“Be active and put effort into student life”

Why did you choose Stockholm University?

I had been working for a few years when I felt I wanted to progress by studying a master’s degree. I read about the community of entrepreneurship in Stockholm, so originally I chose Sweden because I wanted to start a company. Additionally, I wanted to see something very different to Brazil and I had read that Stockholm University was a good school. 

What did you like about studying in Stockholm? 

The student life in Stockholm is very interesting and offers many opportunities to engage in different activities outside the classroom. For example, I volunteered as a coordinator in a language cafe once per week to help other students practice Portuguese, I went to the student pub Bojan, and participated in different activities on campus. I also worked as an exchange ambassador after spending an exchange semester in Rome, giving presentations about my Erasmus experience, and receiving new students at the airport in Stockholm. I think participating as much as possible in the academic life outside of the classroom was one thing that helped me adapt to Sweden. Stockholm is very nice, but people may not be as open and communicative as in other countries. You need to put a bit of effort into it. 

Regarding the lectures, I really liked the setup. We had a lot of group discussions, viewing different perspectives on the same topic. There was no single-minded way of seeing things. We weren’t just supposed to memorise concepts, but be able to discuss and apply what we learned to reality. It seems to be the bread-and-butter of Sweden to discuss things.

What possibilities did your studies open up for you?

I think an international experience gives you different ways of thinking. I hadn’t experienced that before. I got to meet people from all over the world during my studies.

Professionally, it was hard applying for jobs as a non-Swedish speaker, but my degree was crucial in getting the job I have today. If I move back to Brazil one day, I know it will be easier for me to get a good job thanks to my master’s programme.

What are your plans for the future?

I originally had a plan to stay in Europe for five years. I’m no longer thinking of starting my own company, but since I have a permanent position at Electrolux and I like my job, everybody’s so nice and I have friends here, I have no plans of leaving Sweden. 

Read more about the master's programmes at Stockholm Business School

Read more about the language cafes at Språkstudion