Last Updated on June 30, 2025
“Describe a person who inspired you to study abroad” is a popular IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card. In this guide, you’ll find four Band 7–9 sample answers, topic-specific vocabulary, follow-up Part 3 questions, and a detailed breakdown of how to approach this cue card with clarity and structure.
This topic tests your storytelling ability, your use of past and present tenses, and your capacity to reflect on how someone’s actions or words shaped your academic or career choices.
Learn how to answer “Describe a person who inspired you to study abroad” with sample answers, Band 9 vocabulary, key expressions, follow-up questions, and topic strategy.
Cue Card Topic Breakdown
You will have:
- 1 minute to prepare
- 1–2 minutes to speak
Describe a person who inspired you to study abroad
You should say:
- Who this person is
- How you know them
- What they said or did
- How they influenced your decision
- And explain how you felt about their influence
Why This Cue Card Matters
This cue card helps examiners assess your ability to:
- Talk fluently about personal influences and motivation
- Use a range of verb tenses and transitions
- Reflect on inspiration, ambition, and career choices
- Structure your answer into a beginning, influence, and impact
Study in Canada: Describe a Person Who Inspired You to Study Abroad
Who is the person?
My cousin Riya, who completed her MBA in Canada, was the one who inspired me.
How do you know them?
We’ve grown up together, and she’s like an older sister to me.
What did she do or say?
After she returned from Canada, she shared stories about her international experience—meeting people from different cultures, gaining real-world exposure, and becoming independent.
How did it influence you?
Her transformation and success planted the idea in my mind. I started researching universities and eventually applied abroad because I wanted a similar growth journey.
How did you feel about it?
I felt excited and determined. Her journey became the blueprint for mine.
A Teacher Who Encouraged Me: Describe a Person Who Inspired You to Study Abroad
Who is that person?
My high school teacher of English, Mr. Das.
And how do you know them?
He was my teacher and tutored me in three years, and never ceased to persuade me to think in broad terms.
What did he say or do?
He saw that I was interested, and at one point he said to me, I should be on a larger stage. He even assisted me with my first Statement of Purpose.
In what way did he affect your choice?
His confidence in me allowed me to apply abroad. It is after this that I began actively researching universities and scholarships.
What was your impression of his influence?
It was liberating. He inspired me to believe that I could accomplish more than I had imagined.
A Senior from My College: Describe a Person Who Inspired You to Study Abroad
Who was it?
A senior named Arjun who went to Germany for a Master’s in Data Science.
How do you know him?
We worked together on a tech project during my second year of college.
What did he say or do?
He spoke about the academic freedom, research opportunities, and global exposure he received. He even walked me through the entire application process.
What was the impact?
His guidance made the idea seem achievable. He showed me that someone from my background could make it abroad.
How did you feel about it?
I felt reassured. His story motivated me to take action and step out of my comfort zone.
My Father: Describe a Person Who Inspired You to Study Abroad
Who inspired you?
My father, who always valued global education, was my biggest motivator.
How do you know them?
Well, he’s my dad and someone I deeply admire.
What did he do or say?
He used to say, “Knowledge grows when you leave your bubble.” He also shared articles and encouraged me to attend international webinars.
How did that affect your choice?
He planted the idea early and kept nudging me. When I got an offer letter from a UK university, he was the first person I told.
How did you feel about it?
Grateful. He believed in me even before I believed in myself.
Follow-Up Questions (IELTS Part 3): Describe a Person Who Inspired You to Study Abroad
What is the reason that people study abroad?
In order to get international exposure, get more education and gain better career opportunities.
Who are the people who typically affect these large decisions?
Those that can be the most influential are family members, teachers, mentors or peers that have lived abroad.
Does it happen all the time that students in your country study abroad?
Yes and more especially now. The student population views studying abroad as an opportunity to expand one horizon and gateway to world-class opportunities.
What is the common family response to such decisions?
Reactions vary. On the one hand, some families are supportive and on the other hand, some families fear finances or safety.
Do you believe that social media does affect the study abroad choices?
Absolutely. Very frequently, the students can be motivated when they look at the experiences of other people through Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.
Vocabulary to Use for This Cue Card
| Word/Phrase | Meaning | Example Sentence |
| Role model | Someone you admire and try to emulate | My cousin became my role model for studying abroad. |
| Global perspective | A broad worldview | He encouraged me to develop a global perspective. |
| Motivating factor | Something that drives you to act | Her success story was the key motivating factor. |
| Inspired me to take the leap | Encouraged to make a bold decision | His journey inspired me to take the leap of studying overseas. |
| Shaped my mindset | Influenced the way I think | My teacher’s advice shaped my mindset toward international goals. |
| Personal growth | Improvement of oneself | I saw how studying abroad led to her personal growth. |
| Pushed me out of my comfort zone | Made me try something new | His advice pushed me out of my comfort zone. |
| Eye-opening | Surprising or enlightening | Her experience was eye-opening for me. |
| Gave me direction | Helped me understand what path to take | His mentorship gave me direction. |
| Sparked my ambition | Triggered the desire to achieve something big | That moment sparked my ambition to study abroad. |
Related Topics for IELTS Practice
- Describe an important day in your life
- Describe a Difficult Decision You Made
- Describe a Historical Building You Have Been To
- Describe an Item of Clothing Someone Gave You
- Describe a Place You Would Like to Live in the Future
- Describe an Old Person Who Has Had an Interesting Life
- Describe a Place in Your City Where You Can See Wildlife
Summary of Key Points
| Section | Key Points |
| Cue Card Breakdown | Centers around influence, motivation, and life decisions |
| Sample Answers | Covers family, teachers, seniors, and personal stories |
| Vocabulary Bank | Focuses on growth, influence, and action words |
| Follow-Up Questions | Explores social, academic, and emotional dimensions |
| Related Topics | Linked to ambition, change, and personal development |
Final thoughts on the IELTS topic “Describe a Person Who Inspired You to Study Abroad”
This IELTS cue card provides you with the opportunity to present your dreams, emotional background, and personal experience. A concise reply of who you were inspired by, what they did, and whether or not it influenced your decision can really make an impression. Be descriptive in words and authentic in feeling. The secret is to make your answer sound personal, real, and inspiring, just like the individual that you discuss.
FAQs
How do you describe a person who inspires you?
Describe their qualities, actions, or experiences that impacted your thinking or direction. Focus on how their words or achievements motivated you.
What to say about a person who inspires you?
Mention what they did, how they made you feel, and the specific ways they influenced your goals. Use clear examples and reflect on their lasting impact.
What kind of people do you like to study or work with?
I enjoy working with people who are proactive, collaborative, and curious. Such individuals bring energy to a team and motivate others through their example.
As a dynamic social media content strategist and storyteller, Bhaskarjyoti blends creativity with data-driven precision to turn aspirations into action. With a keen understanding of what today’s students seek, he has redefined how study-abroad dreams are communicated, combining global trends with grounded Indian values. He also works across student guides, scholarship explainers, university deep-dives, and thought pieces, making study-abroad content both insightful and accessible. Always curious, always evolving – he believes that great content is not just about reach, but about impact. And that the right story, told the right way, can change a life.
