Student profiles

Hear about our students' experiences of spending time abroad.

A young female stands in front of a waterfall and looks towards the camera.

If I could speak to my past self, I'd reassure them that everything will work out and they're going to have the most amazing year of their life.

Georgia Leather BA Korean Studies

Georgia spent a year abroad in South Korea, studying at Sungkyunkwan University.

A female student stands in front of a body of water and smiles at the camera whilst holding a drink in a bottle. There is a bridge in the background.

My year abroad was a great opportunity to improve my skills in professional and everyday settings.

Holly Satterly BA Politics and Modern Languages & Cultures

Holly spent a year working in Cologne as part of her Sheffield degree, where she grew in confidence and developed skills that she has since put to use as part of an internship scheme.

A male student stands in front of a 3D 'Bochum' sign and smiles at the camera. It is a sunny day and there is a large building in the background.

My year abroad was an opportunity to build my adaptability and resilience, both of which are important every day at work.

Robert Swarbrick BA German Studies & MA Modern Languages and Culture

Rob spent a year in Germany during his undergraduate degree, where he taught English to adults. This, coupled with a range of other experiences, helped to build confidence and resilience, and develop his interpersonal skills, all of which are highly valued by employers.

A male student stands outside with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. He is smiling at the camera and making a peace sign with his hand.

I've discovered my biggest passions thanks to my year abroad and maybe I wouldn't have done that otherwise.

Igor Panfil MEng Aerospace Engineering

A year spent studying aerospace engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology has opened up a world of ongoing opportunities for Igor.

A female student wearing a blue winter hat and blue waterproof jacket stands smiling at the camera on a hill. In the background is a large lake with mountainous backdrop.

Even the fact that you are considering a year abroad suggests that you will be ok, not everyone is brave enough to even think about it!

Sally O'Hara-Sheader BA History with a Year Abroad

Sally spent a year abroad studying in Christchurch, New Zealand.

A female student stands on a snowy path with trees lined either side of the path and behind, branches filled with snow. She smiles at the camera and makes a peace sign with both hands.

I have grown to become a person who is less scared of taking on new challenges, and I know that if I work hard I can achieve my goals.

Liz McCarthy BA Japanese Studies

Liz spent one year abroad as part of the BA Japanese Studies course.

A female student sits on a white bench and smiles at the camera. Behind her are trees with pink and white flowers on them.

Having the knowledge that people had gone to the same place before me and done what I would be doing also made the whole thing a lot less daunting.

Aya Farhat LLB Law (with Chinese Law)

Aya pushed herself out of her comfort zone and opened up a world of opportunity when she spent a year studying Law in Shanghai, China.

A student stood on a staircase in a University building with two academic members of staff stood either side, all of them looking at the camera.

Studying abroad offered me a unique opportunity to learn alongside peers from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.

Amaarah Haroon BSc Biomedical Science

Amaarah attended a summer school at Utrecht University in The Netherlands.

Student stood smiling in front of some railings with greenery in the background

Living in a foreign country has opened my mind and made me more independent than before.

Haris Sulaiman Computer Science MComp

Haris attended a summer school at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Student Ollie Thompson stood on a street in Copenhagen in the evening

The opportunity to live in a different country is not something that happens every day, so it's worth taking the leap.

Ollie Thompson LLB Law with a Year Abroad

Ollie made friends from all over the world when he spent a year studying at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.