A-level results day: Indian student gets university of her choice

Priyanker Ayer was never in any doubt that she wouldn’t get into the university of her choice.

The deputy head girl at Al Yasmina School in Abu Dhabi was predicted 4 A* grades, although that didn’t make the days leading up to her results being released any less tense.

“It was hard because I face high standards for myself and I worked really hard but others also had high expectations,” she said.

For the well-travelled 19-year-old Indian, who has lived in Moscow, Budapest, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, her next move to London’s Kings College to study medicine will be her biggest and toughest yet.

“Moving to another country is a big deal,” she said. “In Abu Dhabi you’re so sheltered and in the UK it’s so different. I’m quite scared and it’s a huge jump for me, especially living by myself, cooking for myself, not having my family around.”

She will live in halls of residence where she will be surrounded by other fresh faced students starting the next chapter of their lives. She chose the UK over India as studying in her home country was not a priority.

“A UK medical degree is more widely accepted,” she said.