An Odisha student turned his own experience of preparing to study in the UK into a support network for nearly 400 incoming students at the University of Sheffield.

Nikunj Agarwal, who moved to the UK to study at the university, created an unofficial WhatsApp group for students who had received offers from Sheffield. The group was intended to help students connect before arriving in the UK and share information about the move.

Over time the initiative grew to nearly 400 members. Students used the group to discuss practical questions around moving abroad, including accommodation, travel and settling into Sheffield.

The group also gave students an opportunity to meet others from their incoming cohort before they arrived on campus. According to India Today, several of the connections made through the group later developed into friendships.

Agarwal studied at the University of Sheffield between 2023 and 2026 and was also associated with the university's welfare committee. His professional profile lists previous experience in Rourkela, Odisha, before his move to the UK.

The initiative was separate from the university's official support systems. The University of Sheffield has its own international student support and Global Campus programmes to help overseas students settle into university and life in the city.