New Zealand’s International Student of the Year, Ryo Hosoma, begins a four-year undergraduate degree at the University of Canterbury (UC) this month; he was offered the scholarship after being voted the overall winner among a crop of international student stars across various study sectors.
UC is awarding 24 new UC International Student Undergraduate Scholarships contributing NZ$20,000 per annum toward tuition fees and Hosoma is one of the lucky recipients.
“Ryo’s journey from having limited English to gaining one of UC’s prestigious new four-year scholarships for international students in the space of less than three years is a fantastic example of the educational pathway that is available for international students in New Zealand,” said UC Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Student Services and International, Dr Nello Angerilli.
For the first time last year, Education New Zealand decided to highlight the contribution that international students make to their communities by asking institutions to nominate the best performing of their international intake.
Hosoma, studying at Burnside High School in Christchurch, won the schools sector prize and was voted overall Grand Prize Winner for making exceptional strides in English language acquisition and based on his academic achievements, his participation in institutional activities and his interest in Kiwi culture.
During the earthquake in Canterbury last year, he helped the school look after its international students and keep them calm until their host parents arrived. He acted as a mentor to new international students and overcame initial shyness to appear in a promotional video for Study Christchurch.
He was sure his studies in New Zealand would give him an advantage in the global job market
Speaking to NZ website, Scoop, Hosoma – who will study a BA in Media and Communication – said he hadn’t yet decided where to live after his degree, but he was sure his studies in New Zealand would give him an advantage in the global job market. “If I decided to get a job (back in Japan), completing university in New Zealand would be a big advantage for me because a lot of Japanese companies are trying to hire people who are able to see things globally,” he said.
