
Areson Cuevas
IESE Business School (Spain)
Why did you choose to study in the EU?
My journey in getting my MBA started when I attended an MBA Fair in Makati, Philippines. At that time, I was looking to get a Master’s degree outside the Philippines to get a feel of what it was like to be living in an unfamiliar place. My criteria were: 1) must be a top 10 school globally, 2) offers a 2-year MBA program, 3) must be in a non-English speaking country, and 4) in a location that offers a familiar yet exciting culture.
I ended up applying and getting accepted to my 1st priority, which was IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. I finished my Masters in Business Administration (MBA, bilingual) in 2014.
How was your experience? Highlights?
It was the best 2 years of my life, to say the least. I was on a shoestring budget as I didn’t have any scholarship from any private or public institution, so I had to always make sure that I make ends meet. Despite living on a tight budget, I was able to travel to around 10 EU countries by mastering the art of booking cheap flights! Travelling around Europe is cheap if you know your way around.
But in the end, the highlight of course was when I finished my MBA which gave me a lot of employment opportunities both in the EU and in the Philippines.
Why should others choose EU for higher education?
It’s a leap of faith. If your heart tells you that EU is where you want to be, then follow your dreams and you will never look back.