For the majority of Hult students, coming to campus means immersing yourself in a new city, and often a new country and culture. For our Bachelor of Business Administration students, heading to Hult also means rising to the new challenge of undergraduate-level courses. No question about it, it’s exciting but it’s a big adjustment.

Fortunately, the friends you’ll meet and resilience you’ll develop in these early days will serve you well, even long after your studies. We spoke to current students in the UK and US to find out what the transition was like and what advice they have for the incoming Class of 2020.

Adjusting to student life at Hult in the UK

Murtaza Husainy

Nationality: Indian
Campus: London
Graduating Class: 2020
Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati
Clubs & societies: Model United Nations, International Law Society, Society of Banking, Hult Applied Philosophy Club, Global Ambassador

How did you know that Hult was right for you?
One of the most important things that made my decision about Hult was the fact that it is a small business school. I knew that meant I’ll have more interaction with professors and also good networking opportunities with students around me.

What did you miss most about your home city or country after moving?
The one thing I missed about Dubai after coming to London was the weather. Coming from a city where the lowest temperature in winter is just 18 degrees Celsius, this was something that took a long time to adjust to.

Did you experience any culture shock or surprises on campus?
Although I studied in an international school, one of the biggest cultural shocks I had was students addressing professors by their first name. This was quite unusual to me as I had been used to addressing teachers as either “Professor” or “Sir/Ma’am.” But this just made me realize the family culture we have at Hult.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned studying with classmates from all over the world?
The biggest lesson I have learned is that there is a lot outside of the place you come from—you just need to find the right opportunity and explore it.

Any advice for the incoming Class of 2020?
As important as it is to work hard to gain the most out of these years, it is also important to enjoy your days, make good friends, and just develop your personality by discovering new things!

“The best part of being a Hult student is that you’re not a part of a university—you’re part of a family, with friends from every part of the world.”

Caroline Voigt

Nationality: German
Campus: London
Graduating Class: 2018
Languages spoken: English, German
Clubs & societies: Model United Nations, Hult Management Consulting Club, Global Ambassador, Faculty Fellow

How did you know that Hult was right for you?
It actually never occurred to me to study abroad until quite late into the summer of 2015. After Hult contacted me, I was immediately struck by its locations in cosmopolitan cities like London, while offering relevant studies in a small, familiar campus.

Additionally Hult’s diversity, not only in the student body but also among professors and staff, amazed me. The combination of Hult’s global network together with the diversity of the school made my decision to come to Hult quite easy.

What did you miss most about your home city or country after moving?
My friends and family for sure—but luckily, there’s Ryanair and WhatsApp group chats.

What’s it like having a roommate?
I met my best friend Bongi because we were assigned to be roommates during our first year. We actually still live together today, almost four years later! I was really nervous about this “make or break” moment of meeting my college roommate, but looking back I can say that being assigned a roommate was definitely one of the best things that happened to me at Hult.

What’s the best part about being a Hult student?
Having friends from all around the globe, and therefore always having a lovely incentive to explore the world.

Any advice for the incoming Class of 2020?
Always keep an open mind. This applies to everything from trying something new at Brick Lane Food Market, to always having a positive take-away from group work. If you keep an open mind, you will wander through life much easier.

“It feels really personal here—wherever you go there is someone you know, and nobody is too stuck up or shy to talk to you. Everyone is really friendly.” 

Adjusting to student life at Hult in the US

Tumelo Seemule

Nationality: Motswana
Campus: San Francisco
Graduating Class: 2021
Languages spoken: English, Setswana, Kalanga, Zulu, Xhosa
Clubs & societies: Fashion Club, Prism, African Legacy Society, and Management Club, Global Ambassador

How did you know that Hult was right for you?
The campus has a very futuristic, sophisticated, and clean feel to it. Also, the diversity of the international students is vast and I wanted to learn from my peers.

What did you miss most about your home city or country after moving?
Apart from my family, I missed my cultural food.

What’s it like having a roommate?
I was kind of nervous because I went to boarding school, and I had gotten my fair share of bad roommates.

But my roommate at Hult is probably my best one. We instantly clicked from the start and have grown stronger since then. We obviously have had our ups and downs, but through communication, we got through it.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned studying with classmates from all over the world?
I’ve learned that the world is bigger than you think it is. It is bigger than one’s thought patterns, family, country, and continent. That means that there is so much more to learn from each other.

I can proudly say that Hult is a melting pot of cultures and people driven to make a difference.

What’s the best part about being a Hult student?
The best part is that you are part of a diverse community and people here are open-minded and supportive. Even though we are from different corners of the world, we’re one united school.

Any advice for the incoming Class of 2020?
Do not be afraid to be yourself once you get here. College is about discovering who you are and what your aspirations are in life, so don’t be afraid to try new things and explore your campus city as much as you can.

“Don’t be afraid to be yourself once you get here. Don’t be afraid to try new things and explore as much as you can.”

Emily Nguyen

Nationality: Vietnamese
Campus: San Francisco
Graduating Class: 2019
Languages spoken: English, Vietnamese
Clubs & societies: Hult Finance Club, Global Ambassador

How did you know that Hult was right for you?
I’d always wanted to go to a mid-sized school, where I could easily interact with friends and faculty. Hult has a unique value that differentiates itself from other schools: I found its diversity fascinating, and I wanted to take the opportunity to experience it for myself.

What did you miss most about your home city or country after moving?
I missed the food, the culture, my family, and friends. However, I found many more friends at school that distracted me from feeling homesick.

Did you experience any culture shock or surprises on campus?
I did, especially when it comes to punctuality. I had many projects with friends from all over the world. Some showed up on time and some didn’t. In their culture, they have different standards for timekeeping.

So, we had a disagreement about coming to meetings on time, so to resolve the issue we , however, we all agreed that if someone was late by more than 10 minutes, then that person would receive extra responsibility… and also take the group out for dinner! Turns out, nobody was late after we set that rule.

Any advice for the incoming Class of 2020?
Enjoy the city. San Francisco is a great place to start your adventure. You will find many interesting experiences from the city’s culture. My advice is to save up money and travel whenever you can in the city and to surrounding places like Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, and Southern California.

Also, choose your courses wisely. Constantly talk to your Academic Adviser to find inspiration and find out what you actually like to study. Then you will do well at school and also your career.

“You can travel the world and every place you visit, you’ll have at least one friend from there.”