A Blog about Education Abroad

Tag: Belgium

  • 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. 

     

  • Bianca Brandt at KU Leuven, Belgium

    Bianca Brandt at KU Leuven, Belgium

    Pre-departure:

    The time leading up to my exchange certainly can be described as a stretching but beautiful process. Going on a semester abroad and actually living by myself in another country was something that I had never imagined doing. The thought of it brought many different kinds of feelings, however my expectancy for something GRAND outweighed everything. The strangest thing for me to come to terms with was that even though I had known about my exchange since being accepted into BCom(International Business), 2019 had finally arrived and it was time for all my preparations to take place. I definitely took a great amount of time processing all the changes that awaited. I am thankful that I took the time to have real talks with the people that I trust with my heart because by the time I arrived in Belgium, I truly arrived on solid ground and was able to handle everything that came my way. I am so thankful for my leaders, family and friends that walked a road with me of encouraging me and stirring my faith because I knew that I was not going anywhere if it was not BY FAITH. I am also grateful to Sarah for keeping me updated with all the admin requirements and their due dates. She certainly helped me approach the entire process and guided me along the way. Given that this was the first official time that I would be going abroad, everything was incredibly new to me. Fortunately, selecting which university to go to was really simple. The moment I saw KU Leuven (which appeared second on the list of possible designations) my heart was convinced that this was the place I needed to be. Once it was official that I was going to be attending KU Leuven, I began sorting out all the admin involved with finalising my modules, getting accommodation and getting a VISA from the Belgian Consulate. Putting together my learning agreement was also incredibly smooth-sailing as they offered a variety of diverse modules that interested me. I was placed in a university residence within a week of applying which was a great blessing. I quickly discovered that it was necessary for me to get a police clearance certificate and had heard that it could take quite some time. I admit that the thought of this first overwhelmed me, but ended up in the position where I was able to go straight to the head office in Pretoria and hand my application in. What was known to take 4-6 weeks to get done miraculously took 5 days in my case. Because I live in East London, I had to fly back to Cape Town to visit a Belgian Consulate approved doctor in Rondebosch for my medical check-up. Once this was completed, I went for my appointment (which was very easy to get). Because I did not have any source of “official” funding from abroad, I was required to pay an additional fee and had to transfer the minimum amount of spending money into a KU Leuven account, obtain a certificate and provide that as my proof of solvency (which I later learned was necessary for all foreign students). This slowed the process down ever so slightly, however once the certificate had been provided, my VISA was delivered to me within two days. Thereafter I booked my tickets, said my goodbyes and my adventure of a lifetime began on 13 September 2019.

    Experience at the Host University:

