“I obtained my diploma in just one year!”
At the age of eighteen, Jovania (21) moved from Angola to Belgium. Over the past few years, she has worked hard on her future and is now studying Accounting Administration at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences.
Starting from scratch
“The first time I saw traffic signs here and noticed how long the words were, I thought: what kind of language is this? So complex! Dutch is really not easy.”
Through the integration programme, Jovania found her way to Crescendo CVO. She followed one year of Dutch as a second language and then continued with an intensive Dutch programme at LBC. After two years of intensive language courses, she took the next step: obtaining her secondary education diploma at Crescendo CVO.
“I was very motivated, and getting a diploma felt really important. The team in Secondary Education is excellent. I could ask anything, and I always did my best to be on time for classes.”
“I attended classes every day and managed to obtain my diploma in just one year. I graduated in June 2025, and in September I started the Accounting Administration programme at Thomas More in Mechelen.”
Language coaching as support
“Following classes in Dutch in higher education is quite challenging. Everything moves so fast: following slides, listening, taking notes, etc. There are many technical terms. Professional communication is also demanding, because everything has to be written correctly. But I do my best and try to make as few mistakes as possible.”
“I told my inclusion coordinator that I am a non-native speaker. I received a list of different options and chose language coaching because it could help me further. During the sessions, you discuss how you want to improve your Dutch and then work on it. It is very interactive, and you never work alone.”
“It really helped me refresh my knowledge of Dutch verb forms.”
A clear future
With strong motivation and discipline, she works every day on her future.
“I now want to fully focus on my studies. I would like to obtain a bachelor’s degree. It will be difficult, but I am a persevering person. After my studies, I would like to work in accounting.”
Would you like to know how language coaching can support you in your personal learning path? Visit https://crescendo-cvo.be/nl/opleidingen/nederlands-voor-anderstaligen-nt2/nederlands/mechelen/extra-oefenen/taalcoaching-voor-studenten-thomas-more-79313