Erasmus+ Master’s Loan: Xavier Casas

When Xavi Casas completed his bachelor degree in the field of electrical engineering in his hometown of Barcelona, he felt that a postgraduate degree had to be the next step. “It’s very important to pursue a Masters degree both for the knowledge but also if you want to have better chances to get a good job” he explains.

Xavi had spent a semester at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm on an Erasmus exchange during his bachelor degree and was very keen to return for a Masters programme. “They have a different approach to learning. The education system is more flexible and interactive and overall very attractive to me.”

In August 2016, Xavi returned to Stockholm to start his postgraduate degree in wireless systems, looking specifically at the way signals are processed and transmitted in areas like telecommunications, audio-visual multimedia, medicine or in security and tracking devices.

However, taking the step to study abroad would not have been possible without financial support: “I think I would have had to work to finance my studies. That’s not ideal, because it prevents you from focussing on your studies. Most likely, it would have meant that I would have stayed at home.”

Xavi was, however, able to secure a loan from Microbank, backed by EIF under the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, that allowed him to cover his expenses and pursue his studies. The EU’s Erasmus+ Master’s Loan Guarantee Facility aims to increase access to finance in order to enable students to take a Master's Degree in another country, as a contribution to tackling skills gaps in Europe.

For Xavi, this is the first step before launching into either a PhD, or getting a job in the medical or audio-visual sectors, which are the areas that interest him most. In the meantime however, he is focussing on his studies and enjoying Stockholm, including learning the Swedish language: “It’s a great opportunity to appreciate cultural differences, to get to know the other students from all over the world, and of course the local population in Stockholm who are very warm and welcoming. It definitely changes your attitude. It’s like a shift in your mentality, making you less afraid of living and working abroad.”

University: KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden)

Studies: M.Sc. in Wireless Systems

EIF financing: Erasmus+ Master’s LGF

Financial intermediary: Microbank

For further information about EIF intermediaries in Sweden, please refer to: http://www.eif.org/what_we_do/where/se/index.htm