Taylor

Taylor from Worcestershire is in his 4th year studying Drama with Study Abroad (University of Chulalongkorn, Bangkok, Thailand). He is from a low income background and an area of low participation in Higher Education.

I grew up on a council estate in Kidderminster. I didn’t do that great in my GCSEs but I did well in my A Levels and got a scholarship which has helped with my living costs. Not many people at my Sixth Form went to university and stayed local if they did. I did most university research on my own by visiting open days and researching about the actual city as well as the university.

I’ve really enjoyed living in Exeter - there is a good arts and culture scene. I’ve been involved in a few societies, academic roles and even volunteered at university events and opportunities in the local community. The standard of teaching at Exeter has been a big step up; it’s quite surreal to work with seasoned professionals with published books and who’ve worked with famous names.

I've been working part-time every year of my degree; quite a lot of the money I earned went towards studying abroad, as I wanted to plan out my degree and take the opportunity to travel. While in Thailand I visited most of South East Asia and have been to California.

After I graduate, I want to see as much of the world as I can. Ultimately, I would like to be a teacher in either Drama or Film, teaching at schools in deprived areas like the one I come from.