Yan Liu

Name: Yan Liu

Age: 26
Born: Ningxia, China
Lived in Scotland: Four years

Yan Liu came to Scotland when she was a student at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China. She says, "I was selected as an exchange student to study in Scotland due to my outstanding performance in my first three years of undergraduate study.

"My university in China reached an agreement with a few universities. Under the exchange scheme, I had to complete my final year abroad.  I also had to submit two dissertations for both universities to be awarded with two bachelor degrees from both universities.

"Although I was offered other choices, such as Australia, I preferred to go to Scotland.  It has a reputation of offering outstanding academic education. Being an economics student, I was also keen to explore the country where the father of economics, Adam Smith, was born and lived.  

"My university arranged everything for me, from applying for visa to picking me up from the airport. They also paid for my accommodation and a portion of the tuition fees."

It was arranged for Yan to study at the University of Paisley for her final year. "I wasn't surprised by its ranking in the Legal Tables," she says. "This university had a good reputation in accounting and it had a higher-than-average graduate employment ratio.

"Furthermore, it is located in a lovely town 15 minutes away from Glasgow. The local people are so friendly and always willing to offer great hospitality to foreign students. I was invited to family dinners almost every Sunday by my church friends. I had a great time."

Yan graduated with a BA Business Accounting degree, and stayed in Scotland for her postgraduate course. "I decided to stay for postgraduate study, because I loved the city and the people here. I studied at Glasgow University for a Macc in International Accounting and Financial Management," she says.

When Yan finished her postgraduate study, she moved to London because she was offered a job. However, she still preferred the working life in Scotland. "I worked in an investment bank in London after I graduated, and I found the working hours really demanding. Sometimes I worked until midnight to meet tight schedules.

"I moved back to Glasgow in April 2006 to work for Fortis. But the working life in Scotland is amazing. I enjoy the work-life balance."

Apart from the work-life balance, Yan prefers working in Scotland because there are better working conditions. "Scotland has become a more important financial centre. The company where I work is also the head quarter of leasing divisions for the whole UK.

"I am the youngest and the only non-European employee in my team. But I have been given the same opportunities as everyone else. I was promoted to a Credit Manager within 20 months from a junior analyst role. No-one argues about my age and my nationality. The rewards were purely based on my consistent outstanding performance," she says.

Yan enjoys living in Scotland so much she would like to stay. She says, "I received an approval letter a few weeks ago from the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. So I would like to stay in Scotland."

When Yan Liu first arrived in Scotland in 2002, the peacefulness was one of the first things she noticed. She says, "It was a little bit cold and wet for a normal August day, but the city was so clean and peaceful. The first night I looked out from my window, I saw beautiful stars and smelled fresh air mixed with gorgeous green grass.

"Then on my first bus journey to the university in the morning I remembered phoning my mum. I told her that the bus wasn’t full in the rush hour!"

Related Links

• Fortis
• Highly Skilled Migrant Programme 
• University of Paisley  
• Glasgow University