A Blog about Education Abroad

Category: Semester Exchange Postings

Blog Postings by Returning Stellenbosch University Students

  • Karl Voigt at University of Antwerpen, Belgium

    Karl Voigt at University of Antwerpen, Belgium

    Karl Voigt 

    BEng Electric and Electronic 

    Semester Exchange in the Second Semester, 2023 at University of Antwerpen

     

    Pre-departure:

     

    I’m an Electrical and Electronic Engineering student that undertook a semester exchange to the University of Antwerpen in Belgium in the middle of my third year. This was an amazing experience, and I don’t regret going even for a second. However, before committing to a semester exchange, there are a few things to consider. The amount of research and paperwork required to be able to go on this exchange was not only surprising but also a bit overwhelming. While I am luckily enough to have gone to Europe before and was thus aware of some of the intricacies of the visa application process, applying for a student visa has extra requirements.  

    Before applying for a visa, a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is needed from SAPS to certify that you do not have a criminal record. However, Belgium also requires that this document be Apostilled by DIRCO. I would highly recommend that you apply for the PCC even before you are accepted for the exchange as current waiting times at both SAPS and DIRCO have become extremely long. If it was not for another student being in the same position as me and going to the Criminal Records Centre in Pretoria in person to explain the situation, I would not have been able to apply for a visa in time. Make sure that you have all the required documents for the visa application process. While it can all seem daunting at first, most visa offices have checklists that you can use to ensure that everything is in order before your appointment.  

    Housing is another important aspect to sort out before your departure. UAntwerpen had the option of applying for housing through the university and I would recommend this option whenever possible. I received placement in a student house. In Belgium this works slightly different than the university dorms in Stellenbosch. The student houses are privately owned and smaller than the dorms we are used to. My dorm had shared kitchens and bathrooms, but individual rooms and was overall quite modern and well equipped. Unfortunately, as with many universities, the engineering campus was separate from the main campus and situated far outside the city centre. While there are housing options closer to this campus, I preferred to be situated closer to the city centre where all the hustle and bustle is. This allowed me to experience more of the culture and make friends from different campuses. 

     

    Karl with friends in one of the dorms

    Experience at the Host University:

    I carefully chose the University of Antwerp due to the courses they had on offer in English to exchange students. While the faculty of engineering was much smaller than Stellenbosch’s, the courses were engaging, and it allowed me to experience different teaching styles and learning environments. Due to the exchange adding an additional year to my engineering studies, I had a lot of freedom regarding my choice of modules. I ended up taking a module about mobile communications, doing a masters module focused on Low Power IOT as well as doing a bachelors project. Both the bachelors project and Low Power IOT module were mostly project based and this allowed me to gain practical insights and skills. 

    The exchange isn’t just a great academic opportunity, but also an amazing way to experience new places, cultures and people. Through my studies I made friends with some locals, but my closest friends were those who stayed in the student house with me. Most of the students in the student house were also on exchange, mostly from other European countries due to the Erasmus exchange program. I can now proudly say that I have close friends in many countries, ranging from Italy to Poland and even China. This allowed me to not only learn about the culture of Belgium itself, but also about all the countries people came from. PS: Belgium might be the inventor of fries, but personally I still prefer some Steers chips (or BP chips late at night).

     

              Pictures from Karl’s travels.

     

    There is no way around it, Europe and especially Belgium is very expensive. Most European countries require some form of proof of financial means to apply for a visa. The easiest way to do this is by opening a blocked account with your host university. You pay the money needed to cover your living expenses into this account beforehand and then once a month the university pays into your European bank account (I would recommend Revolut or Wise as an easy way to open a European bank account). Each country has its own amount that it sees as sufficient to cover your expenses. In my experience, this amount is enough to cover everything from food to rent. 

    I would however recommend that you save some money to use for travelling. Never in your life again will you be able to take a quick 2-hour bus ride to visit Amsterdam or take a train to Paris for a weekend. This ease of travel to so many different cities and countries (thanks to the Schengen visa) made this exchange an unforgettable experience that broadens your horizons. 

     

    Return to Stellenbosch:

     

    Upon returning to South Africa, I had to make sure that I notified the City of Antwerpen of my move abroad. I also had to cancel my medical insurance and Belgium sim card. As part of the engineering exchange, I also need to complete 600 hours of work experience in my industry. This means that the first semester I will be working and then only resuming my studies where I left off in the second semester. It is best to organize this work experience long in advance to avoid any stressful situations upon your return. 

