From Software Engineer to Master's Student: How a Family Trip Led Riya Gupta to the University of Auckland

Riya Gupta's journey from a software engineer in India to preparing for her Master's at the University of Auckland began with a trip she hadn't planned as a turning point. After completing her B.Tech from Jaypee University of Information Technology in 2023, Riya started working as a software engineer. It was during a family vacation to New Zealand that she developed an interest in the country and began considering it for her next step. After two years of working in software, she decided to pursue a Master's to make a career shift and prepare for a new direction. She chose the University of Auckland, New Zealand's top-ranked university, and worked with her Leap Scholar counsellor throughout the process, from shortlisting universities and applying for scholarships to securing her offer and completing her visa process. With her semester beginning in March, Riya is now preparing to start the next phase of her academic and professional journey in New Zealand.

For Riya, the decision to study abroad came from an experience that made New Zealand feel like more than just a holiday destination. From figuring out what she wanted to do after two years as a software engineer to navigating the university and visa process with the support of her counsellor, the experience has helped her take the next step towards the career change she was looking for.

Riya's Journey at a Glance

• From: India
• Background: B.Tech, Jaypee University of Information Technology; 2 years as a software engineer
• Course: Master's, University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Turning Point: A family vacation to New Zealand sparked her interest in studying there
• Decision: Chose a Master's to pivot her career after working as a software engineer
• Application Support: University shortlisting, scholarships, offers, and visas with Leap Scholar
• Now: Preparing to begin her Master's at the University of Auckland in March

Here's Riya, in her own words.

Q. What first got you thinking about studying abroad?

I went to New Zealand with my parents in June 2024 for a vacation; we were visiting my uncle, who lives there. I was completely fascinated by the country during that trip and knew I wanted to go back. My father was very encouraging about the idea of studying abroad, and both he and my maternal uncle felt New Zealand was the right choice for my education specifically.

Q. Why did you decide to pursue a master's at this point in your career?

I've been working as a software engineer for a couple of years now, and I wanted a real shift, better opportunities, better roles, and better pay. A master's felt like the right way to make that kind of change, rather than just continuing on the same track.

Q. How did you decide on the University of Auckland specifically?

My counsellor, Meghna Mukherjee, gave me a shortlist of around seven or eight universities that offered the course I was looking for. I ended up with offers from two, Auckland University of Technology and the University of Auckland. I went with Auckland since it's the top-ranked university in New Zealand.

Q. How did you first come across Leap Scholar?

I was scrolling Instagram Reels one day, trying to figure out how to move my career forward, when I came across a Leap Scholar reel about a study abroad expo happening in Gurugram. I went in person, and that’s where I connected with Meghna. She's been fantastic throughout, honestly more like family to me at this point.

Q. What was the most challenging part of the process, and how did Leap Scholar help?

Handling the entire application on my own would have been genuinely difficult. But my counsellor filled out my complete application herself; I didn't even have to do it. That made applying to multiple universities far more manageable than I expected. The visa process was similarly smooth; they simply told me which documents to gather, and once I handed those over, the visa agent filed my application within a single day.

Q. Did you apply for any scholarships?

Yes, I applied for scholarships at both Auckland University of Technology and the University of Auckland. I received the Student Accommodation Scholarship at AUT but didn't get the India High Achievers Scholarship at Auckland; that one's extremely competitive, with only around 33 to 35 offered in total. Still, I was happy to get at least one, even though I'm not attending that university.

Q. Was there a stressful part of the process for you?

Waiting for my visa result was definitely the most nerve-wracking part. But I felt fairly confident throughout, given how high Leap Scholar's visa success rate is and how systematically they'd handled my documentation. That approach and guidance gave me real confidence that the result would go my way.

Q. Would you recommend Leap Scholar to others?

I already have. A friend of mine from Gujarat is also planning to study in New Zealand, and I referred him just a couple of days ago. He connected with the same counsellor within a day and is already in touch with her.