Felipe Nuno from the USA: "LLU Faculty of Economics and Social Development met all my requirements"
The number of foreign students at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LLU) is growing every year. Each from their own country, with different motivations and expectations from studying in Latvia. One of them is Felipe Nuno from California, who has travelled a long way from the United States to Latvia, has just started his studies at the Faculty of Economics and Social Development (ESAF) of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies and is a first-year student. Although he is not the first US citizen to study at a university, this choice of study place often surprises everyone.
"I have always been very interested in economics, accounting and marketing. I researched universities in Europe online, which offer access to internationally recognized and high-quality economics education, and it was important to be able to start my studies in the spring semester. LLU ESAF met all these requirements,” says Felipe.
Felipe has been interested in the Baltic States for a long time, so in time that he is studying in Latvia, he also plans to see the neighbour countries, as well as learn about Latvian culture, architecture and history to better understand the country he has chosen to call home for the next four years.
The first impressions when talking about life in Jelgava are positive. Felipe likes life in Jelgava because people are responsive, despite the language barrier. It has the charm of a small town and one of the biggest bonuses is the short distance between the faculties and the service hotel.
The biggest surprise for Felipe is the study exchange program "Erasmus +", because nothing like that is available to students in the USA. Speaking about the biggest differences between studies in Latvia and the USA, he says that the structure of lectures differs significantly. In Latvia, the teaching staff is more focused on the student individually, which is positive, because the student develops greater understanding, has the opportunity to ask questions and participate more fully in the study process.
During his studies, Felipe plans to take the opportunity to obtain a double bachelor's degree while studying last year at the University of Dronten in the Netherlands, with which the LLU ESAF has concluded a cooperation agreement. After graduating, Felipe plans to return to the United States, where he wants to start his own business in the future.