"I Never Expected Leap to Give Me Such a Huge Amount in a Span of Three Days": Rakesh Kasula on How He Financed His Study Abroad Dream
Welcome to #DreamBigGoFar, Leap’s series that documents the stories of students across the globe. This week we take a peek into the life of Rakesh Kasula, a graduate of the University of Texas, Arlington.
Over video call, Rakesh appears calm. In part, this can be attributed to settling into a routine. As a student now on his OPT period, he often divides his time between volunteering with his professor and spending time with his friends.
(OPT Period–is temporary employment given to students with a F-1 visa related to that student’s major area of study.)
Between playing cricket in the alleyways and catching up on work, to Rakesh, it feels like the last two years flew right by. This is in contrast to nearly five years ago, when his life seemed to have headed towards a standstill.
Fresh off completing his graduation, he worked in the banking industry, handling high-profile clients like BNP Paribas and Citi. "I managed the London and USA teams," he reminisces. It was during this period that the idea of moving abroad first crossed his mind. "Once I thought about it, I knew the US was where I wanted to go."
Working straight out of college in part was his plan to gain some experience before he began his journey to study abroad. In Fall 2022, he finally caught his break.
Rakesh was admitted to University of Texas Arlington for his masters degree in May. Things moved quickly after that–by July he secured the necessary visa to travel. However, financial challenges still loomed. "I tried all the nationalized banks available, but they informed me it would take at least a month to process the funds... I didn't have that kind of time; I needed to fly on July 11."
So when his friend recommended Leap Finance, Rakesh was naturally a bit sceptical, given his experience with traditional banks. “I never expected Leap to give me such a huge amount in a span of three days.”
Two years later, with a Master's Degree in Computer Science, life is easier for Rakesh. During his journey, he made over 250 friends, thanks to the various college activities on campus–a feat he achieved by breaking out of his cultural shell and embracing the US for what it was.
He grew to admire the small things, like the consistency of traffic rules and the warm companionship of his nearly 250 friends he has now made in Texas.
“Looking back, it might have been difficult for me to get here without a loan. There was no chance I could’ve got that amount overnight,” he says. “This is where Leap Finance has helped me out in a big way.”