From the slopes to an online BSc Finance degree: Flavio Vitale’s story

Online BSc Finance student and Professional Alpine Skier, Flavio Vitale, shares why he chose Finance, how he balances studying with training and what it was like to recently visit LSE.

Flavio Vitale is a professional alpine skier and a member of the French national alpine skiing team. Competing internationally means that his schedule is shaped by intensive training, travel, recovery, race preparation and the wider demands of high-performance sport.

Alongside his skiing career, Flavio is studying online for a University of London BSc Finance degree, with academic direction from LSE. The programme is designed by LSE academics and enables students to work towards their degree through flexible online study.

For Flavio, choosing to study online meant he did not have to choose between progressing academically and continuing to dedicate himself to skiing.

The flexibility of the programme allowed me to study without compromising my alpine skiing career.

Why study Finance online?

Flavio’s interest in Finance developed from an early fascination with economics and the way economic systems operate.

He studied Economics as part of the International Baccalaureate and, when considering his options for university, explored both Economics and Finance. Ultimately, he felt that Finance was more closely connected to the areas he wanted to understand in greater depth and to his future interests.

I decided to study Finance because I’ve always been interested and intrigued by the economic system. I studied Economics at IB and wanted to delve deeper into something that has interested me since I was 14.

Through the BSc Finance online degree, Flavio is able to continue developing this interest while maintaining the flexibility required by his sporting commitments.

Rather than following the same routine every day, he can organise his studies around training and other responsibilities, something that is particularly valuable when his sporting schedule changes.

Balancing an online degree with alpine skiing

A typical day begins with ski training, usually from around 8.00am until midday. This is followed by recovery and the wider preparation involved in competitive skiing, including video analysis, physiotherapy, race preparation and work on his equipment.

Flavio then identifies time for his degree studies, often before dinner, and usually aims to study for around two to three hours a day.

For Flavio, flexibility does not mean studying without structure. Combining an online degree with a demanding sporting schedule requires careful planning and a consistent approach.

It requires very good planning, time management, discipline and rigour. I’ve learned over time, I’ve improved and I’m still improving.

He also highlighted the importance of support from those around him, explaining that his friends and family understand his ambitions and support him in balancing both commitments.

The programme’s online format combines independent study with structured learning activities, digital resources and academic support, while giving students the flexibility to organise their learning around other commitments.

Part of an international online community

Flavio’s experience is also shaped by studying alongside students with different backgrounds, cultures and daily lives.

Although students participate from different locations, he described the online programme as a rich environment in which they can exchange ideas and have discussions through online channels.

We all study the same thing, but we all have very different lives. We live in different countries, different time zones. It’s beautiful to see that everyone has the same purpose but comes from a completely different environment.

This combination of a shared academic purpose and varied international perspectives has been one of the most valuable aspects of the online experience for Flavio.

Building study around real life

Flavio’s experience demonstrates how online learning can support students whose professional and personal commitments require a more adaptable approach to higher education.

For him, studying online for a University of London degree with academic direction from LSE has made it possible to continue developing his knowledge of Finance while pursuing his alpine skiing career.

His story also reflects the different circumstances in which our online students study. Whether balancing sport, work, family or other commitments, flexible online study can provide the opportunity to pursue degree-level education while accommodating the other priorities that shape students’ lives.

At LSE Global Programmes, stories such as Flavio’s demonstrate the different paths our students take through their studies and how an internationally connected, flexible learning experience can support ambitions that extend well beyond the classroom.