Yara(22)

I studied financial economics at the UvA and applied to investment banks in London during my final year. It was always my dream — Europe's largest financial market, the speed, the scale. After an intensive application process with eight rounds I was hired as a graduate trainee at a Tier 1 bank in Canary Wharf.

The bank arranged everything. As a major financial institution they have a full immigration team. My Skilled Worker visa was applied for before I even graduated. The starting salary of £55,000 plus bonus was well above the minimum requirement. The bank also paid the Immigration Health Surcharge and visa fees — that's standard practice at large employers in the City.

The graduate programme lasts two years with rotations through different departments. The workload is intense — 12-hour days are normal, 16 hours in busy periods. But the learning curve is steep and the compensation is good. After the first year my salary rose to £65,000 plus a bonus of £15,000. In the Netherlands I'd earn perhaps €40,000 as a starter.

Living in Canary Wharf is practical but sterile. I rent a studio for £1,500 per month in a new-build tower with views over the Thames. Most trainees live nearby — social life revolves around the bars and restaurants of Canary Wharf and Limehouse. At weekends I head to Shoreditch or Soho for culture and nightlife.

Financially I'm getting oriented in the British market. I've opened a Stocks and Shares ISA with Vanguard for tax-free investing — the £20,000 annual limit is generous. My student loan with DUO continues from abroad — you're required to report your address change, and repayment is based on your foreign income. With my UK salary I repay more than I would in the Netherlands.

London at 22 is an incredible experience. The city is endless, people come from everywhere, and career opportunities are immense. It's also lonely sometimes — you start from zero, without the network you had at home. But the international community of trainees is close-knit. My tip for Dutch students: apply in your penultimate year, because the visa process takes longer than you think. And be prepared for the workload — investment banking is not a 9-to-5.