A Blog about Education Abroad

Category: Semester Exchange Postings

Blog Postings by Returning Stellenbosch University Students

  • Devin Jefferies at Technical University of Munich, Germany

    Devin Jefferies at Technical University of Munich, Germany

    Devin Jefferies

    M. Electronic Engineering

    Semester Exchange in the First Semester, 2024 at Technical University of Munich (TUM)

    Pre-departure:

    Preparing for the exchange was an exciting yet challenging process. It involved a lot of paperwork, planning, and anticipation. I had to ensure all my documents were in order, secure accommodation in Munich, and familiarize myself with the academic and social environment at TUM. 

    Square in Munich

    Experience at Host:

    Upon arrival at TUM, I was immediately struck by the advanced facilities and the welcoming atmosphere. My research at TUM was focused on F1TENTH, an open-source 1/10th scale autonomous race car platform, which is directly related to my master’s thesis. The state-of-the-art equipment and resources available at TUM significantly enhanced my research. I was able to achieve results that would have been impossible at Stellenbosch due to the limited resources. 

    Moreover, I was introduced to the vibrant German university culture. TUM fosters an environment of collaboration and innovation, which greatly contributed to my academic growth. The professors and fellow students were incredibly supportive, always willing to share knowledge and provide feedback. This collaborative spirit was truly inspiring and motivated me to push the boundaries of my research. 

    A Castle in Germany

    Living in Germany presented some financial challenges, especially given the higher cost of living compared to South Africa. However, with careful budgeting , I managed to navigate these challenges effectively. The key was to plan ahead and prioritize spending, focusing on essentials and making the most of student discounts and affordable options for accommodation and transportation. Despite the higher costs, the experience was well worth the investment, providing invaluable academic and personal growth opportunities. 

    Return to Stellenbosch:

    Returning to Stellenbosch University after the exchange, I brought back a wealth of knowledge and experiences that have profoundly impacted my academic journey. The skills and insights gained at TUM have enriched my research, enabling me to approach my thesis with a new perspective and advanced techniques. Additionally, the personal growth and cultural experiences have broadened my horizons, making me more adaptable and open-minded. 

    Overall, the exchange program at TUM was an unforgettable experience. It not only enhanced my master’s degree but also contributed significantly to my personal and professional development. I am grateful for the opportunity and highly recommend such exchanges to fellow students seeking to broaden their academic and cultural horizons. 

  • Eryn Treherne at Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Germany

    Eryn Treherne at Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Germany

    Eryn Treherne

    BCom International Business

    Semester Exchange in the Second Semester, 2023 at Frankfurt School of Finance and Management

     

    Pre-departure:

     

    The initial planning for going to Germany involves plenty of organisation, especially for your visa application. The German Consulate provides a checklist of what is required on their website, most is fairly easy to gather, but the most challenging is to open a blocked account. This account is a requirement where you need to set aside around 900 euros per month and deposit into this account that will be paid out to you once you are there. I would recommend using Fintiba to do this, and they also have many other services to help you in your preparation. The easiest current account to set up would be with Revolut as you don’t need to have your registered address for this, as with any German bank account. I would also recommend booking your flights as soon as possible, as this will also work out cheaper for
    you.

    Further, your accommodation also needs to be sorted out early, especially if you plan to stay in the student dorms. As soon as your acceptance comes through from FS, apply for this to ensure you can get a spot. There are other options as well, I would recommend places like Yugo. Finally, when you get the dates to register for your modules, you need to log on as the time opens so that you can get a spot in the classes you want to attend (some of them filled up for me within the first 5 minutes!).

     

    Experience at the Host University:

     

    My exchange semester at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management offered a unique experience quite different to the other options available, that are more traditional and quite larger. This smaller, private university had a mix of pros and cons. Frankfurt, which is a vibrant and growing city and home to one of Europe’s major airports, was an ideal place to stay if like me, you want to see as much of the area as possible. What also makes the travel convenient is that the university provides a Hessen state travel card, which can be upgraded for a small fee to the Deutschland ticket, allowing free travel on regional transport throughout Germany.
    Beyond having the ability to travel easily, Frankfurt itself is a lovely city to live, rich in cultural activities with an impressive array of museums, offering many diverse and enriching experiences.

     

    Christmas market in Frankfurt.

     

    Arriving in Frankfurt is quite an experience when you don’t know the public transport system very well, and I did get lost on my way to my accommodation, but I did find my way eventually. The week before classes start there are two days of orientation which I would recommend attending to meet other exchange students (as it is easier to form relationships with the internationals more than the locals as they are also looking to meet new people). The university also arranges socials and parties during this week and throughout the semester which can be a lot of fun and a great way to meet new people and spend time with the friends that you have already made. Some of the activities included a boat party, pub crawls, or even a picnic in the park.

     

    Eryn at the Boat Party.

     

    As I mentioned, FS is a smaller university, with about 4000 students in total. I quite liked this because your classes are smaller and that makes it easier to meet and talk to people, but you will have to engage in the lectures more. The lectures are also scheduled differently to SU. For each module, there are 2 sessions a week either on the same day or on 2 consecutive days of 3 hours each (you will have to take 5 in total, split between 2 terms to make up the credits at SU). The change in length can be daunting, but it doesn’t take long to make that adjustment, and you are able to choose interesting modules not available at SU (for example, I did Healthcare Business).

