From Harvard to the Gold Coast

Study 

Yucheng Su was born in China and grew up in New Zealand. In 2012 his family moved to Australia and after graduating from high school he studied Business Management and Japanese at Griffith University on the Gold Coast. He then went back to New Zealand to finish his degree before taking up work in Japan’s JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program working in international relations. After two years he came to the conclusion that if he wanted to get promoted he’d need to get a master’s degree.

It was Yucheng’s Mum who suggested he should try Harvard University, but he was convinced he had very little chance of getting in. “She starts giving me the typical Mum sermon ‘how do you know it’s not possible if you don’t even try?’ It would appear mother knows best, I’m now in my 2nd year at Harvard doing my Master’s in International Relations.”

Even though he sees a Master’s Degree as the key to his future, Yucheng still isn’t sure where his Master’s might take him. “I guess I might end up working for the UN, or possibly a government organisation like a foreign ministry, but I’d be just as happy landing a job at an Australian university working on international partnerships.”

Social Networking

Yucheng had only just touched down on Australian soil for the first time in a long time when he began looking for a way to meet local students. “I got back to Australia two days ago and I was looking for an opportunity for social interaction with students when I discovered the Gold Coast Student Hub.” Yucheng’s timing couldn’t have been better - he walked straight into a sumptuous feast being served up for the Hub’s monthly social BBQ.

“I really want to make some friends because I haven’t lived here for a long time now and this seemed the perfect place to do it. I come back to Australia a couple of times a year, so I think coming to the Student Hub is a great place to reconnect with the local student community.”

Harvard Life

When it comes to one of the world’s most revered universities, Yucheng clarifies a common misconception. “A lot of people don’t realise this, but Harvard University isn’t actually a single university, it’s a collection of 13 different schools combined together. When people talk about Harvard, they usually mean Harvard College, which is just one of those 13 schools. The one where I’m studying is called the Division of Continuing Education, which is part of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.”

While Yucheng finds the tuition fees at Harvard are “reasonably affordable”, he says their accommodation fees are really expensive. “I’m thinking of becoming a part time student, moving off campus and finding a job so that I can better afford to pay for my study there.