“International education became an achievable goal”: Prep School participant Melaniia’s story

In this series, we share the stories of people involved in the Marta Kostyuk Foundation’s programmes. This time, we introduce 15-year-old Melaniia, a participant in Prep School, a Foundation programme that helps young tennis players prepare to apply to schools abroad and combine education with sport.

Melaniia is in Year 11 at school, plays tennis, volunteers, takes part in youth initiatives and is interested in urban planning and photography. This year, she won gold at the national stage of GENIUS Olympiad 2026 and represented Ukraine at the international stage of the competition in New York State, USA.

Her project focused on the flooded village of Bakota. Through photography, Melaniia told the story of a place that disappeared beneath the water. The international stage of the competition brought together more than 1,200 participants from over 75 countries.

Another important step in her academic year was taking part in Prep School. After completing the programme, Melaniia successfully passed the selection process for Ukraine Global Scholars, a programme she had previously applied to.

Tennis that opens up new opportunities

Melaniia’s mother took her to her first tennis lesson when she was six. Tennis has been an important part of her life ever since. There was a period when she trained less frequently, but she later returned to the sport with a more conscious approach.

What she enjoys most about tennis is the feeling of complete concentration: “When I’m playing, I’m completely immersed in the game. I think only about the next shot and what’s happening on court at that very moment. All other thoughts disappear, and my attention is entirely focused on the game.”

Melaniia likes how tennis constantly encourages her to improve, whether through technique, endurance or mental resilience. Among Ukrainian tennis players, she is particularly inspired by Marta Kostyuk, whose story, in Melaniia’s view, shows the opportunities that hard work and self-belief can create.

Around a year ago, Melaniia learnt about the educational opportunities offered by the Marta Kostyuk Foundation. It was then that she first began to consider how tennis might help her achieve another goal: studying abroad.

From her first attempt to Prep School

Before joining Prep School, Melaniia had already applied to Ukraine Global Scholars. That experience helped her identify the areas she needed to improve before trying again: academic English, SAT preparation, essay writing and interviews.

Prep School gave her the opportunity to work on all these areas. Equally important was meeting other young tennis players from across Ukraine who also hoped to study abroad.

I was very attracted by the opportunity to become part of a community of motivated tennis players from all over Ukraine. I wanted to meet people who were also interested in tennis and wanted to study abroad.

Melaniia considers the comprehensive admissions preparation the most valuable part of the programme. The SAT sessions helped her better understand the structure of the test, while working on essays, applications and interviews taught her to present her own experiences with greater confidence.

Her perception of what she could achieve also changed: “The programme significantly changed how I see my own possibilities. It helped me realise that international education and admission to schools or universities abroad are achievable goals rather than something out of reach.”

Melaniia also came to understand that a successful application depends on more than high academic results. Being able to tell your own story honestly and meaningfully matters too.

More than one goal

Today, Melaniia combines preparation for further education with tennis, volunteering and youth projects. Finding time for everything can be challenging, especially as she approaches the end of school, but the experience is helping her become more organised and responsible.

She does not want to give up sport for the sake of education: “For me, being able to combine sport and education means developing in a balanced way. I don’t want to choose just one, because each of these areas complements the other.”

In the future, Melaniia plans to pursue education and a career in urban planning. She is interested in creating comfortable, accessible spaces and finding solutions for rebuilding Ukrainian cities. She hopes to use the knowledge and experience she gains abroad to benefit Ukraine.

Among the moments from Prep School that have stayed with her most, Melaniia recalls Marta Kostyuk’s words:

There are no highs without lows. After all, a winner isn’t someone who has never lost, but someone who has tried one more time.