Noël Lee

Why Leeds? 

“Having grown up in Leicester, one of my priorities when choosing a university to study at was the location. I wanted to spend my 3 years in a city that was bigger than Leicester but not London, the reason being that I envisaged myself working in London eventually hence, for me I chose to save the London experience for later in my life. Alongside wanting to live in a bigger city, the status of the University of Leeds and the young demographic of the city as a whole were key drivers in firming the decision to study there.”

Choosing actuarial

“I’ve always wanted to study an Actuarial degree. This stemmed from when I attended a careers fair whilst studying GCSEs and from advice given by maths teachers during college which ultimately led to myself choosing certain A levels that would lead me towards the path of studying this degree and inevitably getting a job in the insurance industry.”

Mathematics at Leeds

One of the best aspects is that there are numerous modules as part of my degree that crossover with other mathematical degrees and so having the opportunity to meet students from other degrees was beneficial. 

“One of the best aspects is that there are numerous modules as part of my degree that crossover with other mathematical degrees and so having the opportunity to meet students from other degrees was beneficial. 

Another aspect is that some lectures would be quite tough to grasp in terms of what was being covered, lecturers would welcome and encourage questions to be asked or for students to approach their rooms and so there was a real environment for us to all actively learn. 

The University of Leeds attracts a lot of international students from all over the world, being able to meet people from various backgrounds was an eye-opener and definitely helped me grow as a person by making friends from across the globe and being able to understand their cultural differences whilst studying with them.”

Leeds city

“As mentioned, the general demographic of Leeds is young and so the range of activities available within the city fits well with students. The University campus itself is within walking distance of the main city centre and there’s a lot to do there whether it be grabbing food with friends, socialising in bars/pubs or having fun playing games e.g., bowling.  
Leeds is notoriously known for its nightlife - for students, this is what most love as a release whilst studying their degrees and Leeds most definitely offers this at a reasonable price. The variety of different clubs that offer different spectrums of music makes it so that everyone will be able to find a club to go to for a night out and if not, there is always fruity Fridays to fall back on which rarely disappoint!”

Ambitions for the future 

“Currently, I’m working in London for an insurance company whilst studying actuarial exams that count towards becoming a qualified Actuary. My short/mid-term ambition is to become qualified, once I’ve accomplished this, I will most likely seek another challenge/goal to keep me busy and fill the void of not having to study anymore whilst continuing to work in the insurance industry.”

Experiences at Leeds 

“Whilst studying my degree and attending societies, it gave me a platform to further develop my soft skills and I think that this really helped lay the foundations and support the transition of going from studying to working in the corporate world (which can be quite a big jump for some). The experiences at Leeds also helped with applying for job roles given that most graduate roles require candidates to go through a competency interview.”

Advice to future students

“My general advice for any student studying any course would be to make the most of your time in Leeds, grasp as many opportunities as you can get and always see everything that you do at university as a chance to learn.  

My advice for students studying my course would be to always ask questions if there are any doubts over material that has been covered and to also network with people on your course, having coursemates to lean on for help and to collaborate with ultimately benefits all parties in achieving the best grade possible.

Lastly, enjoy your time in Leeds. The city is great and there’s so much to do with a group of friends! You won’t get another opportunity to enjoy yourself as much during your 3/4 years once you’ve started working!”

Find out more about studying Actuarial Mathematics BSc.