Kaeto's Story: Investing in Your Own Path

My name is Kaetochukwu Ozioko, and I currently study Software Engineering at the University of Huddersfield. I moved to the UK in January 2023 as a dependent on my parent's Skilled Worker visa, the start of a chapter I never quite expected. This is the story of how I got from there to here: the costs I didn't see coming, the choice I made anyway, everything university ended up teaching me beyond the lecture hall, and where it's taken me since.

I waited until that September to enrol in sixth form, where I spent two years studying A Level Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry before heading into university. Even though I'd lived in the UK for about three years by the time I applied, I was still classed as an international student when my fee status was assessed. I had pre-settled status, but it wasn't enough to unlock home fee status in England.

That classification came with a real price tag. As an international student I wasn't eligible for student loans, so the full weight of tuition landed on me and my family, and I had to think carefully about what that meant. I found myself weighing genuinely different paths: studying somewhere with cheaper fees and flying back and forth to see family, versus staying in the UK close to everyone I knew but paying significantly more. At the time, I didn't know how many other people were in exactly my situation. I had no example in front of me of what was even possible, so I was working it out as I went.

What pulled me toward studying in the UK in the first place was the opportunity waiting on the other side of graduation, and the exposure that came with it. Learning the culture of British people alongside the cultures of diverse immigrant communities, both inside and outside school, was genuinely exciting to me.

So when it came to choosing between the international student route, chasing home fee status, or some other pathway altogether, I chose to stay close to family and get straight into my career journey out of sixth form. I wasn't certain yet what industry I wanted to go into, and university gave me space to explore, a sense of stability, and time to actually discover my interests rather than guess at them. It also came with something concrete: an optional year in industry in my third year, a real chance to test out a year of work before committing to a direction. Between the exploration and that year-in-industry opportunity, it felt like the route that would let me grow the most, personally and professionally, even knowing it wasn't the cheapest option on the table.

University changed how I actually think. Back home, I studied by memorising facts and textbooks purely to pass exams. Studying in the UK taught me to process information and apply it instead. It shifted my whole approach toward active learning and real understanding, not just recall.

It also asked me to adjust in ways I didn't expect. I noticed people who looked like me sounding a certain way, and I wondered why I sounded different. The accent barrier was real, both in school and outside it. Over time, and with a bit of conscious education, I came to see my accent not as a limitation but as proof of where I grew up and where I come from, so I leaned into it and started owning it fully. That same shift showed up in how early young people go into work here; I chose to see it as a chance to grow up quickly, take on responsibility, and start earning.

None of that came for free, financially or otherwise. My family and I had been planning and saving for university for a few years before I even got there, and I'm still largely supported by them, which carries a lot of the weight. Alongside that, I run my own hairdressing business, styling people's hair for income, and I also hold down a part-time job for a bit more certainty and stability. My scheduled university sessions only run about 12 to 15 hours a week, which, gratefully, leaves me real room to juggle everything else alongside my independent study.

Even with all of that in place, I've felt the internal pressure more than once, wondering whether I'm getting everything I can out of such an expensive investment. When that doubt creeps in, I check in with myself, look honestly at whether I'm on track, and go after whatever opportunities I might be leaving on the table. Career development outside of coursework has become a big part of that: going to events, talking to professionals, building my network, and learning how the working world actually operates. And that same accent I used to think would limit my opportunities has instead become something I'm proud of. Owning it has made me more confident and considerably more assertive in how I speak up.

Today, all of that adds up to where I am now: studying Software Engineering at the University of Huddersfield, proof to myself that investing in your own path, even the expensive, uncertain version of it, can open doors for a lifetime.

If I could speak to a young person weighing this same decision and feeling unsure or overwhelmed, I'd say: take a deep breath and actually look at your options. Do the research, and use everything available to you to the fullest. Everyone's journey looks different, so focus on what's right for you and where you actually want to end up. Weigh what's on the table, make your decision based on what's genuinely available to you, and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions, especially when it comes to scholarships. Ask for help. See you at the top.