Don't know what you want to be yet? You don't need to have all the answers right now. Choosing a career doesn't start with a job title. It starts with you – what interests you, what you're good at and what you'd like to do in the future. On this page you'll find practical tips, talks and free tools that help you get to know yourself, choose a study program and choose a country – step by step. And if you get stuck, KastuGPT – the free Kastu AI assistant – is available 24/7.
What can you do right now?
Every new activity shows you more about what you like and what suits you. Here are a few steps you can take while you're still in school:
- Join after-school activities – sports, art, music or volunteering. You'll discover your strengths and gain experience that will be useful later.
- Build your teamwork skills – join clubs, student groups or community activities.
- Improve your English – you'll need it for studies taught in English. The better your English, the easier it is to study and settle into an international environment.
- Don't be afraid to try new things – sign up for a summer camp or a project and see what you enjoy.
Questions to ask yourself
Not sure which career or field of study to choose? Start with these four questions:
- What interests me? – think about what motivates you, inspires you and makes you curious.
- What am I good at? – think about which activities come naturally to you and which skills you'd like to develop further.
- What would I like to do in the future? – imagine the kind of environment you'd like to work in and the kind of people you'd like to work with.
- Who can help me? – talk to your parents, friends and teachers, try KastuGPT career guidance or take a career test.
Talks that help you think about your career
Each talk is 11–15 minutes long. Watch them to learn more about yourself, compare your options and plan your future with more confidence.
Videos by TED and TEDx Talks (YouTube). Speakers' views are their own.
How to choose a study program
If you already know which direction interests you but feel lost among all the options, here are some tips:
- Read the program description – make sure the program teaches what you want to learn. You'll find every program description in the Kastu study search.
- Compare universities – look at the study environment, student reviews and activities outside class.
- Check for internships – see whether the program includes internships or projects with real companies.
- Plan your budget – you'll find tuition fees, living costs and how much students usually earn on the Finances page. Tips on finding a student job are on the Work while studying page.
- Check the requirements – read the program description on kastu.eu and the official university page of the program. The university page is always the most reliable source for grade requirements and deadlines.
What can I do with my degree? (Prospects, UK)
Not sure where a field of study leads? Prospects describes more than 130 degree subjects, from accounting to zoology. For each subject, it shows the jobs graduates typically do, the skills you gain and related careers. Prospects is run by Jisc, a UK non-profit.
- Language: English
- Price: free
- Good to know: job examples and salaries are for the UK. Use the tool to see which careers a subject can lead to.
How to choose a country
With one free Kastu application form, you can apply to any of the 850+ programs at 50+ partner universities in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland and Sweden. When choosing a country, think about:
- Your finances – tuition fees and living costs differ from country to country.
- Working while studying – check the rules for student jobs in each country and what options you have.
- Language and culture – think about which country's culture or language you'd like to get to know better.
- The education system – find out how studies are organized in each country. How much hands-on practice is there? How much do you study on your own? How do universities teach?
Get to know each country on Kastu: Study in Denmark, Study in the Netherlands, Study in Belgium, Study in Finland and Study in Sweden.
Compare the five countries with official EU sources
Two official EU websites describe each country in the same way, so you can compare the five countries side by side. Study in Europe (European Commission) covers tuition fees, living costs, the education system and student life. EURES (European Labour Authority) describes everyday life, income, housing and the job market. Use EURES to see what life and work could look like after you graduate.
- Denmark – Study in Europe: country profile, EURES: living and working conditions
- The Netherlands – Study in Europe: country profile, EURES: living and working conditions
- Belgium – Study in Europe: country profile, EURES: living and working conditions
- Finland – Study in Europe: country profile, EURES: living and working conditions
- Sweden – Study in Europe: country profile, EURES: living and working conditions
Both websites are free and in English, and you don't need an account.
Still not sure? Ask KastuGPT
KastuGPT is the Kastu AI assistant. It helps you understand your strengths and interests, see possible career paths and find study programs that match them. It's available anytime and completely free – like everything at Kastu.
Know what you want to study?
Then you're ready for the next step. Choose 2–5 programs in the Kastu study search and apply to all of them with one free application form – it takes about 20 minutes. The Kastu team reviews your documents and your application before sending it to the universities. Applying through Kastu is completely free.
