Studying abroad can be an educational adventure that broadens academic horizons and profoundly shapes personal growth.

In The Lion & Lang Syne (Summer 2023) edition, we considered the overseas study experience of five Scots Old Boys, as they combined sporting talents and a desire to travel with high quality university education in the United States.

Now, we look at three more Old Boys who have combined a passion for travel with educational pursuits in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, selecting opportunities within the cultural and historic landscape of Europe.

For one of the College’s recent graduates, Vincent Tong (’22), who is studying a Bachelor of Sciences in History and Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), his goal was to broaden his horizons: “I realised that I had spent most of my life in Sydney and wanted to explore other options overseas. I chose the London School of Economics because it is a world-class institution in the middle of London, giving me opportunities both within the university and in the wider city.”

Will Todd (’16) completed a three-year undergraduate degree at the Australian National University (ANU), then his Masters of Sciences in International Management at Trinity College Will Todd (’16) with friend Ms Zara Gilbert, is attracted to the close proximity of European history and culture which a location like Trinity College Dublin provides. Dublin. He was attracted to the immediate access to history and culture: “Trinity has over 400 years of history. Ireland has a fantastic culture and … my course includes students from more than 20 cultures, across the globe.”

For Matteo Martini (’17) it was similar but different. Matteo grew up as a global citizen and as a child he lived in six countries, including his high school years. After graduating from Scots, he wanted to return to that: “... [so] I could pursue my passion for diverse cultures and perspectives.” He recently completed a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering at City, University of London.

Old Boys studying in America have shared the reality that successful admission to an American university comes after a thorough application process. Thankfully, the application process for Vincent, Will and Matteo has been relatively straightforward with many UK and Irish universities accepting the Australian ATAR. But similarly to the United States, most prospective students will also need to submit a personal statement, with accompanying letters of recommendations from former teachers, coaches and other personal references. Although time-consuming, Vincent found it gratifying.

“I felt a sense of accomplishment, looking back on all my commitments and achievements at Scots, and tying them all together in the application process. It felt like everything that I had tried during school had paid off in the end,” he said.

Stepping into university, in a new city, in a country that may speak your language but is a new culture can be intimidating. It is comforting that these Old Boys thought Scots prepared them well for this challenge.

Will recognised “both Scots and Trinity have significant histories, strong values and a strong sports focus. This results in a very proud student body.” Outside the classroom, Will represented Trinity in Cricket and was selected in the Irish Universities Cricket side to tour the UK for matches against Scotland Universities and the University of Cambridge.

Vincent and Matteo found the relative ‘freedom’ they knew as a Senior student at Scots, set them up for studying overseas.

“In Year 12 it’s up to you to put in the time to study, to achieve good results. It’s the same at uni … it’s up to you whether you rock up to class or take that exam,” Matteo explained.

“You don’t have your parents watching over you. Boarding at Scots, I learnt how to manage my time effectively and care for myself. This has really helped me settle in … and get on top of the heavy workload that LSE is known for,” Vincent said.

Although it’s not uncommon to have contacts around the world, when moving to a new country it pays to put yourself out there, as Will found: “I only had two Scots connections in Ireland, so I had to be outgoing and social. I was surprised by how accommodating and friendly everyone was, it certainly made my move across the world, which was daunting at first, seamless, fun and enjoyable.”

Meanwhile, Vincent found that “aside from the funny accents, I was most surprised about how fast-paced everything was in London. Compared to Sydney, London feels like it’s moving at double the speed. While everything’s always exciting, sometimes I do miss is the leisurely pace of life in Sydney.”

Whilst living in London, Matteo certainly appreciated how small Australia is and how far away it felt. He really enjoyed the multiculturalism of the UK and the access to global networking opportunities. Vincent’s experience at LSE echoes just that, “I could be having breakfast with a Malaysian friend, lecture with Indian classmates, lunch with a South African friend and then going to a Singaporean society outing in the afternoon. It has certainly made me realise just how differently people outside of Australia see the world. While I’m grateful to have been in Sydney, it was fascinating to hear about their unique experiences.”