while studying, which makes Nottingham an exciting and supportive place to grow as artists and designers.

Where would you recommend visiting in Nottingham?

We’d definitely recommend exploring all of Nottingham’s main attractions, as there’s always something happening in the city. Places like Nottingham Castle, City of Caves, the National Justice Museum and Wollaton Hall are great to visit. Although these places are considered quite “touristy”, they gave us a deeper understanding of Nottingham’s history and character. It was nice to experience that side of the city and it helped us feel more connected to where we were living! Also, throughout the year Nottingham hosts loads of events which make the city feel really exciting. There’s always something going on, which was something we did not have back home.

We’d also recommend checking out Nottingham’s local second-hand and vintage shops, you’ll always be able to find some hidden gems for good prices.

If you could give new students some advice, what would it be?

The main advice we can give would be to be patient with yourself. This course can feel quite heavy at times as it’s essentially the final year of university, so there’s lots of pressure to perform well. It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed, especially during busy periods, so try not to be too hard on yourself.

Taking breaks is also really important, we’ve realized it has helped us avoid burnouts and stay motivated in the long run. Pacing yourself is key! At the same time, don’t forget to enjoy the experience. This year goes by quickly, so make the most of it, try new things, and have fun alongside your studies.

What do you think of the course staff?

All course staff are very knowledgeable and have extensive experience within the fashion industry, which gives the lectures a real sense of relevance and authenticity. It feels like everything we’ve learned is directly connected to the industry, which has really strengthened our understanding and approach to our studies. Everyone is very supportive and easy to reach, whether it’s with coursework or offering valuable employability advice and tips.

Throughout the year, we were introduced to a wide range of staff with different specialisms, so there’s always someone you can speak to who has deeper knowledge in a particular area. This makes it really helpful when working on different aspects of this course.

Have you used any of the student support services or NTU’s Employabiliy team? How have you found this experience?

Before even applying to NTU, we were in contact with NTU Global, who provided exceptional support throughout the entire process, from answering visa application questions to helping us better understand the course. As we had never moved away from home before, this made a huge difference and helped make the transition as stress free as possible. We also had multiple Microsoft Teams calls, which made everything feel much more personal and reassuring.

Throughout the year, the NTU Employability team regularly led our seminar groups and shared valuable insights. They offered guidance on CV writing, building a strong portfolio, and how to stand out visually, including what to do and what to avoid. The support felt very tailored, especially for international students, and they were always easy to get in touch with whenever we needed advice.

About the future...

What’s next for you after NTU?

After NTU, we’re planning to travel back to Canada and apply the knowledge we’ve gained from this course to future opportunities within the fashion industry. This experience has really shaped our interests and given us a clearer direction for where we want to go next.

In the long term, we would love to return back to the UK and continue building our careers here, as we’ve really enjoyed the environment!

Has the employability team helped you plan for life beyond NTU?

Yes, the employability support at NTU has really helped us prepare for life after graduation. Throughout the year, the Employability team regularly joined our seminars and shared practical advice about the creative industry and what employers are looking for. We especially appreciated how personalised the guidance felt, particularly for international students, and how approachable the team always was whenever we wanted feedback or career advice.

For international students…

Why did you want to study in the UK?

We wanted to study in the UK because of its strong reputation for creativity and education. Studying here gives us the chance to experience a new environment, meet people from all over the world, and learn within a system that encourages independence and creative thinking.

Nottingham was an ideal place for us because of its proximity to other cities in the UK. We are definitely taking advantage of how easy it is to visit London in particular for day trips! It is very easy to visit art galleries, department stores and creative events that continue to inspire our work while we study.

How is NTU for international students?

NTU is a very welcoming environment for international students! This made us feel like we were a part of a community which made settling in feel much easier. We regularly visited spaces like the Global Lounge where they regularly hosted activities like “crafternoons” and even offer free tea and coffee. On campus there are an abundance of places to study, meet new people and network, which makes us feel a part of a community even more.