A Creative Journey with Yana Vekshyna
Alumni Spotlight
Berlin International is delighted to feature Yana Vekshyna, an alumna whose design journey has taken her from Eastern Europe to Berlin’s vibrant creative scene. With experiences spanning graphic design, event management, and marketing, Yana shares her insights on freelancing, collaboration, and the unexpected directions her creative path has taken.
1. You’ve worked with an impressive list of clients, from festivals and magazines to airlines and tech companies. How did you first begin building those connections, and what strategies helped you land such diverse projects?
“In the beginning it was definitely personal connections and word of mouth. When I was just starting, over 10 years ago, graphic design in Eastern Europe was only on the rise. So if you told anyone that you can do something in Photoshop and Illustrator, you would definitely land a project or two. The outcomes were more than questionable, but it was a chance to build up a portfolio and learn.
Later on, the Internet helped promote the works, but even now 90% of requests still come from networking. However, when clients do find you through Behance or Instagram, you are more likely to land a project in your personal style, since people come for a particular aesthetic they saw in your portfolio.”
2. You’ve worked internationally, but was there a specific project, connection, or opportunity that first helped you break into Berlin’s design scene?
“Absolutely! The opportunity's name is Ben Wittner, our former professor and the owner of Eps51 design studio. He has helped me a lot through the studies, internship, and later with the publication of my book. Professor Tibus has also introduced me to my first Berlin clients, with whom I collaborate to this day. I think our university provides superb networking opportunities. You just have to grab them by the tail.
Publishing a book has also definitely opened up a lot of doors for me. I get invited to talks, conferences, universities, where I get a chance to meet hundreds of colleagues from different countries and spheres of design.”
3. You’ve also worked in event management and marketing earlier in your career. Do these experiences influence the way you approach creative projects today?
“I think design is such a broad discipline, that the more knowledge in different fields you possess, the richer your practice becomes. Having a degree in Marketing and Business Administration definitely helps with the organizational part of the job. I have no problem managing projects, negotiating, and talking in public. It also helps to assess the projects from a commercial standpoint.
Event management taught me to not be afraid of hands-on work. I am a designer who can drill, mold cement and climb ladders if the project requires that.”
4. Freelancing can be both liberating and challenging. What have been some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned in nearly 10 years of running your own design practice?
“The biggest lesson freelancing has taught me is that I actually like working together with other people, rather than alone. My freelancing phases have mostly been forced due to immigration, maternity leave, epidemics etc. But for me nothing beats the creative flow of collaboration.
I feel knowledgeable enough to work on my own, but getting feedback from designer colleagues, getting inspired and learning from one another is hundreds times more beneficial for my practice. Even physically I feel more energized and motivated surrounded by other people, rather than sitting alone in front of my computer. I am definitely an extrovert.”
5. What are you most excited about for the future of your creative journey? Are there any upcoming projects or directions you’d like to explore next?
“So far my creative journey has been a complete surprise for me. I have ended up in places I never imagined, like publishing a book, teaching, giving talks, doing type design.
Although my book was written for graphic designers, it is so closely related to the field of type design, that it inevitably carries me in this direction. I am constantly doing research in this field, especially in Ukrainian Cyrillic type.
I can get very easily inspired by any random thing, therefore I never know where my ‘double diamond’ is going to lead me. My latest obsession is medieval ornamental typography – let's see what comes out of it!”
Yana’s journey highlights how openness to opportunities, strong networks, and a collaborative spirit can shape a thriving creative career.
Apply for BA Graphic Design & Visual Communication
To meet our admission requirements for the Bachelor degree programs in Architecture and Design, one needs to hold the German Abitur / Fachabitur or equivalent. Any foreign qualification will need to meet the equivalence criteria to these German certificates, which is set by the German Central Office for Foreign Education.
The requirements for equivalence vary from country to country. We have summarized a few of the most frequently asked about education systems:
To confirm whether you meet the requirements to study in Germany, the German Academic Exchange Service provides an English language resource here.
