Because of a warm welcome, I thrived as an international student

Moving away from home is a daunting experience shared by thousands of students every year. But for those moving to a new country, navigating the demands of a university course while adapting to an entirely new culture, the challenge is even greater. 

Dhanush was one such student when he came to the UK from Bengaluru, India, to pursue his master’s in architecture. Having been won over by Scotland’s beauty, he decided on Glasgow School of Art, and chose Hyndland House for his student accommodation.  

He recalls that the first person he spoke to was Erwin, the accommodation manager: 

Dhanush describes himself as “somewhere between an introvert and an extrovert” and says he finds it hard to meet new People. He recalls how the Hyndland House staff really helped to make everyone feel at home. 

“Hyndland House organised events, I think every two months. That was special because the staff would go out of their way to decorate the whole place and call every student to come down. So that was one interesting way of meeting other People.” 

To help Dhanush put himself out there a little more, the staff told him about a vacancy they had for a student warden, and encouraged him to apply. The job would involve staffing the front desk for a few hours over each weekend, issuing new keys and taking note of maintenance issues that other students reported. 

“I was in the student warden position for about 10 months, and it was really great to interact with all the students. They wouldn’t just come down to say they had problems in their room, it would also be because they wanted to have a chat with the team because they might not have spoken to someone in days.” 

Being surrounded by friendly People was a common theme in Dhanush’s transition to the UK. 

“The easy part was how friendly the People were. I'm not someone who would usually start a conversation, but in Glasgow People around you just start talking to you. I think that helped me open up more, because as an international student, you are aware of what you say and how you react to things. So, Glasgow helped me settle down nicely. 

“The challenge was probably the weather. During winter it does get hard, and it does affect your mental health, which was new to me. Erwin would tell all the students that People do go through this and it’s really important for you to talk to each other or talk to us if you’re going through something, which really did help.” 

For Dhanush, the pastoral as well as practical help from the Hyndland House staff continued throughout his time there, helping him to feel supported during a tumultuous time in his life. 

“Architecture can get chaotic because it's such a daunting course, and especially for an international student. I was feeling down at some points because of the stress of my work, or I’d go days just working and doing nothing else. 

But every day I would come back to Hyndland House and go up and chat with Erwin or Colleen or anyone really, and it would change my mood.  And that's when I realised that opening up and talking to People is very important. It can just be a general chat, it’ll still uplift your mood. You’re so far away from home, and it was really important to have good People around.” 

Having formed a solid support network while adjusting to life in the UK, Dhanush was able to focus on his studies, with exceptional results. 

“I finished my diploma in architecture, and I also got selected to exhibit at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, so I'll be showcasing my thesis from March to April 2026. I've also been offered to do the masters conversion which runs for 15 weeks, so I’ve come back home to get my visa and will then come back to Glasgow to finish that and do my exhibition.”  

Long-term, Dhanush will be looking to secure a job in the UK, where he can bring the best of his lived experiences together. 

At PfP, we’re committed to creating One Community. It’s clear our People at PfP Students Hyndland House are embodying this promise every day. We’re proud that Students like Dhanush feel welcome, included and supported during their time with us – an essential foundation from which to thrive in their studies.