A Blog about Education Abroad

Tag: Summer School

  • Helen in Helsinki

    Pre-departure:

    Being a candidate for the Helsinki summer school was thrilling although much preparation is needed. The application was a process that can be stressful if one leaves it to the last minute. I filled out the forms and did my digital interview well in advance. It is important to make a creative yet professional interview so that the people who analyse will know that you are serious. My lectures letter was a hassle, thus it is wise to warn your lecturer in advance and repeatedly nag them to get it as soon as possible.

    Once being accepted I would say it is important to meet your group and get to know them. Fortunately I had wonderful fellow candidates and we got on immediately. The next step was booking my flights. I tried to book my flights with another candidate so that we would get to Helsinki at the same time. We booked in advance but if we had taken the initiative to book earlier we would have had a better price. I would advise that as soon as the money is deposited in your account to begin searching for the best flights available. I flew with KLM airlines who were very reliable with decent food. (more…)

  • Dan in Helsinki

    Pre-departure:

    Once I got the confirmation that I had been selected, all the excitement ended. Why, u might be asking, because visa application processes are always a patience needing experience! So kick starting everything was the news that I couldn’t get my visa here in Cape Town but had to go to Pretoria as the Finnish consulate here in Cape Town had suddenly decided that all who needed the Schengen visa to their country must go there.

    Dan in HelsinkiThanks to the efficiency of the organising office for bailing me and my fellow students out by taking care of our booking to and from Pretoria. The Finnish website talks about 5 working days for South African citizens and since am not one I would urge anyone who isn’t to get prepared for a minimum or 2-3 weeks at the soonest. The plus side about the visa process is that it is free! Yes as long as your papers (ALL DOCUMENTS) are in order. As I learnt at the Embassy do not overlook any document or piece of information they require, as it will most likely delay your visa application process

    The trip to Pretoria was fun, as we spent the day together as a group for the first time, with the exception of Liam and Susan. Our combination of Helen, Kristin, Lefras and me was just awesome. (We enjoyed each other’s company and wished we had done it often in Helsinki but the different schedules made it impossible).

      (more…)

  • Claudia in Austria

    Pre-departure:

    Wow, having been selected for the summer school was very exciting!  My destination: Austria. Even though I have been to Austria before this was in a completely different area. The University of Graz hosted the summer school and we were going to be staying outside the town Leibnitz in a castle.
    In the first few weeks after selection there was still tremendous amount of admin. We had to fill out more forms and re-apply for more specific seminar groups at the summer school.
    Sorting out the tuition fee was also quite challenging, my advice would definitely be to not leave that too late, as international bank transfers take some time. Also not all summer schools require a tuition payment but mine did, however the bursary we received could be used to cover the expense.
    Due to the weakening of the rand, looking for affordable flights was also challenging, but in the end all the admin and stress did pay off. We found some affordable flights by Air Berlin via München.

    (more…)