Meet Raimot Mayegun, a graduate of the University of Padua in Italy, who turned an unexpected twist in her academic journey into a life-changing opportunity. In this conversation, Raimot opens up about her experience studying in Italy, from navigating language barriers and adjusting to cultural surprises to discovering funding opportunities and practical tips for future international students.
What inspired you to go and study in Italy?
Okay, if I'm being honest here, Italy wasn't the first choice or part of the plan initially. It just came up along the way, because when I actually wanted to start this journey, I wanted to go to the US, and I've been applying for it since 2019, even before I graduated from undergrad. Luckily, I was able to secure admission and funding in the USA at the time, but when COVID hit, something terrible happened.
The professors just stopped replying to me, and up to now, I don't know what happened, since he used to be very responsive. I didn't know; maybe it affected him more. So he stopped replying, and I had to start all over again because getting an advisor for a US school is important. And getting one and losing it at the end of the day really hits me hard. I felt like I've been doing this for years, and maybe I should try other schools.
And one thing about me is that I Google a lot —like, I used to Google everything. So one day I was just randomly looking for schools that offered my course, and I was lucky enough to come across the University of Padova. I went through the requirements right away, and I was like, "Oh my god, I think I'm a great fit for this course.”
What were some of the steps that you had to take to get there?
Actually, I didn't even decide at that point. I just decided to give it a try because I was bent on getting something that actually has funding. I knew there was no way I could actually study without funding. I went through the school website to look for a scholarship that can actually help me. The school considers everybody who actually applied, but the student with the highest academic achievement would be awarded. So I just applied and was hoping to get in because it used to be given to just 15,000 students worldwide.
I received admission after 5 weeks of applying, and the scholarship dates were fast approaching. I was patiently waiting till that time. One morning, I woke up to the email before I even got to the website, and noticed that it had been published.
Did you have any information on the cost of living in Italy?
Actually, before I got there, I didn't have all the information, but now I do. What I'll just say is that, when it comes to cheaper options, I feel the tuition fees in Italy are almost the same in the North and the South. The southern region, like Sicily, is cheaper to live in than the north, like Bologna, Rome, and Milan, because they are big, big cities.
If you're in a small city, the cost of living might be low, but the job market might be tight, especially for English-speaking jobs, because most people there are locals who speak only Italian.
How did you cope with the language?
Honestly, it is quite challenging. Yes, courses have been taught in English; your professor speaks English, and your colleagues, the international students, do as well. But communicating in the community is very serious because before you can even say you want to bring your phone to use your Google Translate, the person you have left. But we have friendly and patient people here.
What was the greatest culture shock you had in Italy?
I had a lot. I think the paper is about bureaucracy, but that's normal. The one that really, really shocked me the most was shops closing for midday. It's not like that in Nigeria. When we opened at 8 a.m., everybody closed maybe 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. But they valued their lunch time. So, around 12 pm, shops were closed. It was so difficult sometimes.
What is something that was a budget surprise for you?
In this process, for me, there wasn't any then. But right now, the proof of fund is something people really need to know.
Italy is very cheap. You might not even have to pay tuition fees, but you still need to provide proof of funds if you don't have a a scholarship. There are different scholarships in Italy. We have the Merit-Based Scholarship, the Regional Scholarship, and the MESI Scholarship, which I spoke about recently.
But if you have a scholarship, you don't really need to do much to provide proof of funds. Maybe just provide flight money and a little money for your living costs when you arrive.
Let's talk about part-time work.
Okay, yeah, that's another challenging thing. Yes, many people used to tell you in their videos that there are jobs. Yes, there are jobs, but if I'm being honest, it might not happen immediately.
You need a valid permit to work. But let's even leave that one aside; there are some jobs available to international students who speak English. But they are not really much compared to people who can actually speak Italian. So that's still boiled down to the language. One thing I just want to mention is that jobs available to people who can actually speak English might include stockkeeping, delivery, restaurant work, and odd jobs.
You've been to Germany, what is the difference compared to Italy?
Germany's economy is actually better than Italy's. It's not that they don't have their bureaucracy or language barrier. One good thing is that if you are in a big city like Berlin, you might not even know that you are in Germany.
The first time I was in Germany, I felt like I was not in a part of Europe because from the train station, everybody was saying, "Oh, do you need help? Can I help you?” It really felt strange, and I felt a little bit relaxed and at home, kind of because they speak English.
How can you find affordable schools in Italy?
Okay, the first thing is to look for schools, and it's not about saying cheap schools in Italy. You can use www.universitaly.it to find the ideal school. Review the course requirements and prepare your resume in the European format. Some schools ask for a recommendation letter and English proficiency tests, such as IELTS. The application phase mainly starts from November to around June.
What's the best advice that you would give to somebody interested in studying in Europe?
I'll say that the opportunity and work might not be as fast-paced as maybe the UK or the US. But one thing is that there are opportunities in Italy. I'll just advise people to try networking when they get there. There are many opportunities you will not find on social media.
Attend class and be active because there are some opportunities that, when they come, come through your professors. The moment it comes, they will have to, like, channel it to people they know very well.
Can someone apply with an HND?
Yes, maybe a year or two years ago, some schools actually accepted HND. Currently, due to the influx, many schools are not accepting HNDs for master's programs.
Is there an age limit for the BSC program?
Age limit depends. Also, as much as it is not stated on the website, and you might not have a problem with admission, but I strongly believe that over 40 people would not try it. You might get admission, but realistically, you might not get a visa.
For a master's, you must not be older than 28 at the time of application, and for a PhD, you must not be older than 30.
