# Jennifer

**Source**: https://employability.uq.edu.au/story/20480/jennifer-seoul-national-university
**Parent**: https://employability.uq.edu.au/host/seoul-national-university

> I got to learn from experts with vast international experience, opening my eyes to global issues and perspectives.

### Academic Development

What I valued most were the connections I made and the way they challenged my thinking. I got to learn from my fellow students from all walks of life and thought leaders in international law. For example, I got to learn from experts with vast international experience, opening my eyes to global issues and perspectives.

### Professional Development

My overseas experience brought me out of my shell. It has made me a more effective communicator and better able to build rapport with people across cultures. My experience also honed my problem solving skills, which will be indispensable in my future work.

### Funding

Although I didn't have budgetary concerns thanks to government funding, I still made sure that I was living within my means. Advice I would give to exchange students is to save where you can, but not to go overboard with this and preoccupy yourself with the price tag. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Invest in those opportunities that will contribute to your personal and professional development.

My NCP scholarship lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. It meant that I could take risks and pursue opportunities as they arose, taking me to 3 countries in total. I would never have taken up those opportunities if it was not for the Scholarship. The scholarship pushed me outside my comfort zone and as a result, allowed me to grow.

### Highlight

The highlight for me was learning from thought leaders with unrivalled experience. It was eye-opening to get international perspectives on issues I had researched back home in Australia. It gave me a new lens through which to understand these issues. It also highlighted how much different countries' challenges overlap, and therefore, how much space there is for international cooperation.

### Advice/Top Tips

- Always, always have back up plans. Not one, but several. Have a plan A, plan B, plan C - especially when it comes to visas. I guarantee things will not go to plan at some point during your exchange! \
- While it's important to live in the present and soak up every moment, take stock of your experience along the way, not just at the end of your experience.