Every year, we recruit a group of current undergraduates studying Modern Languages to support us with our work with schools.

These students, also known as Student Ambassadors, are integral to our outreach work since they can share first-hand experiences to support the advice and guidance we offer young linguists and prospective applicants. They also act as role models, helping to motivate, encourage and inspire young people through their current and future studies. The presence of Student Ambassadors at events and during our activities is vital to ensuring that the pupils we work with can make informed choices about their futures.

This year, we’ve taken on 15 wonderful new Student Ambassadors from across the different languages we offer at degree level. As part of their core training, we asked them the following question, just to get them thinking about the kind of wisdom they can pass on to pupils over the next academic year:

What would you tell your 17 year-old self before applying to university?

The image below showcases a selection of their responses. We found them useful and inspiring and thought you might too – happy reading!

Tip: It might be easier to read the image if you open it in a new tab!