Background

I'm Olsa, a master’s degree student, and when I was a little kid, I used to dream about living in Barcelona. It didn’t start with academia or career goals; it started with football. I was a huge FC Barcelona fan, and that city held a special kind of magic for me. But as I grew up and found my path in economics, that childhood dream turned into a very real academic mission.

Today, I’m 21 years old and currently finishing my Master’s degree at the Barcelona School of Economics (BSE). Getting here from Kosovo wasn't just about luck. It was about a very specific plan I started building during my undergraduate years at the University of Pristina.

Finding My Path in the Numbers

My journey into economics actually started in high school back in Gjilan. I was in a natural sciences program, but I took an elective in economics. We only had one hour a week, but the way it was taught changed everything for me. Instead of just memorizing facts, we had to write essays. I found myself looking forward to those assignments. I loved the way you could use scientific methods to understand the world.

From the moment I started my Bachelor’s degree in Kosovo, I knew I wanted to go abroad for my Master’s. I wanted the challenge of a new environment and the chance to learn from the best in the field. I kept my eyes on the goal from day one.

Navigating the Application Process

When it came time to apply, I was actually quite nervous. I’m not the most social person, so I didn’t have a huge network of people who had studied abroad to ask for advice. I spent a lot of time on Google, feeling a bit insecure. I kept asking myself if my CV was enough or if I’d just get rejected immediately.

I eventually chose BSE because, while it's a newer institution, it’s affiliated with Universitat Pompeu Fabra and ranks as one of the top places in Europe for economics and finance. It felt like the perfect bridge between my childhood dream city and my professional goals.

If you’re a student thinking about this path, my biggest piece of advice is to start early. I took the TOEFL in December of my final year of my bachelor’s, but I started preparing months before that. You don’t want to be fighting with English proficiency tests while you’re trying to write your Bachelor’s thesis.

Another huge factor was my GPA. People say grades don't define you, and maybe they don't, but when you're coming from a smaller university like the University of Pristina, a high GPA is what makes you stand out. It proves you can handle the intensity.

Balancing Research and Intensive Studies

The jump from a Bachelor’s to a Master’s was a shock. My program is only one year long, which means the pace is incredible. I have four to six hours of lectures every single day, followed by endless assignments.

One thing that was very new to me was the focus on teamwork. In my Bachelor’s, I did a lot of individual work. Here, everything is a group project. It can be hard to coordinate everyone's schedules, but it forces you to talk to people and collaborate, which has been a great growth experience for me since I tend to be more reserved.

Parallel to my studies, I’ve been working as a research assistant. I actually started a similar position back in Kosovo during my final year of undergrad. I found the position on LinkedIn, applied, and eventually got promoted.

Now, I work on research projects and co-author policy briefs. It’s the perfect fit for me because I’ve always known I don’t want to work in a bank. I love the scientific side of economics. Working as a research assistant allows me to stay in that world of academic and non-academic research, which is exactly where I want to be.

Lessons from the Journey

The hardest adjustment wasn't the math; it was the solitude. I’m a big family person, and being alone in a new country is mentally challenging. I arrived one day after orientation, so everyone had already formed groups. I felt a bit like I was in the corner by myself at first.

There’s also a language barrier. I speak a bit of Spanish, but dealing with official documentation in a foreign language makes you feel a bit unseen sometimes. But these challenges are part of the growth.

Looking ahead, I plan to return to Kosovo as soon as I finish in July 2026. I want to take everything I’ve learned here and bring it back to our universities. I want to help students realize that you don't have to be shy. Speak up in class, get to know your professors, and don't feel like you aren't "good enough" just because you are from a small country.

Some of the professors I had in Kosovo were just as good as the ones I have in Barcelona. The only difference is the focus on certain technical skills like programming in R or Python. If you want to follow this path, focus on your math and your coding. Don't be afraid to stand out. If I can make it from Gjilan to one of the top economics schools in Europe, you can too.