Origins

Moving to Ireland was a significant step in my life.
This is how it all began…

I am originally from Orlová, a small town in the Czech Republic, where my education journey started at the age of 6 in the school „ZŠ U Kapličky“. 5 years later, I passed the entrance exam for the 8-year gymnasium, where I was able to truly develop my knowledge and way of thinking.

Aspiring for Ireland

A year before the graduation, I was determined to study in Ireland. I knew this could become expensive and I wouldn’t be able afford it. That’s why I applied for a grant from the Czech foundation “The Kellner Family Foundation”. With some academic achievements, I earned an interview invitation and subsequently secured funding.

Around the same time, I successfully passed the Cambridge B2 First examination with Grade A and CEFR Level C1. Additionaly, I performed well in Czech national comparative exams (SCIO) in mathematics, used for Czech universities admission and with the result of 95 percentile, I had a backup plan.

The Road to the University of Limerick

After that there was just the graduation. Which was important to me, as the application system in Ireland is solely leaving certificate grades based. Although navigating the Irish admissions process was challenging, I managed to get the acceptance letter to the wonderful University of Limerick.

I felt fortunate to be there, and I still do. Just 10 days before the flight, I had no idea I would get accepted (It’s remarkable how late Irish people get to know, whether they were accepted or not).

Picture of me in front of the UL Sport Arena

“If I were to think of something I wouldn’t want to live without, it would be passion. Not fearing to get excited about something and pursuing it is one of the most important philosophies I try to follow. To high school students contemplating studying abroad, I would say: Do not be afraid to take a step into the unknown. You’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish when you don’t let fear stop you.

- Translation of the last paragraph I wrote in Czech for my scholar-webpage on TKFF website: