Arina, our expert on higher education, herself went through the path of a foreign master’s student. Read how Arina took IELTS and chose a program, prepared documents and looked for a scholarship, passed the admissions committee and joined the international student community.

In 2017, one of my friends suddenly packed his suitcase and flew to the USA for retraining courses in order to stay and work in this country in the future. To my question, “Was it possible to do this?”, he answered that it was also possible not to do so, and told me about the possibilities of higher education abroad.

At that time, I already had a bachelor’s degree in service and tourism, received in Russia, well-forgotten English and about five years of experience in volunteering and working in the restaurant and tourism business.

About choosing programs, collecting documents and “registration” at a copy center

After looking at the cost of studying at universities and the average cost of living abroad, I calculated that I would have to save my salary for at least the next 10 years to afford studying abroad. I didn’t really like this situation and I began to look for programs that could potentially provide students with full funding that covers absolutely all expenses. Time flew inexorably, deadlines were pressing, and I settled on the following scholarship programs that offered the best possible funding:

Turkey State Scholarship

Scholarship program in Australia (currently discontinued)

Hungarian State Scholarship

Erasmus Mundus programs

Master’s degree at Central European University

The list of documents required to apply was fairly standard. However, for each program there was always something to be completed, refilled and signed – so I became a regular customer at the local copy center, copying and scanning countless documents. For almost all programs I needed:

— translation of certificates and university diplomas;

— language certificate;

— two letters of recommendation;

– academic resume;

— motivation letters;

— additional essay for funding.

About IELTS preparation and impostor syndrome

Preparing for the English language test is one of the most time-consuming and expensive stages of admission. I chose the IELTS Academic test and prepared for it for nine months: first in full-time group courses, then on my own.

Advice : choose the most effective format for preparing for the test, which will show the result specifically for you. Also, determine the category that is most difficult for you, and place special emphasis on it when preparing – admissions committees pay attention not only to the overall score for the test, but also to the results of each category. Many Russian-speaking students consider writing the most difficult part of the test, so pay attention to it. To prepare well for the writing section, I recommend taking several individual lessons with a teacher to get feedback and improve your writing skills.

Dreams of studying and living abroad were periodically interrupted by the fear that I had gotten involved in this adventure in vain, and not a single university would accept me. It often seemed to me that my profile was not strong enough – average grades, no international achievements, and my English was also far from ideal.

Advice : start working on your profile as early as possible. Try to understand the background of students who are accepted into your chosen program, and work on what you are missing at the moment. This could be additional courses, volunteering, conferences and much more.

About interviews with the admissions committee, anxiety and bad internet

After submitting all applications in December-January, I received an invitation to an online interview with Central European University in early March. The university promised an informal friendly conversation, an introduction to the teaching staff and a conversation about my background and motivation. Today, looking at the vast experience of interviewing my students, I can confidently say that this style of online interview is practiced in many universities. You shouldn’t expect interrogation, tricky questions or anything terrible, but you definitely should carefully prepare for an online meeting.

Advice : re-read the information about the university and the chosen program in advance, go through your resume and motivation letter again. Also prepare some questions for the interviewer. Lack of questions is not always a positive factor; it often shows the student’s disinterest in learning. That is why come up with 2-3 questions – it would be appropriate to ask about the course load, about the educational approach to the program, about group projects, about extracurricular activities.

My interview was exciting – I was worried about my English, imperfect background and the Internet, which was also worried and decided to reduce the speed to a minimum. However, I managed to get together and answer all the questions from the university representatives, talk about my interest in the chosen program and ask questions to the university.

About the Australian million and the April Fool’s offer

The second half of March was a complete disappointment: my application for government scholarships in Turkey and Australia was not approved. My application for a government scholarship to Hungary was rejected for technical reasons, because in my haste and inexperience I forgot to send important documents.

Advice : if you are applying to several universities at the same time, systematize all the information about deadlines and necessary documents so as not to miss anything. Be sure to adhere to the deadlines set by universities – applications sent after the deadline are in most cases not considered. If you are scared, worried and need help, then LinguaTrip has complete support for applying to a foreign university.

My study abroad was already waving its foreign hand at me, and then I received a call from the University of Melbourne in Australia. An admissions officer asked whether I had been approved for a state scholarship and, upon learning of the refusal, offered to enroll in a university on a general basis. All the documents were already ready and a week later I received an offer with a 50% discount on training. It was incredibly nice, but I couldn’t cover the rest of the expenses on my own. After calling the university, I rejected the offer for financial reasons and a week later received a new offer with revised funding. The university offered a 70% discount on tuition and a small grant for other expenses. Taking into account the new offer, I only had to find a little more than a million rubles to cover the remaining expenses. I didn’t have that amount and had to say goodbye to Australia, dreams of Melbourne and the desire to make friends with local giant spiders.

Advice : communicate with the university admissions committee both before and after receiving an offer. Contacting a university helps clarify unclear points, get answers to pressing questions, and sometimes request a review of already allocated funding.

On the evening of April 1st, I received a letter from Central European University about enrollment in a Master’s program in cultural heritage with funding that will cover studies, accommodation, insurance and a small monthly stipend. The university offered a great opportunity to study for free on campuses in two different countries – Hungary and Austria. The offer seemed very tempting, despite the fact that I knew nothing about Hungary and, in my excitement, forgot what language they spoke in Austria. All evening I was plagued by thoughts that the offer sent on April 1st could be someone’s joke. Later, after calling the university, I accepted the offer, which turned out to be real, and everything was decided – I was going to study in Europe.

