My first year as an international student: Frankie's story
27 October 2025
Norland has welcomed international students from around the world since 2021. In this blog, second-year American student Frankie (Set 148) shares her journey to Norland and her insights as an international student.
“My name is Frankie, I am in Set 148, and I am from North Carolina, USA. Growing up, I always wanted to be a mum, and took part in many child-centred jobs, clubs and volunteer opportunities throughout high school.
You can watch Frankie reflect on her journey to Norland and experience so far in the Norland Unwrapped: Applying to Norland.
“I fell in love with the idea of nannying over other careers in the early years due to the ability of a nanny to truly become part of a family. I loved the idea of working closely with a few children at a time and being able to tailor my practice to meet the holistic needs of each child.
“My passion for working with children, combined with Norland’s unique opportunity for me to earn a degree in three years rather than the usual four at American colleges, as well as gaining hands-on experience with children and learning practical life skills, made Norland an easy choice for me.
Applying to Norland as an international student
“The admissions process for Norland proved to be much simpler than in the US, and I really appreciated how accepting and welcoming Norland is towards international students. I hadn’t been able to make an in-person open day, and the admissions team were more than happy to accommodate me with a tour when I visited the UK in the summer before joining. The visa team were also incredibly helpful, as they walked me through every step of the visa application process and answered all my questions.
“While I was slightly intimidated by the idea of living by myself in a foreign country, I knew that I loved exploring other countries having spent my second year of high school abroad in Italy. My passion for travel made me confident in my ability to navigate foreign places and the quality of Norland’s education, the work experience and the diverse job opportunities made me more excited than anything to move to the UK for my studies.
Journey at Norland so far
“When I began my studies, Norland’s diploma classes certainly did not disappoint and were one of the highlights from my first year. After having undertaken classes in cooking and nutrition, sewing and basic childcare skills, the practical experience has made me more confident in my abilities as an early years practitioner.
“I have enjoyed placements for a similar reason — seeing the theory we learn in our degree lectures in real life — and my first family placement was an incredibly rewarding experience. In this placement, I worked alongside another first-year student. The family was welcoming, understanding and supportive and they made us feel completely comfortable putting our training into practice. Working on a shared placement was also an excellent opportunity to practise collaboration and communication skills with other practitioners.
“As unique as the work experiences are to Norland, I also found my degree modules throughout first year to be incredibly interesting. I particularly enjoyed learning more about how children’s ability to self-regulate develops in the early years, as well as how to support diverse, equitable and inclusive practices. It fascinated me to see how multiple areas of focus across the discipline of childcare interact with each other, and I have gained diverse perspectives through class discussions with my peers. I found the faculty at Norland to be knowledgeable and engaging; they truly want every student at Norland to succeed.
“Overall, my first year has been transformative to my practice, and I am really looking forward to the family placements throughout the next two years as well as employment weeks at the end of my third year.
Forming friendships and life in Bath
“Another highlight was meeting and building friendships with the other students in my set. I have had so much fun getting to know people from many different places who have such diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences and I have never felt out of place.
“From the start, it was easy to settle into Norland’s warm and welcoming environment. Everyone is incredibly friendly, and there are myriad student support resources available to everyone. From academic accommodations and students’ mental health and wellbeing to support with finances and housing, I have found that Norland ensures every student is heard and greatly values their feedback.
“Norland pays for us to have access to the Bath Spa University Students’ Union, which provides the opportunity for us to get involved in many activities and clubs outside of those offered at Norland. We can choose from groups covering a wide variety of causes, identities, faiths, interests and sports.
“Despite Bath’s small size, it is a stunning, student-oriented city with lots to do and tons of friendly people, making it easy to settle into. The other larger unis in Bath contribute to a lively student life. There is so much to offer: enjoying the restaurants, cafes, shops and clubs in the city centre; soaking up nature outside the city; participating in local events, such as the Bath Half Marathon or a Bath Rugby game; or visiting our landmarks, like the Royal Crescent, Roman Baths and Jane Austen Centre. I have found Bath to be in a great location relative to other cities in the UK, making it easy for me to travel around England on the weekends and even other countries on my longer breaks.
“While studying abroad comes with a lot of challenges, Norland has been a rewarding experience full of opportunities for personal, academic, and professional growth.”
Norland has held an international Student visa sponsor licence since 2021, enabling it to welcome aspiring Norland Nannies from around the world. In 2025, Norland was awarded the status of Student Sponsor with a Track Record of Compliance by the UK government, marking a significant milestone in supporting international students.
