​

 

1. Choosing Your Options!

Don’t be afraid to apply to where you really want to go!

Natalie: I had many practical reasons to apply to countries within Europe in order to get a feel of university life there and think about where to get my Master’s. Instead, I applied to Australia because I knew if I didn’t go now, the opportunity might not present itself again. Plus, I hear it’s pretty sunny down under.

 

Jochelle: While visiting Edinburgh with my parents years ago, I fell in love with the city. As soon as I saw it as an exchange option, I desperately wanted to apply, but I was initially discouraged by the fact there’s only one official spot. I still took my chance and put it as my first choice, since there’s literally nothing to lose by merely applying. I was lucky enough to get in, along with my boyfriend and two other classmates!

 

N.B. The lesson of the day: don’t be discouraged if you don’t think your GPA is good enough or if there aren’t multiple ‘official’ exchange places. RuG has the discretion to nominate you regardless.

 

A Year Abroad or No?

Bhavna: At first, I found it very difficult to decide whether it was the right choice to go abroad for one year. The reason being that I would not be able to graduate with most of my friends and extending my studies almost felt intimidating. However, I know now that it was the right choice because the university I will be attending, Durham University, is very prestigious worldwide and in the UK, especially its Law School. In this university, I will be able to immerse in courses I may be keen on pursuing in the future and meet some fantastic academics (Barend van Leeuwen and Robert Schütze!!!).

 

As much as I love our cute little city, I am also ready for a change of scene and I do not think a mere semester exchange would give any justice to the places offered. With the year abroad, I will be able to explore so much of the UK, make friendships with a whole bunch of new people and have more time to travel to the various exchange destinations of my friends around the world.

 

Finally, I do not think I would be able to do such a year exchange on my own so I am extremely glad I get to experience it with one of my best pals, Alex!

 

European v. Global Adventure

Natalie: Applying for outside of Europe is both exciting and intimidating. Once you start thinking about everything that needs to be done (plane tickets, university application, accommodation applications, visa applications, scholarship applications… actually your whole life will turn into one big application), it can be very daunting. Nevertheless, it’s rare to have so much support throughout the process on both sides of the globe, so if going outside of Europe is appealing to you, now is the time to do it.

 

Jochelle: I totally agree with Natalie! Exchange is your chance to explore and live outside Europe in a more affordable way than usual (I think). Also, having the support of two universities throughout the process is pretty calming, even when applying within Europe.

The reason I chose to remain within Europe is that I’ve spent my whole life living and traveling outside of Europe. So, I saw exchange as the chance to live in a city I really love and continue taking advantage of cheap travel within the continent.

 

N.B. In order to decide, just think about your priorities and what you really want to gain from this experience. There’s no wrong or right decision.

 

Getting Feedback

Jochelle: The best thing you can do to prepare yourself is to talk to students who previously went to your preferred destination. Do this both before you apply and after you’ve been accepted into the university of your choice.

I reached out to a couple students who went to both my first and second options in order to get a feel of whether or not I’d actually enjoy the learning environment and courses. That was my major concern.

While I believe one person’s experience is not another’s, I think it is still important to ask about things like courses, exams and finding accommodation. Also, make sure to read the reports on IESE! They’re actually very insightful and helped me narrow down my initial list of options when I was uncertain!

 

2. Choosing Courses

Once you get accepted, the next challenge is usually picking the courses you’d like to take.

 

Natalie: This can be tricky since the courses you see online do not necessarily represent the courses you will actually take. For example, the University of Western Australia limits the courses exchange students can take. I was very excited about taking really interesting-sounding courses like ‘Social Media and the Law’ or ‘Birth, Life, Death and the Law’ but it turns out I’ll actually be taking Company Law and Torts. That being said, if you have a specific field of law you want to go into in the future and you know there is a university that has a great reputation for it, that should definitely be a consideration when choosing where to apply.

 

Jochelle: It’s important to keep in mind what Natalie said - usually, the course list would not have yet been updated for your intake year by the time you apply.

However, for Edinburgh, you can apply for any of the ones you see on their list for the first semester and they’ll contact you to let you know whether or not they are actually available and then you can adjust your choices. I would like to assume that most universities would do this since it seems most logical.

