Emīlija Ārmane (Latvia)

PROGRAMME: Bachelor's in Business Administration
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Latvian, Russian (intermediate).

Why did you choose to study this programme?

I study Business Administration, but it was quite the journey to reach my decision about where I want to study. In high school, I was in the "engineering bracket," and I realised right then that I didn't want to be associated with physics in the future. But I really enjoyed maths. After a long consideration, I realised that economics was something I would like to pursue in the future. While researching what to study, I stumbled upon the Business Administration programme and realised it combines economics, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship in one place. This sparked my interest because, throughout my studies, I could learn all these aspects and figure out which one fits me best. So far, my favorite subjects have been "Statistical and Econometric Methods" and "Business Communication". I realised that besides finance-related subjects, I also enjoy management and working with people towards a shared goal. Future-wise, I am still not entirely sure which direction to pursue in my career path. Throughout my studies, I want to identify my strengths and weaknesses in the Business sector and determine where I fit best. I'm positioned to use analytical skills while working with people, for example, in management or finance. I will complete my practical training in these fields to identify areas for self-improvement.

Why Estonia?

When I decided to study Business Administration, I was looking for universities in my home country, Latvia. I realised that I wanted to have the international student experience while still being close to home so I could visit frequently. I went to the "Skola2025" school fair and talked to the representatives, and the University of Tartu seemed like a very welcoming and impressive school. The University of Tartu sparked my interest not only because of its distance but also because of its ranking. The University of Tartu is the best one in the Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia). Also, there are not too many students in each year (in my year there are around 30 students), which means that you get more individual attention from the lecturer and you are encouraged to ask questions to learn subjects in depth. Then I came to Tartu for a visit and saw how truly beautiful, clean, and safe this city is. After all, I fell in love with the city and the university itself and set my mind to study here.