My Background

I’m Blendi, a master's student at CERGE-EI Prague, and when I was finishing up my bachelor’s degree at the University of Prishtina, I faced a choice that many students in Kosovo deal with. I could stay home and either get a master's degree there or start my career immediately, or I could pack my bags and head abroad.

My professors were the ones who really pushed me to look outside. In Kosovo, the education system for economics is quite traditional. It focuses more on the specific characteristics of our local private sector rather than the heavy mathematical and scientific side of the field. They told me that if I wanted a different perspective and deeper knowledge, I needed to see how the rest of the world does it.

Now that I’m finishing my master’s in economic research at CERGE-EI, I can say they were definitely right. Leaving home wasn't just about getting a diploma. It was about filling the gaps in my knowledge and proving to myself that a student from a developing country like mine can hold their own in the international academic world.

Why I Chose the Hard Path

I’ve always been interested in math and science, but I’m also a social person. I want my work to have a real impact on people’s lives. Economics felt like the perfect bridge between those two worlds. Especially in a country like Kosovo, we need people who understand the data but also know how to communicate and contribute to society.

I knew early on that I wanted to be in academia. I worked a bit in the private sector, but I never felt like I could achieve my best there. To make a real contribution, especially in the age of AI, a bachelor’s degree simply isn't enough anymore. I needed to learn how to actually do research, something I hadn't fully mastered back home.

Navigating the Application Maze

Applying for a master’s while finishing your undergraduate studies is a lot of work. The biggest challenge for me was the lack of connections. When you come from a new university in a developing country, many international institutions haven't heard of your school and I had to figure out how to bridge that gap.

I reached out to people from my department who had already gone abroad. They helped me polish my CV and told me which professors to ask for recommendation letters. I ended up asking about ten different professors for letters so I could choose the strongest ones for each application.

I also spent months preparing for the IELTS exam. Everyone in Kosovo speaks a bit of English, but taking a standardized academic test is different. I started the whole process in September of my final year of bachelor's and didn’t stop until everything was submitted.

The Reality of Funding and Choice

I’ll be honest, the UK was my first choice because of its reputation and the language. I got accepted to the programs I applied for there, but the financial part was a huge hurdle. The scholarships available for Kosovar students are often limited or have very specific requirements about work experience that I haven't met yet because I was still in school.

That is how I ended up in Prague. My institution, CERGE-EI, was incredibly accessible. During the time that I applied, they didn't have admission fees, and the program itself is tuition-free. My family helps me with my accommodation costs, which are much more manageable here than in London. It was a practical decision that allowed me to keep moving forward without taking a gap year.

Bridging the Academic Gap

The transition from Kosovo to Prague was a wake-up call. In my bachelor’s, we touched on statistics and econometrics, but we didn’t dig deep. When I got here, I had to work twice as hard to catch up. I spent my first year just trying to connect with the students from the Czech Republic and other places.

But the beautiful thing is that you do converge. By my second year, I felt like I was on the same level, maybe even a bit ahead in some areas. The learning here is very independent. Professors give you a deadline and leave you to it. You have to have the discipline to reach out to them and the courage to ask questions.

My Advice to Students Back Home

If you are a student in Kosovo or beyond thinking about going abroad, my best advice is simple. Just do it. Don’t overthink whether you are qualified enough. We are all humans. There is no biological difference between a student from Kosovo and a student from the US or China. If they can do it, you can too.

I also recommend doing an Erasmus exchange if you can. It proves to future universities that you can adapt to a different environment. And once you get abroad, don't just stay in your room studying. Go out and meet people. Those conversations and different perspectives are just as important as the books you read.

My goal has always stayed the same. I want to finish my PhD and eventually go back to Kosovo. I want to take what I’ve learned about causal inference and public policy and apply it there. Whether it’s through teaching or working with research institutes, I want to help make our public policies more effective. It’s been a long journey from Gjilan to Prague, but every challenge has been worth it.