Siddharth
Varma

What did you enjoy most about your course at NTU?
“I enjoyed everything – making friends from around the world, building lifelong networks, working part-time to fund my studies, experiencing different cultures, using the best facilities I have ever encountered in my life, and the supportive staff. I also secured a half-fee scholarship.”

What made you choose to study at NTU?
“I strongly believe that dreams can become reality if you work hard to achieve them. I just tried my best because there was a time when I couldn’t even afford to study abroad. I felt so lucky when I was successful in getting a scholarship at NTU.”

How did you find the course staff?
“I was aware of my senior lecturer Sarah McConnell’s work, so I am just so grateful to NTU for helping me to acquire knowledge from one of my favourite mentors.”

As an international student, what did you like about studying and living in Nottingham?
“Wherever I go in the world, I tell people that Nottingham is my second home. I worked part-time to fund my studies, which made me a more independent and confident person. As a half-fee scholarship winner, I was just so grateful to the University, not just for giving me a scholarship, but also for the respect that I got from other students and tutors as a scholarship winner.

“During my time in Nottingham, I approached a few local magazines with my illustrations, and got the chance to have my work published in Leftlion magazine. My journey started from a sandwich artist at Pepe’s Piri Piri, to a Junior Art Director at Joytime Films in China.”

Did you go on any study/class trips?
“As a passionate illustrator, I started to explore the UK from November 2017. I have been all over the UK including Stonehenge, Bristol, the Lake District, Bourneville, the Isle of Skye, Angel of the North, Bath, Snowdonia, and I sketched most of these places. A few of them were published in Leftlion in 2018.”

How do you think the course, and having a postgraduate qualification, will help you to progress your career?
“I secured a job in Hangzhou, China at Joytime Films as a Junior Art Director after graduating from NTU. It all happened because of the international knowledge that I received through my course at NTU, and my networking skills that I built while there.”

How has the NTU international scholarship helped you?
“I was the first in my family to study abroad. NTU made it possible because of their international scholarship scheme. As a scholarship winner I got chance to work abroad, and that’s how I got placed as a Junior Art Director in China, which was life changing opportunity for me.”

Read more about Siddharth’s first children’s book that he published, a sweet tale exploring the importance of honesty, friendship, and self-expression.