    One of the things that drew me towards KU Leuven was their mantra that they inspire the outstanding. Upon arriving, I quickly saw that things there were done differently but simultaneously had a golden thread that left their structure pretty much in alignment with Stellenbosch. The differences for me included that classes were much longer – ranging between 2-3 hours long each time (students I met on the exchange even had 5 hour classes). The assessment structure of each module typically included a group assignment of some sort as well as one exam at the end of the semester where the entire course’s content was examined. Interestingly, most of my courses did not have text books (meaning that the only study content I had was the slides and notes made in class). One of my modules was even an open book exam and another module did not have exams but three group class presentations. I found that KU Leuven placed great emphasis on group work and class presentations. This certainly forced me to ensure that I had an even greater understanding of the content than usual given that questions would always be asked at the end that would require me to think beyond the box and provide an educated, wisdom-filled answer. I admit that Industrial Organisation, one of my courses, truly forced me out my comfort zone. The module required that we evaluate ongoing merger cases within the European Union. I was placed in an auto-generated group including a Brazilian, Russian and Belgian student and together we had to spend many hours together grappling with previous EU cases, critically thinking and evaluating the case for ourselves and we were forced to come to our own conclusion based on the facts that we could find. Although at times this was pretty uncomfortable, I found that it was one of the most enriching experiences because apart from it cultivating a solid, communicative and cohesive team, it left me in a position where I had to tap into and grow skills that extended beyond ordinary theory. By the time all the group projects were completed, I had interacted with numerous cultures and nationalities and got to learn so much about different countries and often found myself reflecting on all the concepts that I was introduced to in the introduction to intercultural communication that we completed prior to our exchange. From the beginning of my arrival in Leuven, I realised that the Belgian culture was very much oriented towards task-orientation. Everyone was very driven, managed their time incredibly well and devoted many hours to their studies daily. The amount of content required to study was also more (or seemed more given that everything had to be studied for one exam). Something else that was different was that Christmas time there was not considered family/holiday time… it was a time where the numerous libraries were filled to capacity and students did not want to do anything other than study. Given that I was not aware of the standard in the exams, and that they were each examine out of 20, I studied extremely hard for them, however, when actually writing the exams, I found the standard of exam questions much lower than that of Stellenbosch and much less application based. Despite the content needed to be studied, they were more interested in me provided short and brief explanations of the “complex” concepts. I also was able to complete two masters courses there and the standard there also was exactly like that of a bachelors module in Stellenbosch (in my opinion). Overall I was extremely satisfied with my results. When I arrived, I had heard much negativity about how “don’t expect to be an exchange student and get above 13/20” however I did exceedingly abundantly above this. I realised that the Stellenbosch standard is much higher – not only in terms of the exams, but also in terms of the way we have been taught to reference properly and complete assignments. To sum my experience at KU Leuven up, I’d say that they certainly stayed true to their desire to inspire the outstanding. One of the best parts is that all the content I learnt in my courses has provided me with a wealth of contextual understanding upon returning to Stellenbosch to complete my fourth year. I’d definitely describe this content as being the golden thread that has finally tied all my modules together and given me a blueprint of the overall framework of my degree, the purpose behind my specific degree and the direction that I am headed in my future.

    In terms of my experience beyond academics, I’d describe this part as the truly life-changing component. Unknowingly, I ended up living in the most sought after street in Leuven with a really great rental price (it was only a two minute walk to most classes). I lived in Leo XIII Seminarie (upon applying, I had absolutely no idea what a seminarie was but soon discovered). I got placed in a section that had 13 people – with 11 different nationalities (from China, Belgium, the UK, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Northern Ireland, Czech Republic, Mexico…). What made this experience with my own “Pangaea” all the more interesting was the ages of the individuals. Their ages ranged between 19 and 50. My time spent interacting with them can be described as an eye-opening, perspective-shifting, heart-softening and humbling experience. The people in my community taught me about the resilience of their cultures, they showered me in generosity, hospitality and shared their life experiences with me that left me in awe. We all took turns cooking for each other and introducing one another to our country-specific cuisine and I was forced to learn to make my first Malva Pudding ever. Apart from my great living experience, I spent much time travelling. During my time abroad, I was able to see a glimpse of eight countries and a total of 23 towns/cities. Many people ask me what my favourite town was, however, each one holds such special memories. In the Netherlands I met my ultimate role model at a women’s conference… in Italy, I spent amazing time with three peers from my degree and many places included Sandri and I having amazing adventures (from overpriced potato in Prague to the old town of Luxembourg). It was truly a blessing to share this exchange with Sandri, for us to grow in our friendship, to support each other through the challenges and to explore new places with our “Tuesdays are for Travelling” day trips (since we had no class), waffle and fries trips (the Belgian delicacies), group projects done together and our strengths complementing one another – ensuring the best experience possible. Most times, when travelling by myself, I’d end up going to hidden away places (from Dasing to Barneveld to Beilstein) upon which most times Europeans would ask me “where is that even?” to which I would respond “I don’t even know”. I’d spend much time monitoring the Flixbus and Ryanair app looking for cheap buses and flights and always found great deals. Another massive blessing was being able to connect with other International Business students who opened their places of accommodation and always took the time to show me around where they lived. Traveling yanked me out of my comfort zone and the thought of arriving in random places by myself always initially frightened me but I simultaneously was adamant that fear would not hold me back from all the adventure that waited on the other side. During my long bus rides and walks down palace-filled streets and photo-taking in yellow flower fields, I came to realise that I am stronger and more courageous than I had ever known. Everyday I found myself in awe and would often burst out laughing at the fact that I was living in and travelling across Europe – a dream that once seemed impossible. There’s no way that I could possibly begin to describe my entire experience here, however have been intentional along my entire journey to journal and art my way through – making sure that I never forget the massive shift that took place in my life over this (almost) six month period of my life. If you’re reading this and wondering whether you should take a leap, dive into the unknown and go on an exchange… my answer is YES YES YES! May your heart be awakened at the little I’ve shared about how this time of my life changed me completely for the best, introduced me to the authentic me and deepened my position in Love like never before… may you refuse to let anything hold you back and may no circumstances be the deciding factor about whether you should go or not. Decide that you want to go, have faith and watch an adventure of a lifetime unfold before your eyes. If this even slightly resonates with you, ask yourself… if nothing was impossible, where would you go and what would you do?