     

  • Monique Brynard at University of Oslo, Norway

    Monique Brynard at University of Oslo, Norway

    Monique Brynard

    MA Social Anthropology

    Semester Exchange in the First Semester, 2023 at University of Oslo

     

    Pre-departure:

    Having missed out on some of “uni life” during the pandemic, I knew that I wanted to go on a semester abroad exchange. Through a process of elimination, I worked through the list of universities that I could visit. I quickly realized that I wanted to go somewhere where I had never been before, somewhere faraway and very different to all that I know. I decided on the University of Oslo in Norway.  

    Upon receiving my nomination for the exchange from Stellenbosch University (SU) and then later receiving my acceptance from the University of Oslo (UiO), I began to plan my trip. I applied for accommodation, checked the semester dates, booked my flights and sorted out my visa application. I made sure to buy a long, down jacket, and some thermal base layers. In the weeks leading up to my departure, I soaked up some extra sunlight and ate plenty of red meat and biltong! I knew that it was going to be a challenge to be all by myself in a foreign (and extremely expensive) place, and I planned carefully so that I would be as prepared as possible.

     

    Experience at the Host University:

     

    I arrived a few days before my orientation program at UiO started, so that I could settle into my new home and find my feet. After a long day of traveling, picking up my keys from campus and getting lost multiple times, I walked into my new apartment. Soon enough, I decided to see if I could get myself some of the basics, as my apartment was pretty much empty. Off to IKEA I went, for my first encounter with the Norwegian currency.  

    The next day, there was some mild sunlight, and I was feeling better. I went straight to my appointment with the police to apply for residence card. I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly the police were! I visited the roof of the Opera house to get an overview of the new city which I would come to love. Later that evening, I attended a Welcome Event hosted by UiO. After the excitement had worn off and the small talk got too much, I successfully found my way home. Bright and early the next morning, I found myself in a very long queue for a secondhand market hosted by the university, where each student was permitted to take one item for free. A pan (with a lid) it was for me! Over the course of the semester, I would be astonished at how many free things I would get. I did find it a bit ironic, how pretty much any household item, clothes, shoes and even food was given away free of charge, but everything that was for sale in Norway was ridiculously expensive. 

     

    Night sky in Norway

    It was a cool summer (almost equivalent to a Cape Town winter!), but I quickly fell in love with the shady campus, state of the art buildings, dense forest areas surrounding the city, vast lakes, fjords and islands, as well as the cute blue trams that could be hopped onto every few minutes at any point in the city. The language was beginning to soften on my ear, and I had gotten used to the initial shock on people’s faces when they heard that I had come all the way from the very tip of Africa!  

    Although everyone was friendly and the university environment was highly professional, I found it exhausting to make actual friends. The Norwegians kept their distance at the beginning and of the 4000 other international exchange students at UiO, it seemed as if everyone was scrambling to meet as many new people as possible. However, after a few weeks, I did make some solid friends with whom I travelled both within Norway and abroad and with whom I will continue to stay in contact with, as we shared such a special and unique time in our lives. I tried my best to make friends with those who were very different to me, as I find it much more interesting that way.

     

    During my time in abroad, I maximized each and every day. I struggled to get into a routine, because I was constantly exploring, meeting friends and getting to know all the corners of my new world. On a personal level, I would say that I grew exponentially. I had to navigate my way through creating a brand-new support system, seeing the sights, keeping up with university work, taking care of myself properly (finding groceries in Norwegian proved to be more difficult than expected!) as well as managing my finances.  

     

    A Forest in Norway

     

    Although I had initially been under the impression that I would receive funding from SU, as well as an external bursary for living expenses, that was not the case. Once I had already accepted my offer at UiO and completed most of the admin around my trip, I found out that the external bursary was no longer available for the partnership between UiO and SU. This complicated my plans, but I was fortunate enough to still be able to go, although it meant that I had to live on a tight budget. The funding from SU just about covered my flights and accommodation, so the rest I had to fund myself. Out of the whole experience, I would say that this was one of the lowlights, and for anyone planning on doing a semester abroad, I would suggest that you ensure that the funding advertised by SU is still available before commencing with travel plans.

     

    Return to Stellenbosch:

     

    When the day of my departure eventually arrived, I was heartbroken. I was sad to leave a city that had become my home, perhaps never to return. I was sad to say goodbye to those that I had come to love over the course of a few short months, but I am certain that at some point in our lives we will make plans to meet again. And then will speak of the reminiscences of the time that we were so incredibly luckily to share, when our paths crossed in a beautiful Scandinavian city. This city will forever have my heart, with its ferries and islands and midnight sun. And merely a few weeks later, its frosty forests, cabins and cinnamon rolls, fairy lights and dark, dark blue skies.  