For the original German source, please check the homepage of the Kulturministerkonferenz here.
There are four admission possibilities:
Direct general admission – you are qualified to start undergraduate studies into any subject area.
Direct subject-restricted admission – you are qualified to begin undergraduate studies in the subject area you have previously studied.
Subject restricted admission to a preparatory course/the Feststellungsprüfung (university qualification exam) – you require additional periods of study before you can begin undergraduate studies in Germany, see more information below.
Admission is not possible without additional proof of education – the qualification you hold is not equivalent to a university entrance qualification in Germany. You will need to complete further qualifications to meet the admission requirements.
Preparatory Course / Additional Studies
If you current educational qualficiations do not fully meet the Abitur/ Fachabitur-level in Germany, and you will need a Preparatory Course or additional studies, here are your 2 options:
Option 1: Study time
You can enroll at a university outside of Germany, and complete the first academic year of a bachelor´s degree successfully. In order to meet the admission requirements, the university and program must be fully accredited, you must choose the same or closely related subject you intend to apply for at BI, and you must complete the first academic year with all courses and credits successfully. For some countries, you may need to complete more than 1 academic year.
If you choose this route, you would be welcome to apply as a transfer student into a higher semester. Read more about this in the ‘Transfer students and course acknowledgments’ section.
Option 2: Studienkolleg
A 'Studienkolleg' is a university preparatory course to prepare your for German universities. There are different types of Studienkolleg programs, for architecture and design programs, you would need to choose the 'T' or 'G' course.
German language is required for anyone wanting to study at a Berlin-accredited university after completing the Studienkolleg.Therefore, it is not a typical route for our students.
For more information on Studienkolleg programs, click here.
Please note that Berlin International can only consider applicants who meet the admission requirements for the desired program.
All applicants who meet them will be subject to faculty selection and seat availability per program.
Application closing soon!
The application process for studying Graphic Design & Visual Communication at Berlin International is straightforward. You can simply and safely share your personal information through our online application platform. After receiving a confirmation email with a link, a copy of the following documents can be uploaded:
- Passport
- High school diploma certificate with transcript (German Abitur, Fachabitur, or equivalent). Please also submit an official translation of the diploma and transcript into English or German if they are in another language.
- University certificate with transcript (if applicable). Please also submit an official translation of the diploma and transcript into English or German if they are in another language.
- English language test certificate (CEFR level B2 or above)
- Portfolio PDF with a minimum of 10 works. See the guidelines here.
We are also offering webinars on the topic of ‘Portfolio Advice’ throughout the year. For information on upcoming dates and how to register, please visit our current dates page.
If you have missed a recent webinar, then simply email us, and we will be happy to send you the link to the recording.
For more information, including course acknowledgement and transfer applications, please use the menu item Admission.
Our BA Graphic Design & Visual Communication program is taught in English. We will require proof of your language skills. German knowledge is not required.
If your language skills are at CEFR Level B2 or above, one of the following currently valid language test certificates and scores can be accepted for your application:
- TOEFL ITP: 543
- TOEFL IBT: 74
- IELTS (Academic): 6.0 overall
- Cambridge FCE: B2
- PTE Academic: 59
- Duolingo: 120
- BI internal exam/ BAU 'English Language Proficiency Exam': 60/100
- IB Diploma: English A or B at HL or SL
- German Abitur
The score must be earned within the last two years.
If you have not completed high school in a predominantly English-speaking country (USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand) or a bachelor's degree fully in English, an approved language exam is required in order to qualify for admission.
You are welcome to attend the internal Berlin International language proficiency exam. It will be hosted online, participation is free of charge and can be offered once an application to one of our programs has been made and admission requirements have been met.
For the dates of our next language proficiency exam, see the Language Requirements tab on our Admissions Page.
Preparatory School:
If you do not yet have CEFR level B2 English and are eligible to study in a BA program at BI, you can sign up for our English Preparatory School.
