Tehsin Mansuri

I was brought up in Ahmedabad (Gujarat), however, when I was 18, I moved to Australia to pursue higher education. I hold a Diploma in Life Sciences from UTS College and a Bachelor’s in Nursing from the University of Technology, Australia. My academic journey has always been driven by a desire to explore new opportunities and challenges. From a young age, I was inspired by movies and stories of people pursuing their dreams overseas. I decided to pursue studying overseas after completing high school and getting excellent grades.

Given my family background and my maternal aunt residing in Australia, I knew my study options would be limited to Australia. This narrowed my choices down to Sydney. After receiving offer letters from several universities, I chose the University of Technology (UTS) for its outstanding reputation as Australia’s number 1 young university.

The university’s location in the heart of Sydney, close to Central Station, offers easy access to transportation and the city’s vibrant culture. A degree from UTS is internationally recognised, providing a strong foundation for my career both in Australia and globally. Moreover, the university’s modern campus facilities, the availability of support services for international students, and the active student life that would help me grow personally and professionally.

Looking back, I can confidently say it was the best decision ever.

I decided to choose IDP India to help me navigate the complexities of applying to universities abroad. A major concern for me was how my family, particularly my mother, would react to me moving abroad at such a young age. She was understandably anxious. However, my education agent played a crucial role in addressing these concerns.

The application process began with completing the IELTS to meet the course entry requirements, followed by submitting my application directly to UTS, which included my transcripts and personal/financial statements. I received a conditional offer letter. I secured a merit-based scholarship of 5,000 AUD from UTS. This not only alleviated some financial pressure but also further motivated me to succeed.

The next step involved applying for an Australian student visa, completing medical requirements, arranging accommodation, and awaiting visa approval — all of which were handled by my education consultant. I was fortunate to have my student visa granted on my 18th birthday.

The first day was filled with excitement and joy. As I stayed with my aunt, she accompanied me to show me the commute to the university, which was a huge help. We took the train to Central Station, and the university was just a short walk from there. It was orientation day, and all staff and student helpers were friendly and I felt very welcomed. The staff were incredibly welcoming, handing out essential freebies for university life, and we were given a campus tour, our login IDs, and our timetables. I made many friends on the first day and connected with them on social media. It was a great way to meet people from diverse cultural backgrounds and safe to say that I am still good friends with them to date.

I highly recommend every international student attend their university orientation day. It’s an excellent way to set yourself up for the study abroad journey.

Managing daily essentials, such as groceries, was a new experience for me. I had to learn to be more independent, particularly when it came to budgeting and handling finances. I remember frequently converting AUD to rupee every time I bought something, which was a bit overwhelming at first. The same was true when I received my first paycheck — it felt like a big milestone. I was pleasantly surprised by how polite and friendly the locals were, often greeting me with “darling” or “sweetheart.”

During university, I worked part-time in customer service roles at Subway, Domino’s, and Coles. I also worked at UTS as a student ambassador and with note-taking services. Balancing work and studies was challenging, but UTS offers flexible timetables, which allowed me to organise my study schedule alongside part-time jobs and volunteering. I was chosen as the Face of UTS College, and UTS Health Ambassador and participated in multiple volunteering programmes such as Team Orange @UTSCollege, and Interchange and was awarded the UTS BUILD award, UTS Soul award.

I was one of the three Indian students selected in the prestigious ISLA International Student Leadership and Ambassador program for City of Sydney. I was also invited for morning tea by the Lord Mayor of Sydney as I won the International student’s photo competition. I currently work part-time as a Registered Nurse at Bupa Aged care overlooking care for residents in a 110 bedded facility. I also work as a registered nurse in Occupational health completing pre-employment medical checkups for white collar and blue collar roles.

The UTS campus spans over 20 buildings, housing hundreds of teaching, research, student, and staff spaces. Each building is dedicated to different faculties. Having classes in different buildings allowed me to explore various parts of the university. UTS Health stands at number 1 position in Nursing across the world according to the QS world ranking.

The campus boasts a wide range of facilities, including a large library, on-campus medical clinic, practical labs, legal counselling, a student centre, diverse food options at the canteen, a gym, a basketball court, meeting rooms, and even a prayer room. My favourite spot was the student centre at UTS College, where students played board games, socialised, and relaxed. The UTS library was another favourite, especially for group study sessions and quiet areas to focus on before exams.

Commuting to campus was easy, with frequent trains to Central Station, making it convenient even on busy mornings. The experience of studying abroad has been vastly different from my time in India. The focus on self-directed learning, assignment approach, and practical OSCE exams, combined with the opportunity to work in diverse teams with peers from around the world, contrasts with the more traditional, lecture-based approach in Indian institutions.

I completed 800 hours of clinical practice in well-known hospitals across Sydney and in various settings ranging from ED Emergency department, Oncology, medical-surgical, mental health and paediatrics.

After graduation, I held a professional job in my field as a Registered Nurse and decided to stay in Australia and work towards achieving permanent residency and eventually Australian citizenship, as I see greater opportunities here.

For students planning to study abroad, my advice is to believe in yourself, embrace the challenge, be open to various opportunities and build connections that will support your future. You can make it happen.

(This letter is part of a series by The Indian Express where we bring to you the experiences of students at different foreign universities. From scholarships and loans to food and cultural experiences — students tell us how life is different in those countries and things they are learning other than academics)

Neeti Nigam leads the education department at indianexpress.com. She joined the Indian Express in 2015 and has set up the education and job sections in the online department. She covers schools and higher education, entrance and board exams, study abroad, civil services and other career-related news. Prior to that, she worked as a lifestyle and entertainment journalist in The Pioneer newspaper's magazine division. Besides working in the in-flight Air India (Namaskaar) magazine, she was part of the launch team of Indian Railways on-board magazine Rail Bandhu. She has also worked as a city reporter covering north Delhi in Hindustan Times. In 2012, she covered the MCD elections. You can write to her at neeti.nigam@indianexpress.com ... Read More