Divya already has a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Surgery, a practical course involving lots of placement work. This time, however, university looks a little different: it’s online, and it’s on the other side of the world, and it’s completely different to what she’s used to. Here, she tells us what studying Public Health at ARU has been like so far.

By Lauren Valentine

• Name: Divya

• Home country: India

• Studying: MSc Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University

• Current position: Working as a Student Ambassador

• Home comforts: “My mother’s love and food, father’s physical support, brother’s fun, sister’s annoying behaviour and my little nephew’s cuteness!”

The emotional rollercoaster of moving abroad…

“I’m from a small village in India, where nobody knows much outside of agriculture. Moving to the UK was huge for me as my only other experience abroad was a trip to Sri Lanka. I was SO excited during the application process, but when I came to leave my country the nerves set in. I had about 7 or 8 cars full of people to wave me off at the airport in India, yet when I arrived in England I was completely alone and I felt so low.

I’m so happy here now though! I know there will be some difficulties, but I’m so surrounded by support. I’m also learning a lot about the culture: I love the way English people greet and treat others, and the quirky habits they have.”

A subject where students to lead the way…

“My cohort is the largest they’ve had so far for this course. There are people from so many different backgrounds too, so we can share knowledge from various countries and cultures. Overall, MSc Public Health is more about research and independent work. The teachers can open the door, but they can’t get inside our minds and lead us! As students, we need to lead the way, which prepares us for being future leaders.

All teaching is done online at the moment and I have classes two days per week. We are assessed through quizzes, activities, weekly tasks and mock tests. The tutors also run two extra tutorial sessions to support us, which is really helpful. We can also book individual sessions with the course leaders. I really like the way of teaching and how friendly the staff are. Their great sense of humour means we’re not afraid to ask our silly questions!

My favourite modules so far are Epidemiology and Research Methods, and Essential Issues in Public Health. There’s so much to learn that’s relevant right now. I wanted to be a doctor as a child, but I missed the opportunity, so now my interest in this field has grown a lot. As an international student, I’m always thinking about my own country, the challenges it has and how I can enhance it with my knowledge.”

An emphasis on student support…

“At all stages of the application process, I had great support from ARU and CampusConnect. Now that I’m here, the support is still excellent. It’s obviously hard to socialise when we’re in lockdown, so the uni are planning virtual gatherings for students. They also do employability events, study skills workshops and writing skills workshops for international students to boost their academic English.

So many international students don’t know about all of the support available, but they should definitely have a look into it! I know a lot are also worried about getting a part-time job at uni, but they aren’t aware that the staff can point you towards temporary jobs. I really feel like I’m in the right place here – with help for me to improve and progress in the future.”

Meaningful future career ideas…

“I have a detailed career plan that this course will help me to achieve. I’d like to go into Public Health and promoting healthy behaviour, starting at a community level and expanding nationwide. I welcome the challenge of serving a wide community. Good health is not just about medical care but implementing policies and programmes. I already have questions in mind that I want to find the answers for: what if an aspirin a day could prevent heart attacks? What if everybody was guaranteed great healthcare?

I believe the future is bright for those who want a career in this sector. There’s so much increasing demand for hospitals and healthcare staff, resulting in many more jobs. I can calmly say that I will get a job somewhere. That said, they obviously want to hire people with a great deal of skill and education, which I can get from my course here at ARU. The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away.”

Although Divya hadn’t previously envisioned moving abroad to study, she is already thriving on her course. She encourages other students to do the same: “To those who want to travel internationally, I would say that however difficult life may seem, there’s always something you can do to succeed. Challenges are what make life interesting!”