Applied Economics BA(Hons): After you graduate

The choice to go to university can be a tough one financially, particularly for those students coming from outside the United Kingdom. Katerina Petrova from Kingston University, however, has demonstrated how, with  little family support and using the knowledge and skills acquired studying for a degree it's possible for an international student to build a successful new life in London.

Born in Bulgaria, Katerina's flair for maths and science was the driving force behind her decision to study for a degree in applied economics and politics at Kingston University. "Political ideas can allow us to understand economic techniques which is why the course at Kingston University was a good choice for me," Katerina said. "I am fascinated by the reasons behind the figures so the two subjects really seemed to go hand in hand."

Having always enjoyed studying and with a genuine passion for her chosen subject, 23-year-old Katerina has not only been a successful student at Kingston University, but she has also taken advantage of the opportunity to further her employment skills as well as fund her studies by working part-time for the School of Economics at Kingston.

Katerina's tutors were so impressed with her enthusiasm and ability they gave her the chance to be involved in a piece of research investigating the links between development in education and economic growth. Katerina worked alongside Professors Dr. Paul Auerbach, Dr. Vince Daly and Dr. Yung-Joo Kim reading articles and gathering data to inform the study, which aims to discover a trend between the two subjects as they develop within the next fifty to one hundred years.

Not content with achieving A grades for each of her 24 course modules, developing her employment skills and taking part in a research project, Katerina, who truly embraced university life, was also keen to help her fellow students to succeed too. This commitment was recently recognised when Katerina was awarded Course Representative of the Year by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University.

"I am incredibly proud of all that I have achieved during my time at Kingston," Katerina said. "I applied for various other courses at different universities but I know I made the right decision in choosing Kingston and there is nothing that I would change about my time at the University."

Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Katerina was excited to come to London to study. She has enjoyed her time in Kingston so much that she plans to stay in the area and continue her studies at Queen Mary London where she has been offered a scholarship to study for a postgraduate qualification.

"My advice for new students would be to find out as much information as you can beforehand if you are unsure about whether going to university is right for you," she said. Katerina advises students to attend open days and speak to students to find out what it's really like. "If you decide that it is the right choice, take your studies seriously and you'll do well and enjoy yourself too," she added.