Help students like Mariia turn challenges into opportunities

Forced to flee the war in Ukraine, a Leeds scholar is determined to make the most of every opportunity at Leeds.

When a missile struck near her home in Kharkiv, Mariia Dmytryk fled Ukraine with her family, leaving behind everything she knew. Life in the UK was tough. She missed months of school, adapted to a new culture, and supported her family through visa applications while her mother worked low-paid jobs to make ends meet.

“My mother was an electrical engineer in Ukraine, but in the UK the only work she could take was as a housekeeper and a waitress, so money was tight.” 

A scholarship changed everything. It gave Mariia the chance to study economics at Leeds and embrace opportunities that shaped her future. She presented research at national conferences, joined societies, completed an internship in Malaysia, and pursued a research project into the future of Ukrainian economics through the prestigious Laidlaw Leadership Programme.

"Without the support I've received, I would have had to work part-time jobs. I wouldn't have been able to do any of this."

Your support makes stories like Mariia’s possible. By funding scholarships and initiatives that remove barriers for talented students from less advantaged backgrounds, you help them succeed and inspire them to make a lasting impact on society.

Please donate today and help unlock potential.

We are always happy to hear from the Leeds community. You can get in touch by emailing give@leeds.ac.uk