An overseas student who came to the UK to pursue her passion for journalism is up for a top media prize.

Graduate Julija Safronova has been nominated by De Montfort University for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ Midlands Student of the Year award.

Julija left her native Lithuania and made a 1,400-mile journey to study for a media, communications and journalism degree at the Leicester campus.

After gaining a 2:1 joint honours degree, she’s now returned to her home country to work as a public relations assistant for a start-up business project.

“Julija is a motivated and highly intelligent student of which any university would be proud,” said Liz Bridgen, programme leader for the MA public relations course at the university.

“She has brought a real passion for public relations to the classroom. I am recommending her for this award because she is a hard-working and intelligent student with a strategic and analytical mind and is not afraid of a challenge.”

The awards will be held at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena in November.

Julija, who ultimately plans to come back to the UK to find a PR job or take her master’s degree at De Montfort, said: “Choosing to study abroad couldn’t have been a better idea.

“I was given everything required for my studies here – a modern environment, with access to all library services, a student support centre and even free English language courses, which were extremely useful while writing my dissertation.”