I was really lucky, again, to get most of the courses I want to do, except for one which they moved to the second semester. I also have to wait until during summer to know whether or not I can register for my chosen honours class since spots are limited.

It can be a bit unnerving trying to ensure that your courses add up to the 30 ECTS, especially if the credit system at the host university is different. So, make sure and do all the math!

Overall, go for the courses you’re really interested in and you know that RuG doesn’t offer. I opted for two business law courses amongst the others I’ll be studying since that’s the field that interests me most and we really don’t encounter it during our LLB.

This is your chance to expand your horizons and get a feel for what really interests you.

 

3. Language Courses

Maybe you want to go to Spain or France, but you aren’t confident in your language skills. Don’t let this deter you! You have months prior to actually going on study abroad during which you can take language courses. The extra work will be worth it if you truly want to spend time in a country or city where the university may not teach in English!

 

Sarah: Why Spain? Surprisingly I don’t really get asked this question too often. As most people know, Spain is home to sunny weather, yummy food and good-looking guys, so it’s no wonder that I’ve chosen to call it home for the duration of my Erasmus. However, there are a few other reasons as to why Spain made it to the top of my list. Firstly, I spent 6 years studying Spanish in high school and quite honestly fell in love with both the language and the culture. Secondly, my future plans involve working for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and having fluency in another language is a major plus when you want to be an Ambassador. Thirdly, I need a change of scene and I know that life in Spain is quite the contrast to life here in the Netherlands. And finally, I’m clearly insane because I have signed up for six months of essentially not hearing the English language.

As I mentioned, I spent 6 years studying Spanish in high school, but despite getting the highest grade in the Leaving Cert (which is roughly equivalent to a B1/B2 on the CEFR scale), I knew that this was not going to be enough. Since November 2017, I have been taking Spanish classes every week here in Groningen. My teacher Lucy is an absolutely lovely lady from Peru and has been helping me with everything from grammar to writing formal emails. Aside from that, I am ever so slightly addicted to Spanish T.V. series on Netflix, my favourites including Velvet, Las Chicas del Cable and El Gran Hotel. Watching series is a great way to pick up commonly used phrases and it’s a more enjoyable way of studying (unless grammar tables give you an adrenaline rush). Other than that, when I have free time (which is not very often gracias a mi LLB) I like to watch Disney movies for kids in Spanish…partially because they’re easier to understand, but also because I’m a child at heart. I think it’s also relevant that I’m going to move to Spain on the 1st of August, 6 weeks before my law courses actually begin, just to make sure I have the language down before having legal vocab thrown my way.

I’m a little bit terrified if I’m being perfectly honest. However, that said, I know that the Spanish people are exceptionally friendly and helpful and probably won’t mind giving me a hand when I need it. All in all, I’m really happy that I chose Salamanca as my first option because otherwise, I would have spent the rest of my life wondering what if and not knowing my own capabilities. There is nothing wrong with sticking to your comfort zone, but it’ll never kill you to step out of it.
 

4. Completing Documents  

Natalie: Documents scare me. Seriously, I may have a phobia. If I see a form with a lot of blank spaces to fill out and an official stamp on it, I get anxious. I was really dreading the slew of documents that awaited me for this exchange (read: applications). I was especially overwhelmed by all the different deadlines coming from both sides of the world. After avoiding my problem for as long as I could, I finally sat down and made a check-list of all the documents I needed to fill out and hand in along with the deadlines. This really helped get an idea of what I needed to do and when I needed to do it. Also, once you have everything written down in one place I promise your mind will feel (slightly) less scattered and you’ll be better able to tackle all the forms. The most important thing is to know the deadlines.

 

Jochelle: I pretty much agree with everything Natalie has said. Making a checklist and knowing your deadlines are the most important things to get you through the bureaucracy. If you are unsure about any of the paperwork, don’t hesitate to contact the exchange office. They’re extremely helpful and usually don’t take too long to respond. All in all, the Erasmus documents don’t take more than 20 minutes to fill out once you have your information accessible.

 

5. Finding Accommodation

Natalie: Finding accommodation is different for everyone. Some universities offer great accommodation options for exchange students, others expect you to be more self-reliant. My university (UWA) offers different accommodations on-campus as well as a database to find private accommodation off-campus. I opted to live on-campus at one of the university accommodations. The process was pretty painless and they actually give priority to exchange students because they know it can be difficult to find your own place from halfway across the world. I also heard from previous exchange students that living in an on-campus university accommodation with other students can really help with integration.

