From Delhi to Derby: Mohika's story

Discovering a career in dance

Dance has always been a part of Mohika’s life and from childhood, she knew it would become part of her career. But it was only when she came across Derby’s joint honours programme that she felt she had found the right course for her.

“Being a passionate dancer since a very young age, I always knew I wanted to incorporate dance in my career and so it was a wonderful surprise when I came across Dance Movement Psychotherapy as a profession.

“Derby was one of the few places offering a joint honours degree in Dance and Movement Studies and Psychology, so I decided to choose this course.

“The course is not yet available in India, so having the opportunity to study here is a blessing. It has also helped me to develop a broader mindset and helped me to think beyond what I am familiar with.”

Settling in

Mohika says that while the course has been “a wonderful and enriching experience”, her first few weeks were daunting.

“I was a very shy and introverted person when I first arrived, but the time I have spent with people coming from diverse backgrounds has made me much more confident. All my worries about making friends and living alone in an unknown country have vanished as I have settled and mixed with the people here very well.

“Staying so far away from family can be daunting but if you give it time, you will realise people are really supportive and want to make the transition easier.”

Securing a scholarship

When making the decision to study in the UK, Mohika wanted to lift some of the financial burden of studying abroad, and so applied and was successful in achieving a scholarship at Derby.

“I was ecstatic when I received confirmation of the scholarship and felt relieve as I could take some burden off my parents’ shoulders.

“Getting a scholarship has also really helped me believe in myself and my achievements. I have become more confident and it is a big motivation to work even harder. I am very grateful and really blessed that I got this opportunity.”

Read Mohika's advice for international students

Mohika's scholarship story

Mohika wanted to lift some of the financial burden of studying abroad, and so applied and was successful in achieving a scholarship at Derby. Here she talks about how grateful she was to receive it.