A Blog about Education Abroad

Category: Semester Exchange Postings

Blog Postings by Returning Stellenbosch University Students

  • Jeanne-Marie at LUCA School of Arts

    Jeanne-Marie at LUCA School of Arts

    Pre-departure:

    The application to be accepted into the program was not as difficult as I expected. All that was expected of me was to write a two (2) page motivational letter explaining why I would like to be considered for the transition fellowship program, and submit my academic records of previous studies. Once I received the notice that I was accepted into the program, my course supervisor, Keith Dietrich, corresponded back and forth with LUCA School of Arts to agree on the course requirements once I arrive. I was also asked to send documents to the administrative staff from LUCA (including a certified copy of my passport and ID). I could choose between LUCA in Gent and LUCA in Brussels. I decided on Gent, as I liked the idea of living in a smaller city compared to Brussels.

    Jeanne-Marie Roux - Jeanne-Marie Roux_photo1 (more…)

  • Kristen at Leiden University

    Pre-departure:

    Your European adventure is going to require a lot of planning and administration – deadlines are important. First and foremost, when choosing your subjects, look to see which campus your classes will take place. Leiden University is divided between Den Haag and Leiden. Majority of students I met had no idea that Leiden was made up of two campuses before arriving here. Where your classes take place will affect where you choose to live. I would recommend living in Leiden, unless your classes are in Den Haag, as Leiden is more student centered. Travelling between Den Haag and Leiden can become a pricey endeavor especially if you are commuting almost every day. If this is the case, I strongly recommend that you consider opening a Dutch bank account as this allows you to obtain a personalized OV chip card that offers a range of benefits including discounts.

    (more…)

  • Brian at the University of Stuttgart, Germany

    Brian at the University of Stuttgart, Germany

    Updated: 18 May 2016

    Brian is currently at the University of Stuttgart; here are his experiences and first impresssions.

    Pre-departure: 

    When I signed up for PhD studies, the intention was always to do part of my research work abroad/overseas, in order to get some international exposure, and also make new contacts in my chosen field of research. My supervisors were already in contact with a professor at the University of Stuttgart, who has expertise in a component of my research work, and was willing to supervise my work whilst I was in Stuttgart. This therefore influenced my choice of university for exchange, and the fact that the University of Stuttgart already had a partnership with Stellenbosch University made the exchange possible. (more…)