    Germany is an expensive country to live in. Rent can be quite pricey if you want to stay close to the university. There is also the health insurance cost to think about (compulsory), as well as liability insurance (optional but recommended). Groceries are slightly more expensive than South Africa, but mostly when it comes to meat (including chicken), so it’s always good to set up a meal plan for the week so that you know what you need to buy when you do go shopping. There are scholarships available as well. I received the Erasmus+ Scholarship, which is about 850 euros/month. This however is not enough to cover all your costs, for me it only covered my rent and my health insurance with a couple of euros to spare. With this scholarship they also cover your transport ticket that you receive from FS.

    Also, depending on where you stay, you need to be aware of the extra things that you may need to buy, such as household cleaning equipment, crockery and cutlery (as a lot of places require you to provide your own), bedding, etc. My advice with this would be to head to an Ikea and get everything you need there, as there are plenty of cheap options. Overall, I would recommend sitting down with whoever will be funding your exchange and create a clear budget that accounts for the increased costs of being in a new country.

     

    Return to Stellenbosch:

     

    I returned to South Africa just before Christmas, which was really nice to be home and spend some holiday time with my family. As I start classes next week, I am sure there will be an adjustment coming back to SU. For one, my classes will be a lot shorter again, but I will be going back to class 5 days a week. The workload is also much more at SU so I know that I will need to be aware of getting back into my old study patterns. Coming back to Stellies is a really good thing, as you can catch up with friends that you haven’t seen for a while. While it will be easy to fall back into the old patterns of your life before exchange. I think it would be important to remember to keep what you have learned while being overseas and try to incorporate those changes into your life back at home.

  • Skye Breeze Petser at Xiamen University, China

    Skye Breeze Petser at Xiamen University, China

    Skye Breeze Petser

    Chinese Hons Student

    Semester Exchange in the Second Semester, 2023 at Xiamen University

     

    Pre-departure:

     

    I won’t sugarcoat it, the months leading up to my departure were rough. There were a lot of problems with my registration to the host university, but I was lucky enough to fight through it all with a fellow classmate who had also chosen Xiamen University. I had chosen Xiamen over the more popular choice of Beijing because I wanted to be closer to the sea and not directly in the middle of a busy and massive city (I’m not much of a city person). I did, however, find out that I would be on Xiang’an campus and not Siming campus which needs to be stated. The visa application was a process because we had to wait for our acceptance documents to arrive from China, but they had been sent through the post and only arrived two weeks before we left during a taxi strike. My nerves were shot by the time I was sitting on the plane. Between booking flights, getting my visa and online registration I was ready to make the most out of my exchange. It was my first time leaving the country and I was so excited to experience what was to come. 

    Skye with a fellow Hons student from Stellies.

    Experience at the Host University:

     

    Unlike the months before I arrived, my experience in China was amazing. I will say the registration and the first few weeks was difficult for us all. I had to run around with fellow students, during a typhoon, to finalise our registration and various other odds and ends. We were trying to get our student cards, SIM cards and bank cards sorted while also figuring out exactly what was going on. 

    Something that I had to get used to in China was the fact that you use an app called Alipay to pay for everything. Many people also use WeChat pay, but a lot of us exchange students couldn’t access WeChat pay, though this wasn’t a problem because you can get by with using Alipay. China also has tons of apps. There is an app for everything, such as buying electricity and using the washing machines in the dorms, selecting food while at a restaurant or even for public transport. 

    It took some getting used to how things worked in China, but it was worth it. Using the metro system or the buses to travel around made transport convenient and affordable. I was able to travel with friends wherever we wanted to go, and it would always cost us around R5 to R20. My friends couldn’t understand why I was so excited about being able to use public transport, but it was amazing to see the possibilities of what could be in my own country. 

    The actual experiences I had at Xiamen University were endless. I met the most amazing people there, from the girls living in my dorm (which only cost me around R1000 for the semester), to the fellow students in my classes, to the Chinese students I met through various activities like archery and even to the workers at my favourite little tea shop which was a five-minute walk from my dorm. The people around me made my experience what it was – sure, I attended classes and did every language elective provided, but I learned so much more outside of the classroom than I did inside.

     

    Skye at Nanputuo Temple

     

    I was able to improve my speaking and listening skills in Chinese by talking to locals, as well as learn so much about Chinese culture that I would never have learned from a textbook. I was invited by a close Chinese friend to stay in her family’s home in Quzhou to celebrate her birthday with her while experiencing more intimate parts of Chinese culture. I celebrated birthdays, Christmas and New Years with different nationalities who shared their own traditions and customs. We tried new foods at the street food market outside the campus’s West Gate or Dong Men. We were smoked out of our dorms by a fire drill at 6am and went for karaoke at night. There were Halli Galli tournaments with shop workers as spectators, picture wars where we became like the paparazzi, as well as becoming Santa Claus while giving foreign friends advent calendars and presents for their first-time celebrating Christmas. I even played badminton in the middle of the pavement for three hours against some friends who needed a break from work. I will never forget that I had all of these adventures while laughing so hard that my stomach hurt.

     

    Return to Stellenbosch:

     

    I’ve been back in South Africa exactly two weeks now and my time in China feels like a dream. To be honest, the actual academic part of my exchange barely crosses my mind. What I remember are the people and the things that we did and saw during those five months. The lessons I learned and the parts of myself that I discovered will forever live in my heart. Going on an exchange means getting uncomfortable and trying new things. I would never have experienced half of what I did or met the amazing people I did if I hadn’t taken opportunities and tried new things. My future has opened up and I’m excited to see where I will go. I know that I’m only better off for having gone on this exchange. One day I will return to China but for now the future is a blank canvas.