My name is Meruert, I am from Kazakhstan, and I live in Astana. I have a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, and when I was getting my first education, I was also offered fields like marketing and management within Business Administration. However, at that time, I decided that the best foundational choice would be finance and accounting.

Now, after gaining 10 years of work experience, I thought, why not continue expanding my knowledge in this field? That’s why I chose to specialize in Marketing and Digital Communication. These skills will help me grow not only as an entrepreneur but also in employment.

I am studying in Rome at LUMSA University, located 5 minutes from the Vatican. This is the best place for studying that I could have chosen. Here, I can acquire advanced knowledge while enjoying the beauty, rich history, and culture of the city. This city has centuries of history, and studying in such an atmosphere brings special pleasure.

I saw an advertisement for studying in Italy on the elevator screen in my residential complex. It constantly talked about the possibility of free education in Italy. Interested in the advertisement, I began gathering information and consulting with different agencies that I found on Instagram. I liked the ApplyItaly agency the most because the responses from manager Lamia were very clear and trustworthy. So, I decided to try collecting the documents and go through all the steps as recommended.

After receiving pre-enrollment and applying for a visa, I still couldn't fully believe that a positive outcome was possible. I was very happy to receive the visa, although the embassy processed the application for a long time. I quickly packed and flew to Rome. Studying abroad was a bit scary, as it was a new experience for me, especially 10 years after graduating with my bachelor’s degree. I was also worried about the upcoming exams, as I had missed almost a month of classes due to the visa delay. But Lamia’s words, telling me I would manage, were truly comforting.

Now, having finished my first semester, I received good marks in my first exams. There are many people from different countries at our faculty: there are students from CIS countries, China, India, Turkey, and also Italians themselves. Thanks to ApplyItaly for such a wonderful opportunity to gain experience and education in this beautiful place.