Hello everyone! My name is Aisulu! Right now I am pursuing my Master's degree in Italy, to be precise in Venice, at Ca’ Foscari University. My major is Language Sciences.

Why I chose Italy

I chose Italy for several reasons, the primary one being that I wanted to see what a foreign university system was like. I have already spent some years studying in South Korea, experimenting with the Asian education system. Additionally, I studied in Kazakhstan, which is the Soviet Union system. I was wondering what it would feel like to study in Europe. That is the reason I decided to choose between some European countries to get a master’s degree. The second reason would be that Italy is a country that provides a lot of scholarships and great financial aid for students, particularly those from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. I thought if they provide scholarships, I am going to apply and see if they are going to accept me and give me some grants.

My stats

Undergraduate GPA – 3.9/4
IELTS – 7.5

The application process for my program

Application details for my program: https://www.unive.it/pag/25587/

It was about three years ago, so the process might have changed a little bit. Initially, I applied for a merit-based scholarship, awarded to students with significant academic accomplishments. Then, I wrote my motivational letter and asked for recommendation letters from my undergraduate professors. At Ca’ Foscari University, like many Italian universities, they have a dedicated website for application. Following that, I submitted all required documents for the university’s admission process.

After getting accepted by the university and enrolling in my program, I became eligible to apply for scholarships, a common procedure for many scholarships in Italy. Among these is the DSU scholarship. My first year was funded by a merit-based scholarship, and in my second year, I received a DSU scholarship. The DSU scholarship covers the full tuition and the pocket money of 6,500 EUR per year. Talking about merit-based scholarship, when I applied for it, it was awarded for just one year. However, I believe that now this scholarship is granted for two years.

My reasons for pursuing a Master's degree

To be honest, I decided to pursue a master’s degree because I wanted to be a student and escape that adult lifestyle. However, I also know that a master's degree opens up a plethora of opportunities, including earning more money and building up a successful career in the future. Maybe I wanted to have a lot of ways in which I could develop myself. Therefore, by taking my master's degree, I have the opportunity to become a professor at a university, which is an attractive option for me. Moreover, I wanted to immerse myself in what I am passionate about and gain more knowledge about my field, which is teaching.

Field of study

My areas of study for my bachelor’s and master’s degrees are closely related. I completed my bachelor’s in English education and am pursuing a master’s in language sciences. During my studies in Italy, I specifically focused on English-related courses, such as teaching English, the methodology of teaching English as a second and third language, etc. Basically, both degrees are in the same field. I chose to pursue the same field for my master’s as my bachelor’s primarily because I knew that my chances of both acceptance and winning the scholarships would be higher. This means that I already have some knowledge in the field, and I am intentionally aiming to advance my career within this specific area by immersing deeper into it.

Why I chose Ca' Foscari University

While researching European universities that offer my major, I discovered that Ca’ Foscari University is the best institution in Italy for language studies, including English, Italian, German, and others. Considering this, I decided that if I were to pursue a degree, it should be from one of the top universities, leading me to choose Ca’ Foscari University. Additionally, all my classes were in English. I had the opportunity to learn and take Italian language classes during my study twice a week.

Graduate internship

An internship at my university is a requirement for graduation. Students are required to work for at least 150 hours. There is also a document of attendance where they need to mark how many hours we worked and on what day. This document is signed by the intern and the head of the company. Students can find an internship themselves. However, the internship agreement should be sent and fixed in the university portal so that their university’s tutor approves it. Since I was in Kazakhstan at that time, I was interning here. I found an educational center where I worked remotely. Thus, I sent the internship agreement, and my university accepted it. When getting an internship, there are several stages. The first stage is sending the agreement to the university. The second stage is the signing of three contracts. The first two contracts remain with the student and the internship company; the third one is sent to the university. The third stage is completing an internship and a document of attendance. The fourth stage is answering the questions in the questionnaire.

Work experience for the master’s program

Having work experience can boost your chances of getting a scholarship, but it is not a requirement to enter university. In my case, I have had work experience as an English teacher since 2017 and as a freelancer.

Tips for CV

The first thing I want to mention is that it is necessary to include in your CV new details that have not been mentioned in your application, motivational letter, or any of the recommendations from your professors. It needs to present new aspects of you. Secondly, ensure that the information you include is closely aligned with the goals of the university. I recommend scrutinizing the university's website, particularly the section related to your program, and then reading between the lines and identifying the main objectives and concepts that your university or your field wants to promote. Integrate these insights into your CV, linking them to your own experience and mindset.