IUE Graduate Ezgi Su Accepted to Master’s Program at KU Leuven

Ezgi Su Duygulu, a 2024 graduate of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting at İzmir University of Economics, will begin her master’s degree in English Linguistics and Literature at KU Leuven, one of Europe’s most respected universities. During her undergraduate studies, she received solid training in translation and developed her language skills in Italian and Spanish. As she prepares to embark on this new academic chapter abroad, Ezgi shares her journey and the motivations behind her decision.

“During my time studying English Translation and Interpreting at İzmir University of Economics, I already knew that I wanted to pursue a master’s degree abroad.

Earlier, after graduating from a Francophone high school, I had been accepted into the Chemistry program at the University of Strasbourg for undergraduate study. But after spending around six months there, I realized I wasn’t quite ready for that experience and decided to return to Turkey. Following the national university entrance exams, I enrolled at İzmir University of Economics in the English Translation and Interpreting program. This was a conscious decision, I had always known it was the field I truly wanted to study. Over the course of my four-year degree, I came to understand again and again just how right that choice was.

In the year following my graduation, I started researching potential universities and decided to apply to the English Linguistics and Literature master’s program at KU Leuven—a university well known in its field and now recognized as one of Europe’s Ivy League institutions. KU Leuven’s strong academic reputation played a key role in my decision, along with its location in Belgium and the multicultural learning environment it provides. I was already fluent in French, and having taken Italian and Spanish courses during my undergraduate studies, I felt confident that I could adapt well to this setting when I submitted my application.

Given the nature of both the program I completed and the one I’m now pursuing, I’ve always believed that engaging with people from diverse cultures contributes greatly to one’s personal and intellectual growth. For that reason, I couldn’t think of a better place to be than the heart of Europe.

The application process went very smoothly on my end. Even though the master’s program isn’t a direct continuation of my undergraduate major, I’m convinced that the interdisciplinary training and open academic atmosphere at my university played a significant role in my acceptance to KU Leuven.

Looking ahead, I hope to continue with a PhD in linguistics and build a career in this field.”