About student visa and relocation

Getting a great offer from a university is half the battle on your way to studying abroad. The next important step for all international students is obtaining a visa and preparing for the move.

Advice : Universities often hold webinars for foreign students on how to apply for a student visa, taking into account the specifics of a particular country – such events are highly recommended to attend. The second important resource where you should look for up-to-date information on student visas is the consulate of the university country in your country. If you want to assess your chances of obtaining a visa, then come to us for a visa consultation , where we will analyze your case together.

I needed to get a Hungarian visa, since my studies began in this country. The package of documents was standard: an internal and international passport, a completed application form, a couple of photographs, documents confirming accommodation and insurance, as well as a bank account statement with an amount sufficient to cover all expenses. My offer from the university covered insurance and the cost of study, and also provided accommodation and a scholarship – so I didn’t need some of the documents. Additionally, I attached a bank statement in my name with several thousand euros, just in case. In addition to submitting documents, I had an interview with the consul in English, where I was asked about the program I was admitted to, why I wanted to study there and how I planned to cover my expenses abroad – my offer with full funding turned out to be very useful here. A couple of days later I received a letter approving my application, and a little later they sent me a passport with a visa.

Planning the move was hectic, as you had to do everything in a couple of months: quit your job, pack your bags, throw a farewell party with friends and enjoy your last days in your homeland. At the end of August, I was already sitting on the Moscow-Budapest plane, thinking that all everyday and bureaucratic problems were behind me, and only carefree student days lay ahead.

About the first days at university and the Georgian-Madagascar party

Even before arriving in Hungary, my university began helping foreign students with adaptation: everyone regularly received letters with introductory materials about the university and the beginning of their studies, life hacks about living in Budapest and student life abroad in general. The university also created a group on social media. networks so that students can meet in absentia, find their future classmates and communicate.

In the first days of study there were many introductory tours of the campus, familiarization with the technical and research capabilities of the university, as well as several informal parties where everyone could get to know each other and make friends. Additionally, each program held individual department meetings – meetings with professors and the program coordinator, where students were helped to create an effective schedule and deal with additional issues.

Central European University is a university whose core value is the international community of teachers and students. For many years now people from more than a hundred countries have been studying and working here.

There were 11 people in my group and all the guys were from different countries. Since I lived in a student dormitory, my social circle grew every day: from breakfast with students from Colombia to going to the local gym with guys from France and Iran. One Friday, going down to the hostel garden, I found myself at a spontaneously organized party with guys from more than ten countries, where I was taught the art of Georgian toasts and introduced to a future lawyer from Madagascar.

About studying and the professor’s office with a dog

The workload in my program was quite high: we went to lectures five times a week with 2-3 classes a day. In addition to classes, we were given a lot of material for independent study, there were individual and group projects for which everyone prepared in their free time from lectures, and the university constantly offered additional meetings with visiting professors and other student events that we always wanted to go to.

My graduate program has always emphasized academic writing and oral presentation of student projects. Thanks to this, all students improved their communication skills, academic English and public speaking skills. We also always had the opportunity to contact professors in individual consultations and analyze material that was not entirely clear. For example, our academic English professor held consultations in his office, where he often brought his dog. Perhaps that is why all animal lovers knew the subject perfectly and succeeded in Academic English Writing.

The classes themselves were interactive and useful: we discussed modern scientific articles, analyzed practical examples, and often visited relevant companies and organizations that could be future potential employers.

About free time, student vibes in Europe and life with a master’s degree

Despite the busy schedule of the master’s program, students always have free time, which many spend on travel and entertainment. Since my master’s program took place in two different countries, two years of study in central Europe opened up a lot of opportunities for budget travel. My classmates and I have always taken advantage of current discounts for students to attend cultural and entertainment events. After all, when you are a student, getting a free ticket to the Vienna Opera, going to an art exhibition, or going to another city for a festival for a couple of euros is a reality.

Two years of student life were super busy, productive and varied: I received a grant for an internship in a Hungarian company, volunteered as an English teacher for students from low-income families, worked as an assistant professor, studied online due to the pandemic, made friends from different countries and received a diploma Honours.

Even in my first year, I started helping kids prepare for and enter foreign universities. Over time, this grew into a professional interest and I ended up on the LinguaTrip team, where I help future students get into the universities of their dreams. Every day, my students and I choose universities together, work on documents for admission and submit applications. The coolest moments at work are when my students receive offers from universities thanks to our joint efforts. It is always incredibly pleasant to know that the lives of my students will soon change dramatically with the start of their studies abroad.

Almost all of my friends stayed in Europe from their studies: some began to build a career, while others continued their studies in doctoral programs. Some guys returned home and received great offers from leading companies, and some students moved to the USA and Canada to get a doctorate. One way or another, studying abroad turned out to be an important moment in life for each of us, allowing us to achieve our goals and gain an unforgettable experience.

Advice : develop a clear plan for preparing for admission and stick to it. Remember that the main stages on the path to admission to a foreign master’s program are:

1. Choose high-quality programs

2. Pass the necessary tests

3. Collect a set of necessary documents

4. Submit your online application on time

5. Pass an interview with the admissions committee

6. Receive an offer and apply for a student visa