 

Jochelle: Edinburgh actually does not guarantee university accommodations for single semester exchange students, though you can still try your luck and apply. I’m not really the type of person to take chances when it comes to my living situation, so I just searched online via real estate websites for affordable private apartments.

I’m very fortunate to be going on exchange with my boyfriend, so we got a nice, large apartment to ourselves and we’ll be splitting the rent. I definitely recommend that if you’re going to the same university with a significant other or even good friend, consider finding a private accommodation and split the costs!

 

6. Visa Applications  

Natalie: As I said, I have a fear of documents, so the prospect of applying for a visa for my very first time gave me stress dreams (not a joke). I don’t know why but I had this idea of a visa application being this long process that would at some point involve a criminal-like interrogation in a small room with a bright light overhead. In reality, the visa application process could not have been easier. The application is all online and mostly involves answering slightly ridiculous questions like ‘have you ever been convicted of war crimes or crimes against humanity?’ The only thing about Australia is that they are very paranoid about people applying for a student visa and then staying forever, so you’ll have to give a small life story explaining why you’re so eager to come back to Europe after your stay. All in all, the visa application took me about 1.5 hours to complete (including scanning the relevant documentation), cost me half of my monthly stipend and was back with an approval within a week.

 

Jochelle: If you’re European and staying within Europe, you’re both a lucky and smart bastard! You easily evade half the stress of study abroad.

I’m very fortunate that I actually don’t need to go through the painstaking visa application process since I’m American and I don’t need to apply for a visa before entering the UK, even if I’m going for short-term study purposes.

My only additional advice is double check if you actually need a visa. Your nationality might provide some loopholes of which you weren’t aware!

 

7. Packing

How Much?

Jochelle: So, I used to be a chronic over-packer. I moved to Groningen with 6 large suitcases and 3 hand luggage (I had my parents with me). Why? I thought I needed to bring half of my closet and all my favourite shoes and bags. Why? Anyone that knows me will tell you how much I love colour coordination. Anyway, my point is that I learnt my lesson. No one needs that much. Just moving apartments was a big pain in the butt. So, I couldn’t imagine doing it again, cross-continent, all on my own.

This time, I’m moving with one large suitcase and a hand luggage. It’s only for 4 months after all, for most of us. That’s the most important thing to remember here.

 

So, What Goes In?

Jochelle: The answer to this depends on where you’re going. If you’re going to Indonesia, for instance, you’ll definitely want to pack sundresses, shorts and swimsuits! I, on the other hand, need to make sure I have my winter jacket, boots, sweaters… well, you get the picture. Pack according to the climate, that’s all.

Also, only pack the necessities. You can buy toiletries wherever you’re going. Things like shampoo and body wash are inexpensive to buy once you’re abroad, plus they’re heavy and take up lots of room in your luggage.

Keep in mind that it’s better to under pack than overpack, as airlines have weight restrictions on luggage and there’s a good chance you’ll be returning home with souvenirs that take up some extra room. Aside from clothes, make sure to pack an adapter.

 

8. Inform Your Bank

Jochelle: I think this is self-explanatory. Inform your bank of your new address and for how long you’ll be abroad. You don’t want to be at the grocery and all of a sudden your card is declined!

Also, double check whether or not the country you’ll be going to accepts the type of card you have. When I first moved to Groningen, I thought Visa and AmEx were universal. Apparently not. You’ll also want to visit your bank so you can exchange currency if needed. Most airports in foreign countries have a booth for currency exchange, but you’ll get the best rate by using a bank most of the time.

 

9. Plane Ticket

Jochelle: If you’re going outside of Europe, definitely buy your ticket as early as possible. I would advise 3 months prior to your departure. I always get a heart attack when my mum sends me the price of the plane tickets for me to go home for holiday.

Even if you’re staying in Europe, definitely get them at least a month in advance. Why wait for no reason and then pay double the price?

 

Well, looks like we’ve made to the end. Again, we hope this truly gives you an idea of the various ways you can prepare yourself for your study abroad adventure.

Remember, this is just another chance to grow as a person and experience another corner of the globe! There’s nothing to be scared of and everything to be excited about!