      View from the public transport

  • Kyle de Villiers at Koc University, Turkey

    Kyle de Villiers at Koc University, Turkey

    Kyle de Villiers

    BCom International Business

    Semester Exchange in the Second Semester, 2023 at Koc University 

     

    Pre-departure:

    It is very overwhelming to have to choose a single university from a range of so many top performing universities in the world. I believe that Koc University was a hidden gem. Koc University started later than most European universities. After finishing my exams in June and only starting at Koc at the end of September gave me the opportunity to do four internships at financial companies. Internships are very underrated by students. In this time, I realised what industry I want to work in and what type of job I would enjoy. Before this I was clueless.  

    On the more practical side of things. Turkey only requires an e-visa. It was very easy to apply for one and I received mine within 24 hours. When you arrive in Turkey, they help you to apply for a student visa and explain the steps to follow. Koc University’s exchange team is very helpful and quick to reply.  

    I only booked a one-way trip to Turkey, because I did not know the exact date of my final exams (they ended 23 January 2024). I was stopped at O.R. Tambo and had to book a return flight right then and there, otherwise Turkey might not let you go through customs if they do not have proof that you can return to your country. In short, book both your flights before departing.  

     

    Experience at the Host University:

    My experience was amazing. I loved every minute of it. The orientation for the international students starts a week before classes start and there, I made many international friends that I spent time with every week.  International students stay in West Campus (which is a 10 min trip from the actual university). All of the international students live there, and the University has shuttles that drive to campus and back continually. I was placed in a room with two Turkish students who became my two Turkish brothers. I lived in a hostel for 8 years of my life before going to Turkey, so I think it was much easier for me to adapt to living in the same room with two other people. I know other students (especially the girls) struggled with this. The rooms are very well designed and has enough space. The buildings and facilities are also in great condition. Tip: Pack for both winter and summer (two bags are enough).  I disliked the fact I could not jog in the streets (due to a lack of space), but West Campus has a 25m swimming pool, so I wore my South African speedo and swam laps every day. Also, the public transport in Turkey is amazing, so you can easily go to the river to jog or walk or sit on a bench.

    The campus itself is designed to look like Stanford University. The University is owned by the richest family in Turkey, meaning everything is in great condition, and for example there are charging stations for Tesla’s, a Football field, Ice Rink, Gym, Basketball Courts, and a Tennis Court.  I enrolled for very interesting courses namely, Corporate Finance, FinTech, Python, Turkish, Chess (yes chess, an International Master taught us) and Global Business Strategy. The lecturers are amazing, well-qualified and fun, and they challenged me to think and learn. However, the exams were much easier than Stellenbosch.  

     

    The Koc campus

    From all the partner universities I believe Turkey is the cheapest. With the money I was provided by SUI, I managed to pay for my flights to Turkey and back, I went to Erzurum (by plane) and skied for a week, I traveled every other weekend (since public transport is cheap), and I went to Ephesus. Accommodation for four months at Koc was only R25 000 and the living expenses were super cheap. For example, it only cost me R20 for a full meal at the University, which was always very good food. Comparing this to my friends who went to Europe, I can definitely say that South African Rand goes the furthest in Turkey (It cost R0.6 for one Turkish lira when I was in Turkey).

    Turkey in my opinion is by far the best option for any exchange student. From riding ferries on the Bosphorus, going to every Museum, eating street food, experiencing a new culture, skiing on the mountain of Palandoken, visiting underground churches in Cappadocia and exploring the streets of Ephesus; Turkey has it all. West Campus can make one feel isolated, so I often took a bus to central Istanbul and just explored. Luckily, the public transport is really amazing, maybe even better than most European countries. I have been to many European countries, and I can say that Turkey has the most to do and see. The further East you go in Turkey, the more local and the better the food becomes. I would recommend everyone to go East. I fell in love with the Turks and their culture the more I spent time with them and the more I understood them.  

     

    Erzurum castle where Kyle went skiing

     

    Return to Stellenbosch:

    I deferred my exchange, meaning I do not return to SU. ONE IMPORTANT TIP IF YOU DEFER: If you are planning to do an Honours degree at a different university (UCT for example), you must ensure that you get your marks from your exchange university as soon as possible. It is a lot of admin to get your final academic transcript then, but if you are able to get your marks from your exchange university you can request to receive your final transcript earlier. Graduating in March is also something to bear in mind when deferring.