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Find opportunities that are right for you to continue your education outside your home country.
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© 2025 Freedom Degree
Freedom Degree, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. © 2025 | Powered by Strapi
Apr 13, 2025
A reminder that there is always a chance to change everything for the better and start over in a new place
Valeria Chyzh, a citizen of Belarus, studied at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH) in Moscow. After participating in an anti-war protests in Moscow, she was subsequently detained for ten days at the notorious Sakharovo Detention Centre for emigrants. Fearing extradition to Belarus, where she could face problems related to her participation in political protests in 2020, she decided not to wait for the worst consequences and left Russia. Later she found out that Russian authorities had banned her from entering the country for 45 years.
Valeria attempted to obtain her bachelor's degree through distance learning in Russia while also searching for options to study in another country. However, she was not given the opportunity to defend her thesis in a Russian university.
– Despite having dual citizenship, I found it challenging to receive assistance from Belarusian projects that help students, since I hadn't studied at a Belarusian university," she says. "Eventually, I was recommended to apply to Freedom Degree for help.
I remember sitting in a coffee shop and talking to the Freedom Degree Director. At that point, I had lost hope of obtaining my bachelor's degree and it seemed like I would have to end my academic career. However, I received support and encouragement, and we started working on my problem."
Valeria is currently a student of political science at Vilnius University: "My area of interest lies at the intersection of political science and urban studies. I'm interested in studying the sociology of the city, the sociology of urban government, and local communities. For my thesis I'm researching social cohesion in urban studies, particularly in urban communities, using Kosovo as an example."
Valeria has noticed a significant difference in the quality of education between her Russian university and Vilnius University. She enjoyed her studies in Moscow, but she finds her experience at Vilnius University to be more fulfilling and pleasant. For the first time, she has had an open and positive interaction with research advisers who have read her thesis. Her thesis was carefully studied, and she received valuable advice, despite the fact that Valeria was the only one who presented her project in English.
She notes a fundamental difference in the way this process was organized at Vilnius University compared to her Russian university:
– I recall my time at the Russian State University for the Humanities, when we had to defend our coursework or submit it for evaluation to a third party. Usually, they would only give it a cursory glance and provide very general feedback, almost as if they didn't care. During the defense, it seemed like nobody really took the time to read our work, despite the fact that we had spent months working on it, which was quite disheartening."
Valeria considers it important that her new classmates are seriously engaged in educational activities. She has noticed a significant difference in students’ level of dedication. Furthermore, there is also a notable difference in the percentage of students who attend university with a clear purpose, versus those who attend just for the sake of it. Valeria recalls her time in Moscow, where many students would attend university solely to avoid military service or because their parents had instructed them to do so.
Valeria is a person with ambitious plans for the future: "I wish to bridge the gap between the Academy and the world of applied politics. Additionally, I aspire to assist students who find themselves in difficult situations. I want to redirect somehow the resources that I accumulated with Freedom Degree, including emotional support, guidance, and care to this. I am grateful that Freedom Degree today places such emphasis on bachelor’s students."