Zarif Abdalimov’s journey to CTU was full of obstacles — from repeated nostrification attempts to balancing studies, work, and family life. Today, he is a software engineer and co-founder of an IT startup. In this interview, Zarif shares how CTU shaped his career, why working during studies was a turning point, and what advice he has for students who are still searching for their path.

What was your journey before being accepted to CTU in Prague, and what motivated you to study there?

Before CTU, I was studying in Czech language courses. During that time, I also had to pass the nostrification exam, which confirms my foreign high school diploma, and prepare for the university entrance exams.

At first, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to study. My cousin was studying at CTU Faculty of Electrical Engineering (or shortly FEE or “FEL” in Czech) in the Software and Technologies (SIT) program, and he told me that it was very interesting. This sparked my interest, so I started researching the program and the university. After a short time, I became fully committed to studying at CTU FEE, as it is one of the best universities to study software engineering that I found in the Czech Republic.

You’ve mentioned that the preparatory courses played an important role in your path. What was that experience like for you—challenging, stressful, or enjoyable?

The Czech language courses were the easiest and most enjoyable part of my educational journey in Prague. The most challenging and stressful parts for me were the nostrification exams and the university entrance exams. I didn’t pass the nostrification exam three times at first and I also didn’t manage to get into the university on my first attempt. Overall, it was probably the most complicated part of my path before entering the university. Well, now, as I know, it is quite easy and fast procedure, moreover, because CTU has institutional accreditation it can be made inhouse.

Did you experience any cultural shock during your preparatory year in the Czech Republic?

I don’t think I experienced a significant cultural shock. I was a bit surprised by the Strahov dormitory at first. I lived in Block 11 in 2016, back when it hadn’t been reconstructed yet.

Other than that, I always tried to integrate into the Czech community, and I think it went quite well. I studied at a Czech university, worked in Czech companies, and made Czech friends. Even though I am from Kazakhstan, I never really tried to stay only within the Kazakh community in Prague, as I wanted to fully experience life in the Czech Republic.

How do you remember your first semester as a full-time student at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering?

After failing several times with my nostrification and entrance exams, my first year at the university was a great happiness for me. I was truly happy that I finally made it to CTU, and I felt that a new journey was beginning.

During my first year at the university, I started programming and realized that I really love it and that it is something I am good at. Of course, it wasn’t easy – especially more challenging subjects like discrete mathematics or linear algebra – but overall, I really enjoyed my first year.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during your studies, and how did you manage to overcome it?

I think one of the biggest challenges for me was the time when I was about to finish university while working at an IT company as Software Engineer and also taking care of my newborn baby. Those were really tough times. I had to retake one of the most complicated subjects in my last semester – Linear Algebra – work was also quite dynamic. Balancing all of these responsibilities at once was definitely challenging.

Looking back, what were the biggest benefits or opportunities that CTU offered you as a student?

I would say that before CTU, I had never really done programming in my life, and CTU was the place where I started programming a lot. I had the opportunity to explore different fields, such as algorithm design, Frontend/Backend development, and data analysis. It turned out that Frontend and Fullstack development interested me the most.

One of the subjects I took, called “Client Application Development in JavaScript,” was taught by Petr Huřťák, and he gave us the chance to do a semester project for an external company. That’s how I discovered a company called LOLO, where I ended up working for five years.

You had the opportunity to work while studying. How did you balance work responsibilities with your academic workload?

I started working quite early – somewhere between my 3rd and 4th semesters. It was one of the best things that happened to me, because I really enjoyed working as a Software Engineer. Luckily, I was able to organize my work so that I could spend as much time as possible on it, usually around 20–30 hours per week. I also extended my studies by one year, which allowed me to balance work and study without too much pressure. I must say, it was a really good decision.

Did those work experiences influence or inspire your decision to co-found your own startup?

I have always been a person with high ambition, always striving to do more than usual. When I was studying at the university and found a subject that truly interested me, I was able to invest a lot of time and energy into it. In my current life beside my full-time job – startups, hackathons, and community activities are all a big part of what I do, and I really enjoy being involved in all of these things.

Could you tell us more about your startup—how it started and what it focuses on today?

I’ve worked on quite a few startups in the past, and I’m still striving to build a successful product.

At the moment, my colleagues from STRV and I are working on a project called Checkmate. We participated in a Blockjam Hackathon by THETA Eurocon in Berlin and won 1st place, which also helped us secure investment from the hackathon organizers.

Checkmate is designed to make teachers’ lives easier and help improve the quality of their work. Right now, we are still in the discovery phase, trying to fully understand the exact needs of our users and define the product we are building.

What advice or message would you like to share with future, current, and alumni students of CTU?

I would say that CTU Faculty of Electrical Engineering (SIT in particular) is a great place where you can explore many different fields of software engineering. Try as much as you can, find something you enjoy, and work on becoming a specialist in that area.

If it’s something you like and see potential in, invest more time into it. Don’t be afraid to approach your teachers and ask for extra guidance – there are many excellent teachers at the university who are more than happy to share their experience with you.