    Return to Stellenbosch: 

    The thought of returning to Stellenbosch was one that I often imagined while in Belgium. The hardest thing about my exchange was leaving my church community and being away from my friends that had actually become my family. However, I intentionally made sure that I lived in every moment while away and ensured I embraced every moment, every possible new friendship and every opportunity. Towards the end of my exchange, I knew that it was time to go home. Saying goodbye to Leuven was a bitter sweet moment but my transition back to Stellenbosch actually was more seamless than I had ever imagined. I heard a lecturer say in class before leaving for Belgium that returning back from an exchange is often more difficult than leaving. I’m grateful that she said this when she did because it once again helped me to process this part of my exchange as much as I could before actually arriving back. I arrived here aware that things would be different… I believe that things could have been very different if I had not known this. There is no doubt that my time away fundamentally changed me. I grew in independence, confidence, strength, courage and most importantly, I learnt to be my best friend. I discovered that I am a unique, colorful, bubbly, bold and innovative woman of God. I’d say that one of the most difficult things about being back is that my exchange is pretty much just like a secret – something that no one else will ever have a reference point to. Many people have seen me in class, on Victoria street, in a line outside MyBrew or sitting in church and have excitedly asked “HOW WAS IT?” I always look at them with an expression on my face that says “IF ONLY YOU KNEW”. It is incredibly difficult to put into words everything that I experienced, everything that changed within me and everything that I grew in. However, I have been having a wonderful time having conversations with different people and seeing strings of words flow out my mouth where I finally realise exactly how much I changed. Belgium marks a Great Exchange in my life. Where I exchanged my fears for freedom, my doubts with confidence, my question marks with courage… a deep impartation took place and I have returned with a wealth of wisdom that I am so excited to share with everyone around me. My time overseas marks a period of a download of ideas which I’m ready to implement across the different spheres of my life. I am expectant to take what I learnt and impart it into the lives of others because my mission in life is to add value wherever I go. Just like my heart rose up and I woke up, I’m ready to help others awake and arise… in their studies, their identities, their dreams, their challenges, their finances etc. I have returned feeling more purpose-driven than ever before and I am in pursuit of seeking mentorship in the innovation realm and establishing my own business this year. I have a hunger for new knowledge, new wisdom and new opportunities. I find myself more alert than ever- absorbing all that I hear in class and my eyes are constantly open to identify places where I can fill the gap. I am inspired to see all the gold within me come forth and to see everything I touch prosper. The generosity and hospitality I experienced abroad has opened my heart and left me seeking to always be inclusive wherever I go. On my exchange, I learnt to listen to what others had to say and to love them through whatever they were experiencing. I believe that these are two key attributes that will help me equip and empower others because they provide the foundation to everything else.

    I experienced my exchange to be a window into all that awaits in my future. I know that I will spend my life travelling from nation to nation – equipping and empowering everyone I come into contact with. There’s a powerful truth that assures me that I will see exceedingly abundantly above what I could possibly imagine. The wonderful part of this exchange is that it granted me vision that I never had before. I can finally see what I am working towards. Although I plan to move abroad in the future in pursuit of the vision for my life, I intend to complete my education in South Africa. During my time of travelling across Europe, my love for South Africa grew exponentially and I was able to reflect on all that I have to be grateful for. No matter where I went or who I met along my exchange, nothing compared to meeting a South African, and reminiscing over the taste of braai meat, the bright sun, the beautiful beaches and most importantly, our beautiful country with the most beautiful, diverse and authentic people I have ever met. In conclusion, I would like to say thank you to Stellenbosch University (namely Sarah and Prof Erasmus) for pioneering and making this opportunity possible. Their commitment and devotion to the empowerment of the future generation is commendable and they will always form a special part of this exchange. Ultimately, the greatest thank you I have goes to my Dad who gave me a PhD in Bianca. He woke my heart up and showed me exactly who He created me to be. Now I get to lead other people to that place and help them embrace their uniqueness and the grand plans that are in store for them. On this exchange, a desire to see people discover their voice was birthed in me and I’m ready to spend every moment I have innovating, pioneering and adding value to Stellenbosch University, the Stellenbosch community, South Africa AND the world as a whole.

