Breaking Barriers: My Journey as a Female International Student in the UK

  The Decision 

My name is Kusum Niroula. I am 24 years old and I come from Jhapa, a small town in eastern Nepal. Moving to London alone to pursue a postgraduate degree was not a small decision but I was lucky: my family believed in me from the very beginning. That support was itself a kind of barrier broken. In many Nepali families, a young woman travelling alone to the other side of the world would face questions, doubt, or resistance. Mine gave me wings instead.

Before arriving in the UK, I had already proved something to myself. I completed my BSc in International Business Management (BIBM) through distance learning with the University of Wolverhampton, entirely from Nepal, graduating with a first-class degree.  Just discipline, ambition, and determination to earn it. That degree became the foundation for my next leap: an MBA in Fintech Management with placement at the University of East London.

On 15 May 2025, I landed in London a city of eight million people, none of whom I knew.

“I didn’t know a single person in this city. Everything was new — but honestly? I kind of liked it.”

  Breaking the first barrier: finding a home 

Before I even landed, I sorted accommodation through the Spare Room, where I found a house to share. It took the biggest worry off my plate. London rent can be steep, but not every house is unaffordable, you just must look carefully and book early. Having a room waiting for me when I arrived made those first days far less overwhelming. For any woman planning this move, I would say: sort your housing first. It gives you a foundation to build everything else on.

  Breaking the second barrier: navigating alone 

Coming from Nepal, London’s transport system felt like another language and navigating it alone as someone completely new to the city added an extra layer of pressure. Buses, the Overground, the Elizabeth line, the Tube where do you even start? My answer: City Mapper. I downloaded it on day one and it became my best friend. It plans your exact route, tells you which exit to take, and estimates your walking time. For any woman arriving in a new city alone, knowing how to move around independently builds confidence faster than almost anything else.

  Breaking the third barrier: belonging 

Nobody talks enough about the barrier of feeling like you do not belong. Walking into a university in a foreign country, surrounded by people who seem to know each other, can make you feel invisible. I pushed through that discomfort and slowly found my people. Some were from Nepal, some from completely different parts of the world and every single one of them was warm and welcoming.

We learned from each other in unexpected ways. Friends showed me where to shop affordably. Lidl and Aldi are wallet’s best friends when you first arrive and have no income yet. Others took me to find Nepali cuisine when I needed a taste of home. Together we explored the city of Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Big Ben, the London Eye, and Buckingham Palace. Those tourist moments hit differently when you share them with people who were strangers just weeks before.

  The hardest barrier: financial pressure and the job hunt 

I will be honest: the hardest period of my first year was the financial pressure of not yet having a job. London is an expensive city, and the part-time job market for international students is genuinely competitive. There were weeks where I watched my savings and wondered how long it would take. That quiet stress — the kind you carry but don’t always talk about is real, and I think more people should say so.

But I kept going. Apps like Job Today and Indeed helped me stay active in the search. And eventually, my job came through a friend referral as a reminder that the connections you build at university are not just friendships; they are your professional network too. My advice: do not wait until you need a job to start building relationships. And before you arrive, save more than you think you will need. A financial cushion does not just protect your bank account  it protects your mental wellbeing.

“Once I had a job, friends, and a home — the three things you truly need — life started to feel settled.”

  Beyond the barriers: a life worth living 

In this first year, whenever time and budget allowed, I made a point of seeing the country I was living in. Within London:

•   Richmond Park 
•   Regent’s Park 
•   Natural History Museum
• Greenwich Park
• Hyde Park and many more…

And beyond London:

•   Cambridge 
•   Brighton 
•   Seven Sisters hike 
•   Edinburgh, Scotland 

You are in the UK. Please do not spend all your time in a home–university–work–home loop. Travel when you can, even on a budget. Weekend trips on National Express or a cheap train can take you somewhere completely different for very little money. You will thank yourself for it. Experiencing this country fully is itself an act of courage, it means you are not just surviving here, you are living.

  My advice to young women planning this move 

Breaking barriers does not always mean fighting against people, sometimes it means fighting against your own fear, your own doubt, and the quiet voice that says you are not ready. I was not perfect. I was not fearless. But when I came, I stayed, and I built a life. One year in, I had a job found through a friend who believed in me, a house share that feels like home, and friendships built across five continents. I left Jhapa as a girl with a dream. I am still here, living it. If you are a young woman from Nepal or anywhere who is thinking about this leap: take it. You are more ready than you think. — Kusum

Kusum Niroula | MBA in Fintech Management | University of East London

Business Development Intern at Global Alliance Academy.

LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/kusum-niroula-1080122bb