Go for the international experience! Studying abroad will change the way you see life! Maria Jose Ferreira
My best advice
Go for it! Studying abroad will give you a broader view of the world. Denmark is a great destination to choose for studying; you will get an international degree and at VIA, you will get hands-on experience too. But don't forget to bring very warm clothes!
Why did you choose VIA University College?
The teaching here is very hands-on, project orientated and often includes an internship, which gives the students great experience to put on their CVs, before we have even finished our studies. This makes it easier to find a student job, but also to get a job right after your studies are completed.
My biggest experience
When I started studying at VIA, I did not know how to program, but at the end of my first semester, I was able to program a reservation system for transportation successfully. This experience allowed me to have part-time jobs using my IT skills right after the first semester.
Why Denmark?
Because Denmark has one of the best educational systems in the world. I also like the Danish culture; they use a lot of technology. Another thing I like about the Danish culture is that they have balance between their work and personal lives and an informal tone between managers and employees.
My greatest challenges
In Denmark:
Being away from my family and living alone for the first time was challenging in the beginning, but in a matter of a few days, I made friends from all over the world. I also met people already living here and they showed me around Horsens and campus. This way, I always had someone to talk to and share experiences with so I didn't have to worry about living alone anymore.
At VIA:
At school, I am challenged every day and every semester when we do our semester project. In the beginning, you are not sure if you are able to come up with a solution, but then you work with your team and ask for support and guidance from the lecturers. In the end, you are just proud to have gone from having no knowledge about a problem to actually being able to come up with a solution to it. Some of my projects have been to make a reservation system for a transportation company, software for an ATM machine and a data warehousing system (curriculum before 2021).