     

  • Sandri Smit at KU Leuven in Belgium

    Sandri Smit at KU Leuven in Belgium

    Pre-departure:

    Leuven, Belgium. My home for 5 months. 13 434km away. What an exciting yet daunting thought!

    In the time leading up to my semester abroad, a question that came to mind was “How do I fully prepare for my exchange; packing up my life here in South Africa and starting over in some foreign place for 5 months?” Looking back, I can assure you that the answer to this question is: you can’t. I don’t mean this in a negative light, but you will never really know exactly what to expect in terms of saying your goodbyes, finding your feet in an unfamiliar place, and studying at a university that operates differently to what you are used to. The most important thing to remember prior to and during your exchange is that, IT IS OKAY. If things don’t work out as you planned, don’t worry, because there is always a solution and everything will work out in the end.

    The administration process prior to your exchange should not be taken lightly. It requires a lot of time, effort and organisation. It may be discouraging at times, but trust me, it will be worth it in the end. Regarding your visa application: start as early as you possibly can! Especially with the police clearance required for Belgium. At the Belgian Consulate in Cape Town they accept clearance certificates from an agency called Nevetec. I would recommend this service because it will save you a lot of waiting time and effort and will eliminate the inconvenience of using the police services. However, it is a little more expensive.  Note that the Consulate in Johannesburg did not want to accept Nevetec certificates.

    Another important administrative factor to keep track of is the application dates for the Priority Country Programme. I was lucky enough to receive this scholarship, and it really contributed to the enjoyability of my semester abroad. It allowed me to pay my rent, food and do some travelling. Therefore, my exchange did not cost my parents anything more than what it costed them when I was living In Stellenbosch. The application for this scholarship is quite tedious and requires a lot of effort, but it is 100% worth it.

    Applications for KU Leuven’s residences are also important if you would like to live in a student residence. This process is not very complicated. If you are unsure about applying for residence, I would encourage you to do it. My best friends from the exchange were my residence mates and seeing that I lived in the international hallway of my residence, it allowed me to meet and experience people from many different countries and cultures. The rent is also much lower than private accommodation. I can recommend my residence, the American College, as it is situated well, modern on the inside yet very rich in history and architecturally ancient on the outside.

    In terms of travelling, I would recommend Emirates for your flights to and from Belgium as they allow 2x 23kg suitcases, as well as a hand luggage bag and a personal item (like a backpack). I found that rolling your clothes takes less space than folding and piling them. Make sure that you have a good raincoat, umbrella and warm jacket. I knew that it would be very cold, but I did not anticipate how much it would rain (almost every day in winter), and how grey it would be. So prepare yourself for not seeing the sun for long periods of time, and consider taking Vitamin D supplements (which I did).

    Experience at Host University:

    My semester at KU Leuven was one of the best times of my life. Leuven is the perfect town for a student. It is small enough that you do not need to use public transport; everything is accessible by foot or bicycle. Yet it is big enough to offer everything you may need. It is very similar to Stellenbosch in terms of being a “student town.” When the Belgians go home over weekends and holidays, the town is rather quiet. But due to the large international student population, there is always still some events happening over weekends to keep you busy. I recommend that you join the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) as they offer many activities and discounts for international students. A KU Leuven Culture Card is also worth investing in, offering free entry to many cultural events around town. The social and night life in this town is also prominent if you enjoy going out. Seeing that the Stella Artois beer brewery is situated in Leuven, you will definitely get your fair share of Belgian beers in. And, it goes without saying that their fries, waffles and chocolates are not to be missed.

