Jeannique
Kühne

Why did you choose to study a postgraduate degree?

"I have always loved romanticising university life a little bit and knew I would want to return eventually to further my education. After working for two years after my undergraduate degree and simultaneously trying to find a sponsored job in the UK, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and started applying to universities around the country to gain a Master's degree as well as work experience on my student visa that will hopefully help me earn a sponsored job in the future."

What’s your experience been like of your course so far? Can you pick out any highlights?

"The course has been very fast-paced which can get stressful, but I think it is a great way to learn as much as possible within the one-year Master’s degree. I have loved getting story assignments with a day to deliver and simply going out into my assigned patch of the city trying to find hidden stories and events and talking to locals who were all willing to share their personal life stories with me."

Have you been involved in any projects or extra-curricular activities that have supplemented your studies run through NTU?

"At the beginning of the year, I joined a bunch of societies and specifically the Events Society and Platform Magazine have been a great addition to my studies as they allow me to practice and build onto my portfolio of event photography and sports writing."

What does Social Sciences mean to you? e.g. working with people, transforming lives, frontline services

"As a journalist wanting to work in a mixture of marketing and social media content creation, my focus will be on telling athlete's and fan’s stories as I believe sports in general is so much more than the time spent on e.g. a football pitch. Social Sciences to me means shining a light on people’s personal stories."

Can you tell us about the Scholarship you were awarded and how that will help you in your studies?

"I was lucky enough to win the NTU Excellence Scholarship which took a massive 25% off my tuition fees. This has taken a huge amount of stress off my shoulders in terms of budgeting and being able to spend said saved money on a couple months of rent instead has made me so grateful to have applied to the scholarship and to NTU for even just offering the opportunity to do so."

Support…

What do you think of the support available from tutors and staff at NTU?  

"The university and teachers are all very clearly focused on our success and want us to do well which is a great feeling to be surrounded by. I feel like I can genuinely ask any question and feel comfortable enough to email my tutor 20 times if something still isn’t clear. This was not always the case in my undergraduate degree, so it is a very nice change."

Outside of the Lecture Theatre…

Did you find it easy to make friends and settle in at NTU?

"I have moved abroad several times, but it is always a bit of a worry that because I’m an international I might not fit in or might not be accepted by locals. I have found Nottingham in general to be very welcoming though and have made great friends on my course, in my housing, within societies and at NTU events. Specifically welcome week offered so many opportunities to meet new people that the choice was almost overwhelming (in the best way)."

The Next Steps…

What’s next for you after NTU?

"As an international, my whole path after university depends on where I can land a job. I will apply for my graduate visa and jobs within sports media where I will hopefully be able to work my way up within the two years the visa grants me so that afterwards I can hopefully get a sponsored job in the Premier League like I have dreamed of for so long."

How is NTU helping you to achieve your career goals?

"My tutors are very aware of my visa situation and my wish to stay in the country beyond university and have shared multiple fitting job opportunities with me which I am more grateful for than they might think. We have also had multiple guest speakers from the industry in class who shared their stories and advice. Additionally, the freedom for assignment topics is much appreciated as even though I’m not studying sports journalism I can personalise pretty much every assignment to my own interests and have done multiple on sports and football specifically which will look great on my portfolio."

As an International Student…

Why did you want to study in the UK?

"With my dream of working in the Premier League and being unsuccessful at landing a sponsored job in the UK for years, I decided to come here via the student visa route which so far has been the perfect decision. I get to deepen my education like I always wanted while making contacts in the industry and building a very solid foundation for when I leave university."

What experiences have you had as an international student at NTU?

"My experience at NTU as an international student has been nothing but positive so far. I feel supported in my courses, fit in with my classmates, and am offered multiple events every week where I can be creative, learn something, and relax outside of the general university hustle."

What advice would you give to help new international students get settled in at university?

"My favourite thing that has helped me to settle is visiting the Global Lounge as much as possible. They have amazing events on all the time celebrating international cultures and really bringing people together with things like games nights or crafty afternoons. I would also say try to find a routine that works for you and don’t be afraid to start over with that. Join a society and see if their weekly events are for you, if not, join something else. Personally, I love the gym as well and there’s a timetable every week with fitness classes that you can work into your university schedule. Make sure to remember that no one feels settled all the time and even though most of us chose to be internationals it does not mean that it is always easy. Zoom out a little when it gets hard to remember why you’re here. Make sure to reach out to your friends and family, and most importantly try to just enjoy your time here."