Olympic athletes who studied abroad

Becoming an international student is an opportunity to push yourself – and not just in the classroom. A surprising number of people take part in top-level sport while at university – most often in the famous US college sports system – moving faster, higher and stronger each day. To give you an idea of what can be possible, we've compiled a list of Olympic athletes who studied abroad; most of whom will compete at Paris 2024.

Tobi Amusan (Nigeria)

A woman who knows exactly how to overcome barriers, Tobi Amusan holds the world record for the 100m hurdles. The Nigerian icon completed the race in just 12.12 seconds on her way to winning the World Championships in 2022, and will hope to do similar at this year's Olympics.

Away from the track, Amusan is an international graduate. In 2023, she completed her master's degree in leadership studies and sports management at the University of Texas at El Paso. This followed her undergraduate degree at the same institution, and took her "one step closer to my childhood nickname of Prof".

Looking to become a leader yourself? Read our reasons to study project management.

Shona McCallin (Great Britain)

Alongside her field hockey teammates, Shona McCallin made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics. With a tense penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands, they became the first British women's team ever to win Olympic gold. Following this with a bronze at the next Games made the midfielder a rare two-time medallist.

McCallin's experience of the Netherlands goes far beyond the field. In 2014, she completed an international business degree at Tilburg University. After retiring from hockey, she is building on this with a master's in international sport management at the Global Institute of Sport. This innovative programme was recently ranked by SportBusiness as the 35th best postgraduate course in the world.

Find out more about the Global Institute of Sport.

Anush Agarwalla (India)

As the first ever dressage rider to represent India at the Olympics, Anush Agarwalla is breaking boundaries. The equestrian won gold in the team event at the 2022 Asian Games, in addition to individual bronze. Having moved from Kolkata to Germany to train aged 17, his commitment is bearing fruit.

While in Germany, Agarwalla enrolled on a business management degree at Paderborn University. Balancing this with his sporting commitments was a challenge, but the long days of riding horses and studying courses were worth it. He believes that his Olympic qualification will inspire future generations, helping them "believe it is not impossible to achieve their dreams".

If you'd like to follow a similar path, take a look at our top reasons to study business.

Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia)

After winning a bronze and then a silver medal at the last two Olympics, veteran cyclist Azizulhasni has another shot at gold in Paris. Competing in the keirin discipline, he is the only Malaysian to have won an Olympic cycling medal, and the only one to become a world champion. These achievements have earned the so-called Pocket Rocketman huge recognition, including in the form of national honours and awards.

Outside of sport, Azizulhasni is a graduate of Australia's Victoria University. Appropriately, he completed an undergraduate degree in exercise science, specialising in kinesiology. Even more impressively, he was the first ever non-Australian to be given the university's Full Blue award in recognition of his sporting achievements.

Inspired to take a similar track? Get off to a flying start with our reasons to study sports science.

Samantha Catantan (Philippines)

The first fencer to represent the Philippines at the Olympics in more than 30 years, Samantha Catantan is ready to make strides and strike in Paris. Only two other people have competed for the country in the sport at the Games, but she is the first woman. Already, she has championship pedigree: in 2021, she won gold in the women's foil event at the Southeast Asian Games.

After completing high school in Manila, Catantan moved to study in the USA. There, she recently completed an undergraduate degree in accounting at Penn State University, where she also captains the fencing team. Following her graduation, she has been accepted to study a master's in the same subject at the same institution.

If that adds up to the kind of study abroad experience you would like, read our guide to accounting degrees.

Muhammad Shafiq (Pakistan)

While he will not be attending the Paris Olympics as an athlete, Muhammad Shafiq does take up an important role for the Pakistan team. As chef de mission, he is the man in charge of the country's entire delegation. It is a role for which he is well qualified, both as the long-standing president of the Pakistan Handball Federation, and as a distinguished middle-distance runner.

Shafiq's academic qualifications are similarly diverse. In his home country, he has studied at three different universities, earning postgraduate degrees in sociology and physical education. It was in Germany, however, that he became an international student. There, he completed a course in sports training at the University of Mainz.

Discover what you could find in the heart of Europe with our reasons to study in Germany.

Alex Shah (Nepal)

Freestyle swimmer Alex Shah is representing his country at an Olympics for the second time in Paris, having previously appeared at the last Games in Tokyo. Although he failed to qualify from his 100m heat, he did set a national record in the process, aged just 18. Three years on, he is ready to face the challenge again, having cut more than a second off his personal best.

When he is not taking on the world in his sport, Shah is a psychology student at Fordham University in New York City. He says that specialising in mental health has helped him improve both in and out of the pool, having been apprehensive about arriving at university as an Olympian. "I’m not as stressed as I used to be," he told Fordham's student newspaper, "due to the support and relationships with the team I've built and am thankful for here.”

If that sounds good to you, dive into the best universities for psychology in the USA.

Edwin Kurgat (Kenya)

Few countries are better known for their runners than Kenya, making Edwin Kurgat just one of many to represent it on the world stage. Although he is not among the favourites to win the men's 5000m race in Paris, he does have experience of victory. In 2019, he won the NCAA Division I cross-country championship, meaning that he was one of the fastest students in America.

The academic athlete achieved this while completing an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering at Iowa State University. Having arrived on a sports scholarship, he was soon able to combine his lifelong passions of running and machines. Since graduating, he has remained with his university, working as an assistant cross-country coach.

Thinking about how to fund your study abroad? Explore our list of top scholarships for international students in the USA.

Abdul-Rasheed Saminu (Ghana)

This year has already been busy for Abdul-Rasheed Saminu. In addition to taking relay gold for Ghana at the African Championships in Athletics, he has reached the cusp of an achievement sought by all male 100m runners: breaking the famous 10-second barrier. Impressively, his personal best of 10.02 seconds was achieved on the same day as his best for the 200m (20.12 seconds).

The dual success came at the NCAA Division I Championships, where he represented the University of South Florida. Reaching that stage was the product of a lot of hard work. After leaving Ghana for the USA, Saminu first had to complete an associate degree at Florida Memorial University. Reflecting on his childhood in the Ghanaian countryside, he says that "nobody ever thought I could make it out of that tiny village and make it to this level".

Still want more inspiration? Try our list of top reasons to study abroad. You could also take our advice on choosing where to study abroad, or discover our top subjects for international students. Alternatively, you can start searching for courses around the world with our simple search tool. You never know where it could lead.