Université de Bretagne-Occidentale I Master Art, Lettres, Civilisations I Study in France

Name: Yuliya

From: Kazakhstan, Karaganda

Studied in: France, Brest

Studies start: 2018

Grade: Master (M1)

Program: Master Art, Lettres, Civilisations

University: Université de Bretagne-Occidentale

Program satisfaction rate: 4/5

Internship: –

Job: –

🎓 Application

How did you learn about this program?

One day I simply got acquainted with Campus France, and it all started from there…

Why did you decide to enrol in this program?

I was interested in a field where I could continue my research in social media and linguistics. This university has professors working on media discourse. Also, when applying, I was looking for a program in both English and French. At this university, it was possible.

What was your application experience?

I went through the Campus France procedure; nothing difficult came my way except translating my documents (they were in Russian and Kazakh).

What level of English is required to enter this program?

C1. Usually, certificates are required, but my Bachelor’s diploma as a teacher of English with an A grade and my Master’s diploma in Linguistics were considered sufficient.

What level of French is required to enter this program?

Usually C1, but in my case, for the English-French program, I was accepted with level B2.

💡 Your impressions from your study abroad experience

What are your general impressions about this program?

In general, I liked studying in the first year of university, and it even exceeded my expectations in some way. The university is small, professors are open to communication, and I got along well with classmates from the start. There was a lot of academic work, but that was exactly what I expected, since I want to continue to a doctorate.

What was the major program value for you?

They conducted many methodological sessions with us, career guidance seminars, and a teachers’ competition.

What did you like about this program?

Communication with professors and researchers, participation in international conferences. Plus, classes were held in two languages, which helped me improve my French during the year.

And what didn’t you like?

Too much independent work without control. This relaxed me a bit, and I spent the end of the second semester rushing to submit “leftover” assignments.

What is the hardest part of studying abroad?

Supporting yourself financially when you are already too old to depend on your parents 😁. I had to combine online work as a teacher with my studies.

Is this experience different from your experience at your country’s university? If yes, how?

I have already graduated from two universities: Bachelor’s in 2014 in Kazakhstan and Master’s in 2016 in Saint Petersburg. Compared to my previous universities, in Brest I was given more freedom, more choice of materials, and more personal contact with professors.

How did your typical day look like?

We studied about 3 days a week in the afternoon, so I didn’t have to wake up early. In my free time, I taught English via Skype, taught Russian to a French woman at her home, and by the end of the year, I found a job teaching Russian at the organization Les amis de la langue russe. I often met with classmates, and on Fridays went to Russian meetups in one of Brest’s bars.

📌 Useful resources

If you had questions or issues (studies, language, administration, careers, integration etc), where did you get help/advice?

Google or my Russian acquaintances in Brest. We built a nice community and helped each other with small things when possible.

Did you contact other students with a similar experience?

I often communicated with Russian students in Brest, sharing useful tips.

Was their experience helpful?

Yes.

Could you recommend websites which might help study abroad?

Campus France for sure, and I think StudyQA – they offer many educational programs.

💰 Finance

What was the cost of your program? How did you finance your studies?

€243 + CVEC €90. I worked part-time during this academic year, and my boyfriend (French) partially helped me.

🏠 Accommodation

What was your accommodation experience?

I was very lucky. I first found accommodation through Airbnb. About a week later, I signed a rental contract for a room with the landlady – everything was quick and without difficulties. Later, when we decided to live together with my boyfriend, he handled all the paperwork for the apartment, and I only had to sign the contract.

How much did you pay for living per month during your studies?

From €700 to €1000, depending on the level of expenses.

🚀 Career opportunities

Did you do an internship during your studies? How did you find it?

Not yet – I am supposed to do it in 2020.

Did your university help you in this process?

We had career guidance classes where we were given all sources and recommendations for finding internships and jobs.

What was the field of your internship? If you don’t mind please share the remuneration you got.

I am more of a researcher, studying social media discourse and how British bloggers present themselves from a sociolinguistic point of view.

Did you find a job after graduation?

I can’t answer this yet, since I found my job as a Russian language teacher at an organization by chance. I hope to find a full-time permanent job after graduating.

🌏 Your future plans

What are your plans?

I plan to apply for a doctorate and take the teaching competition for English/Russian to continue teaching at a university.

Do you plan to stay in the country?

Yes.

What do you like about France? And what not?

I like everything, especially the lifestyle and daily routine. There is nothing I strongly dislike. I was very lucky with the people around me, my job, and my university.

Could you give a piece of advice to future students?

Do not be afraid and be active.

Date: Agust 2019