A Blog about Education Abroad

Category: Semester Exchange Postings

Blog Postings by Returning Stellenbosch University Students

  • Thaakir at TU Munich, Germany

    Thaakir at TU Munich, Germany

    Hi there, I’m Thaakir Aricum and I recently went on exchange to TUM Germany. If you’re reading this, it means you have made (or are about to make) one of the best decisions of your life!

    Pre-departure:

    The three words that best describe this: admin, paperwork and a solid headache… But honestly, it’s worth every bit of effort you have to put in. The application process is quite lengthy and requires a lot of documentation, a video CV, recommendation letters and much more. Luckily the staff at SU International are extremely helpful. Ultimately though, the prep work and running around is your responsibility so make sure you get started ASAP. The visa application in itself is relatively simple, but getting everything that’s needed for the application can be nightmarish. The first thing to consider is time: Your visa takes a minimum two weeks to process and you usually only get confirmation from the university a month before the exchange starts, so the visa application window is pretty narrow. Before you apply for your German visa make sure that you have a recent police clearance, medical aid and proof of funds. If you receive a stipend / scholarship from the University you’ll be visiting, then there won’t be a visa cost (which usually costs around R1000).

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  • Timothy at the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands

    Timothy at the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands

    Pre-departure planning:

    Pre-departure is by far the most important thing when planning to go abroad. Sorting out all administrative aspects of your exchange before you depart certainly allows integration at the exchange university to be smooth and easy.

    I found out the hard way that when attempting to go abroad, things are not as simple as filling in a form, getting a visa and buying an airplane ticket. Thus, my recommendation would be to decide early on what you want to do and where you want to go. From there, get straight into planning. Wageningen University accepts thousands of new international students every year, so the protocols that they have in place are efficient and effective. When you have any questions, you can send them an email. Their replies are prompt and informative. On this note, always rather ask too many questions than too few. It is their job to answer them and they will do so willingly.

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  • Riki at Northwestern University, USA

    Riki at Northwestern University, USA

    Pre-departure:

    I was incredibly excited when I heard that I was going on an exchange to Northwestern University. Northwestern is in Evanston which is a suburb of the greater Chicago area. Going on an exchange for the first time is both exciting and daunting. There were many things to be organised and prepared before I could depart for the United States. Everything can seem a bit overwhelming, but if you take it step by step and ask for help when you need it there should not be any problems. Many people have gone on an exchange before and I found that the entire process had already been clearly mapped out for me. (more…)