    A tour at the Stella brewery
    A tour at the Stella brewery

    All of this is fantastic, but let’s not forget why you are actually going on exchange: to study. KU Leuven is a world top 50 ranked university and was established in 1425. Therefore, you should really consider yourself privileged if you get the opportunity to study there. I took 5 courses worth 6 ECTS each, namely Digital Marketing, Organisational Behaviour, Industrial Organisation, Capital Investment Policy and Development Economics. Digital Marketing and Development Economics were theory-based courses. Organisational Behaviour and Industrial Organisation involved a lot of group work and presentations, which allowed me to interact with classmates from all around the world and improve my presenting skills. Capital Investment Policy was the most difficult for me, involving some investment-based calculations and theory. Overall, the workload was manageable and the exams actually ended up being easier than I expected. I would say that the standard is quite similar to that of Stellenbosch, perhaps even a little easier. One thing that was a bit difficult to adapt to was the duration of their classes, with each class being two or three hours long.

    I did better in the exams than I planned for and expected, managing to get distinctions in all my courses. At KU Leuven they do not write semester tests. You only have to do some assignments and presentations during the semester, and then write the final exams. This is nice as it allows you to travel over weekends, but if you do not work consistently throughout the semester it will put you under a lot of pressure for exams. It was also very strange for me to have to worry about exams over the Christmas holidays. I was fortunate enough to have my family come visit and travel with me for these holidays, so I did not study much during the holidays. Seeing that I still managed to perform well academically, I would say you should make the most of your “winter wonderland Christmas,” and then be prepared to study hard the moment you get back.

    Heart-filled winter christmas with some new friends
    Heart-filled winter christmas with some new friends

    Throughout the semester I did a lot of travelling over weekends and on free weekdays. This was a highlight of my experience abroad, and I managed to visit 10 countries and 33 towns and cities. If you are diligent and work hard during the week to stay up to date with your academics, this is perfectly possible and if you plan well, you can easily do this on a student budget. Also make use of your International Business classmates, even if you were not close friends with them before. They can be excellent tour guides of their cities and provide you with free accommodation.

    There will also be some testing and difficult times during your semester, whether it be missing home, having difficult group members etc. Remember that this is okay; it is part of the experience. Although it may not always be pleasant, it will help you grow and develop as a person and you will learn a lot about yourself in such times.

    Return to Stellenbosch:

    The end of my exchange and post-exchange experience was more difficult than anticipated. During exams I felt ready to go back home, but as soon as exams were over and my stress was relieved, I wanted to stay longer. I became very close with the people living in my residence, which made saying goodbye really difficult. All of us were in tears after saying goodbye, and I cried all the way to the airport. It was harder for me to say goodbye to them than what my goodbyes in South Africa were, because I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again, and they contributed largely to my incredible exchange experience.

    When I got back to South Africa and saw my family waiting for me at the airport, my heart was filled with happiness. I really missed them during my time abroad and it was so good to see them again. But, a while after arriving back home everyone continued with their normal activities and I felt somewhat insignificant. To be honest, it was a bit of an anti-climax. I looked forward to going home for such a long time, and then it ended up being a bit of a let-down. Because I video-called my family often while abroad, I had already told them most of what there was to tell. But the fact remained that I had just returned after 5 months of new experiences and a different way of life, and I didn’t know how to express all of this. It was then that I came to the (obvious) realisation that life continued back here while I was away, and my absence did not influence their course of life.

    I was home for a week before coming back to Stellenbosch, during which I had to make the decision of what modules I want to major in this year. Because I did not have a clear preference in any of our previous modules, I found this quite challenging.  Readjusting to the heat was also a challenge, going from a maximum of 4 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees Celsius. But I could not complain about it, because it was something I longed for while I was in Belgium.

    When I got back to Stellenbosch, it was time for another adjustment. After being in res for three years, I moved into an apartment. I am enjoying it, but I miss the convenience and effortless social life that comes with living in a residence. I was extremely happy to see all of my friends again, but once again I experienced difficulty in expressing my experience. Everyone asks, “How was your exchange?” and then you have to answer them in two or three sentences, which obviously isn’t enough to convey the past five months of my life.

    In conclusion, I can definitely say that this exchange was life changing and an experience that I will always cherish. I am considering doing my master’s abroad, but this exchange made me realise that I really love sunny South Africa, and I would not want to live abroad permanently.