For months, my life revolved around uncertainty.
My husband and I had both applied for the Chevening Scholarship, one of the UK government’s most prestigious fully funded scholarships for international students. It covers tuition, living costs, travel, and gives you the opportunity to pursue a master’s in the UK while becoming part of a global network.
Getting Chevening is already highly competitive, but both of us applying in the same year felt even more unlikely. We tried to stay positive and supported each other through essays and interviews. The wait was actually the hardest part.
We kept going back to the same questions…
What if one of us gets it and the other doesn’t? What if neither of us gets it? What if, somehow, we both do?
When the results came out, it didn’t feel real. We had both been selected.
Later, we realised something even more special. We were the first married couple from Bangladesh to receive the Chevening Scholarship together in the same batch.
That’s when it really hit me.
This wasn’t just about studying abroad anymore. It was the start of a completely new chapter, together, in a new country.
Why the UK and Why Manchester
For me, the UK always felt like the right place for a master’s. I liked the idea of a one-year structure, the global exposure, and the diversity of people you meet. I wanted something intense, fast-paced, and transformational.
Manchester just made sense.
It’s a student city, but not in an overwhelming way. It’s diverse, creative, and feels very real. You see people from everywhere, doing their own thing, building their own paths. I knew I could grow here. Not just academically, but personally.
Planning our move to Manchester
Once the excitement settled, reality really kicked in. We had to plan everything from scratch. Moving countries, starting university, and most importantly, finding a place to live.
As a couple, we needed a studio with dual occupancy, ideally close to the university. But honestly, we were thinking beyond just logistics. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we didn’t want to just “get through” it. We wanted to live it properly.
That’s when I came across Vita Student.
At first, it was the practical things: location, studio setup, flexibility for couples. Then I started noticing everything else. Breakfast. Gym. Cooking classes. Events. Shared spaces. It felt like a place that actually understands what student life is like.
Settling into UK life
Arriving in Manchester was exciting, but also a little overwhelming. New systems, new routines, new expectations. Even small things like grocery shopping or figuring out transport felt like a learning curve at first.
Academically, it was also intense. The UK system pushes you to think differently. While it did take some adjusting, I loved the challenge. It made me more confident in how I express ideas and approach problems.
Outside of academics, there were cultural differences too. People are more individualistic, more private. Back home, everything is more collective, more spontaneous. Here, you have to be a bit more intentional about building connections.
And that’s where living at Vita Student made a huge difference.
Vita has helped me find structure in a very new environment.
Mornings would usually start with breakfast downstairs: easy, so delicious, and also a chance to see familiar faces. The gym became our way of staying balanced during busy weeks. Slowly, things started feeling less overwhelming and more like routine.
Then, I discovered my favourite thing about living at Vita Student: the shared spaces.
Building a home away from home
Living far from home, I realised how much I missed those small moments of togetherness, shared meals, celebrations, just being around people.
Vita’s shared kitchens and lounges made it possible to recreate that.
During Ramadan, we organised iftar gatherings where people from completely different cultures joined in. For many of them, it was their first time experiencing it. We cooked together, shared food, and it turned into something really special.
For Eid, we transformed the lounge into a celebration space with outfits, food, photos, everything. For a moment, it didn’t feel like we were away from home.
We hosted game nights, random hangouts, and even a Secret Santa Christmas party. That one was honestly one of my favourites, people from different cultures celebrating together, exchanging gifts, laughing over the smallest things.
We celebrated birthdays there too, decorating the space and making it feel personal.
Without these shared spaces, I don’t think we could have done all this so easily. Everything was already there: the kitchen, the seating, the space. We just had to bring the people and the energy.
One of the most unexpected highlights has been the cooking classes.
At first, it was just something fun to try. But over time, it became something much more personal. We got really close to the chef! She honestly feels like a mom to us now. She remembers our names, checks in on us, and creates such a warm environment.
Now it’s not just a class. It’s a weekly ritual.
A bunch of us show up, cook together, talk about our week, laugh about random things. It’s one of those moments where everything slows down a bit. In the middle of assignments and deadlines, it gives you something to look forward to.
Looking back
If I think about it honestly… no, the journey didn’t go exactly as planned. There were moments of doubt, stress, and uncertainty. Waiting for Chevening was one of the hardest parts.
But looking at where we are now, it all makes sense.
We moved to a new country together, started a new academic journey, and somehow built a life here – not just routines, but real memories.
Sometimes I think about my younger self, the one who dreamed about studying abroad and I know she wouldn’t fully believe this version of life.
My advice to future international students
If you’re planning to study abroad, don’t just think about your university. Think about your life outside of it too.
Where you live matters more than you realise.
Find a place that:
- Makes your daily life easier
- Helps you meet people naturally
- Gives you space to build your own version of “home”
Because at the end of the day, your experience won’t just be about lectures or grades. It’ll be about the people you meet, the moments you create, and how you grow along the way.
Yes, Chevening brought me to the UK.
But finding a place where I could actually live this experience, not just go through it, made all the difference.
And for me, that’s what made this journey truly special.
