Parent Testimonial: Melissa’s Journey of Dreams, Friendship and Adventure
My daughter’s dream since she started secondary school was to study abroad, so she put a lot of effort into learning English on her own, without academies and in a very basic school. I let her dream, but I I had lots of questions about how to get her started with her international study journey. I thought this must be very expensive, and where do I look for information? What if I get scammed? It seemed impossible to fulfil that dream until she was told about the NCUK qualification at UPC, aimed at bilingual school students. She found out what the interview would be like and prepared to pass the IELTS exam. She started studying at NCUK and received information about universities, costs, and places to live. There was a lot of information to absorb, but it was easy to decide on her options. The difficult part was waiting to receive the acceptance letter from the University of Sheffield, her first choice. Then she applied for a scholarship and got it, plus the NCUK scholarship which was a great help.
I met Melissa’s friends when I visited Sheffield. The girls from Poland and Turkey are the best friends my little daughter could have, as well as the English and Sri Lankan boys, who share the same dreams and drive.
We then invited Melissa’s friends to visit us in Lima. They came to my house and I welcomed them warmly. We were 11 people cramped together; breakfasts were especially chaotic, but everyone was always happy, and seeing them all eating together and the house filled with laughter made me very, very happy. The trips to the beaches were unforgettable, watching them enjoy our food and seeing their happy faces warmed my heart. Even though I was upset when I saw my little daughter leave for university, I don’t regret it. She is happy in Sheffield and has the best friends she could possibly have.
When Melissa left Peru to study at The University of Sheffield, I felt a lot of concern for her. Who would help her if she needed something? Who would she live with? And what customs so different from hers would they have? From the first days, I felt that she was so calm about meeting people from different countries, and I imagine they were all alone and a little scared, so they supported each other. The university really helped a lot with integration courses.
Leaving your country is not easy for a child, but the excitement of learning a lot and having the world at your feet takes precedence. They can take advantage of everything they learn and they can start contacting international companies that value international students. NCUK was the best decision we made and we will always recommend it to friends.
Follow in Melissa’s footsteps
Melissa completed NCUK’s International Foundation Year at Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. She then progressed to The University of Sheffield, where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Master’s degree in International Relations.
By studying abroad and immersing themselves in diverse cultures and perspectives, our Alumni have developed a global mindset and gained invaluable skills that have propelled them to new heights of achievement. Find out more about their unique stories below.