'Studying in the UK gave me the confidence and credibility to build a career creating legal change.'

Prerna Deep grew up in Delhi, India, where she developed a passion for justice through her studies in English Literature and Law. After completing a master’s in Criminal Law at the University of Edinburgh, she began her career at the Supreme Court of India and has since built an international career spanning legal research, policy and advocacy.

Today, she works across law and international research, collaborating with the University of Edinburgh’s Childlight research centre on projects exploring artificial intelligence, child sexual abuse and legal policy in India, while continuing to write, speak and mentor aspiring students and researchers.

She shares how studying in the UK transformed her confidence, opened unexpected career opportunities and continues to shape the work she does today.

‘I knew studying in the UK was where I wanted my career to begin’

I originally studied English Literature before going on to study law in Delhi.

Because so much of our legal system has its roots in the UK, and because I had always been fascinated by British literature, I knew quite early on that if I was going to do a master’s degree, I wanted to study in the UK.

I also knew it would only happen if I earned that opportunity.

From my first year of law school, everything I did was working towards that goal. I kept my grades as high as I could, completed internships, carried out research, published academic papers and spent every spare hour building the strongest application possible.

It wasn’t easy.

Nobody in my family had studied abroad. In fact, nobody even had a passport.

I didn’t have mentors showing me the way. It was only Google for me. I spent hours researching applications, reading interviews and teaching myself everything I needed to know.

Looking back, I realise I wasn’t just preparing an application. I was preparing for the career I hoped to build.

‘Studying in the UK challenged me in the best possible way’

Arriving in Edinburgh was one of the proudest moments of my life.

Everything was new. It was my first time leaving India, my first experience of living abroad and my first time building a life somewhere completely unfamiliar.

I still remember standing on the Royal Mile thinking, “I made it.”

Studying Criminal Law at the University of Edinburgh pushed me academically every day. It made me more analytical, more critical in my thinking and much more confident communicating in an international environment.

I threw myself into university life. My days were full of lectures, events, research and opportunities to learn from people with completely different perspectives.

Those experiences shaped me just as much as the course itself.

I had also received a GREAT Scholarship, which made it possible for me to take up the opportunity to study in the UK and focus on making the most of everything the experience had to offer.

‘My UK education opened doors I never imagined’

After completing my master’s, I returned to India and began my career as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of India, working across a wide range of complex legal cases.

Alongside my legal work, I continued researching, writing and speaking about issues including criminal justice, women’s rights and child protection.

Those experiences eventually led to a fantastic opportunity.

The University of Edinburgh’s international research centre, Childlight, contacted me after following my work since graduation and invited me to apply for a research role.

Today, I collaborate with the team on research exploring artificial intelligence and child sexual abuse, helping develop evidence and recommendations that inform policy in India.

I really don’t think that chance would have come without studying in the UK.

The education I received, the international outlook I developed and the relationships I built have continued to open doors to me throughout my career.

‘The biggest change was in my confidence’

Before moving to the UK, I was much more introverted.

I often questioned whether I was good enough or whether I really belonged in those kinds of environments.

Living and studying alongside people from all over the world gradually changed that.

When I got back home, it was actually my friends who noticed first. They told me I seemed more confident and much more comfortable expressing my ideas.

Those changes happened so gradually that I hadn’t really seen them myself.

Studying in the UK didn’t just change how I learned. It changed how I saw myself.

‘I want other students to know it’s possible’

One of the things I care most about now is helping students who are where I once was.

I regularly deliver workshops and seminars on scholarships, university applications and studying abroad because I remember how overwhelming the whole process felt when I had nobody to guide me.

I often get messages from students, particularly young women, telling me that seeing my journey has given them hope that they might be able to achieve something similar.

That means more to me than I can say.

Studying in the UK gave me far more than a master’s degree.

It gave me the confidence to work internationally, the skills to build a career across research and law, and the credibility to contribute to work that I hope will make a positive difference to people’s lives.

It also showed me that your background doesn’t have to define your future.