Oriol, an international student from Spain

For Oriol Bozal, studying abroad was never just about academics. Originally from Spain, the 23-year-old combines his Master’s in Business Economics at the University of Antwerp with playing elite field hockey in Belgium for Herakles HC.

Before moving to Antwerp, Oriol studied Business Administration at Universitat Pompeu Fabra while playing hockey at a high level in Spain. He played for Junior FC in Barcelona and represented the Spanish national teams from U16 to U21.

"During the last year of my bachelor’s degree, I decided that I wanted to go abroad and keep investing in both my hockey career and my studies.

I had always seen Belgium as a good opportunity, especially for hockey. I started looking for international programmes and that is how I came across UAntwerp. The Master’s in Business Economics offered a broad range of courses and majors that really suited what I was looking for.”

Hockey played a major role in that decision.

“Without hockey, I probably would not have considered moving so far away from home. Since I was a kid, I always wanted to experience what it was like to play in another country."

At the same time, hockey also helped him adapt to life abroad.

“Hockey takes up almost 50% of my time, so it keeps me busy, helps me disconnect, and allows me to meet new people. Through hockey, I have many Belgian friends who have already shown me many parts of Antwerp.”

Besides the international environment, Oriol also appreciates the flexibility of the programme itself.

“The programme is great because the majors really go deeply into specific topics, while the common courses are also very interesting. I also like that you can combine attending classes in person with following some lectures online. Especially in my case, if one day I have training or something unexpected related to hockey, I know I can catch up with classes later."

Alongside his studies, Oriol also chose to complete an internship project.

"When I saw that there was the possibility to do an internship project, I thought it was an excellent opportunity to add professional experience to my CV. I spoke with my hockey club to see if they could help me, and thanks to their strong network, I managed to find a really interesting internship. It has helped me continue developing new skills and professional experience in a completely new sector."

Looking back on his experience so far, one of his favourite memories has been meeting other international students in Antwerp.

“Last year, I met a group of Spanish Erasmus students and we became really close. They even came to watch many of my hockey games. After the season finished, we kept seeing each other, studying together, and even travelling together. As an international student, meeting people who speak your language really makes you feel more at home.

From a sporting perspective, the best moment is actually happening right now. We have had a very good season with Herakles, and with the league almost coming to an end, we still have a chance to reach the playoffs and compete for the league title.”

And both academically and personally, Oriol feels Antwerp has a lot to offer.

“Antwerp is an amazing city, full of things to discover. I would definitely recommend international students to explore the city and meet people from different cultures and nationalities.”

For future students considering the programme, he has one important piece of advice:

“Take the time to really explore all the majors and courses before making your choice. There is so much variety that it is easy to miss something you might actually be very interested in."