Studying overseas is not purely an academic opportunity. It could be an once-in-a-lifetime chance to travel, live in a foreign country and expand your horizons both literally and figuratively.

“The best thing about my experience was the people I met and the friends I made,” says Jonathan Ferreira.

Ferreira was a 2006 recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship. He has recently returned to South Africa from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), where he completed his Master’s degree in economics.

The Commonwealth Scholarship enables students from Commonwealth countries to study in other Commonwealth countries, and the award includes academic fees, travel expenses and a personal allowance.

“It was a fantastic opportunity. I would never have been able to afford to study overseas without this funding,” says Ferreira.  “I was taught by world leaders in my field.

“I wanted to keep studying because I am interested in and enjoy economics,” he says. Originally from Mpumalanga province in South Africa, Ferreira completed his Bachelor’s and Honours degrees at Rhodes University, where a lecturer encouraged him to apply for the British Council-administered scholarship when he expressed an interest in continuing his studies.

“The British Council organised my applications to the UK-based universities and my travel to the UK and back, which was a great support,” says Ferreira.

The British Council also provided him with information packs that offered advice on practical details like how to open a bank account and how to rent a flat in the UK. These details can add up to quite a culture shock if one is not prepared.

“They expect you to work a lot harder than I ever had to in South Africa,” says Ferreira, speaking about what surprised him about his experience overseas.

He says he feels more marketable to South African companies now. “That is the nature of an international degree, especially one from an institution like the University of Edinburgh.”