Haidee's winning letter

Haidee Ng, a sixth-former at The Leys, has been named East of England International Student of the Year in the British Council’s “Shine” competition.

Haidee, a boarder from Hong Kong, has won a £1,000 prize and is one of 12 finalists competing for the title of UK International Student of the Year in London on April 13.

The contestants were asked to write a personal letter home to show how they are making the most of their time in the UK. Haidee’s winning entry was picked from those of 1,220 students from 118 different nationalities.

The judging panel included the news editor of the Cambridge News, representatives of the British Council, and a National Union of Students international student officer. They said Haidee’s letter “displayed flair and an ability to understand and compare different cultures and education systems”.

Haidee wrote her letter to her 16-year-old self back in Hong Kong. She observed that being at The Leys had given her the chance to pursue interests as well as her academic studies.

“Studying abroad for a few years will be an incredible experience which you will benefit from a lot,” she told her younger self.