My international study exchange experience in Epitech Barcelona – Interview with Leonardo

As a Production Engineering student, I was introduced to coding in Python and C++, and right from the start I got a taste for it. When I first heard about Epitech I thought it was the perfect school for me to improve my coding skills. But after just one semester at Epitech, I realized that not only do I have the ability to assimilate a lot of knowledge, but also the certainty that I am fully capable of becoming an IT expert. Furthermore, studying at Epitech offered me a huge potential to develop my innovative spirit, as I was constantly surrounded by brilliant people.

About Leonardo

Leonardo Fonseca is 20 years old, and he was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he lived his whole life. He started his education at the British School where he learned English and then he continued his studies at Colégio Santo Inácio, graduating in 2019. Currently, Leonardo is a student at PUC Rio (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro) concluding his 5^th semester in Production Engineering. In the fall semester of 2022, he decided to come study in Epitech Barcelona following an exchange program of one year. Leonardo enjoyed very much his time spent in Epitech and in the city of Barcelona and he happily agreed to share his experience with us. Below we can find his full testimony:

Why did you choose to study in Epitech? 

I made the decision to follow a study exchange program in a computer science university, because I wanted to improve my programming skills, which I think are one of the most valuable skills to have nowadays in the working market. As a Production Engineering student, I was introduced to coding in Python and C++, and right from the start I got a taste for it. When I first heard about Epitech I thought it was the perfect school for me to improve my coding skills. But after just one semester at Epitech, I realized that not only do I have the ability to assimilate a lot of knowledge, but also the certainty that I am fully capable of becoming an IT expert. Furthermore, studying at Epitech offered me a huge potential to develop my innovative spirit, as I was constantly surrounded by brilliant people.

What are the biggest differences between education in your home university and Epitech’ learning methodologies?

There are many differences, but the most important one is that at Epitech, students are given a lot of autonomy. We are assigned a variety of projects to work on, and we choose the pace that suits us best. Moreover, at Epitech we don’t have professors or lectures, so I think it’s much more practical this way, because we are immersed in an environment that aims to replicate a typical professional environment; and this will be very useful when we enter the job market.

What did you enjoy the most during your study exchange in Epitech?

What I appreciated most during my time at Epitech was the development I acquired in such a short time. I didn’t think is possible to learn so much in such a short time. But, after a lot of hard work, the results are very satisfying; and this gives me confidence that everything is possible. The key is just motivation and perseverance.

What are your favourite things to do in Barcelona?

Barcelona is an amazing city. There are stunning beaches, buzzing nightlife, wondrous architecture, and culture as beautiful as the city’s surrounding landscapes. As I was always passionate about sports, I had to learn to combine study with fun. So, my favorite thing to do here is discovering the city through skating in the streets. I also enjoyed going to the mountains for some sightseeing and meeting new people.

If you could give some advice to our future international students who will study in Epitech, what would that be?

The most important advice I could give to future international students is to totally embrace the challenge of studying in Epitech because it is worth. At first it may seem really hard, even impossible; but try to push it really hard during the C Pool to learn the fundamentals and then start to manage better your time. You’ll see that hard work will give the results you’re expecting. Also, for me, it was very important to have a deep cultural experience, apart from the study experience, so try to make new friends and meet locals to have an immersive cultural experience and discover the authentic life of people in Barcelona.