A Blog about Education Abroad

Category: Winter / Summer School Postings

  • Sami Maseko attending the Lef Summer School

    Sami Maseko attending the Lef Summer School

    Sami attended the Lef Summer School at the University of Antwerp. Here is her story.

    Pre-Departure:

    When I received my acceptance letter to the University of Antwerp I was ecstatic, and all I could do was daydream and Google images of the different places I had to see on my trip; this lasted for a few days. That is my first tip, don’t get overwhelmed, and don’t get side tracked. Sure, Googling images are cool, but sorting out the technicalities will become a headache if you don’t begin on time. It is the most cliché thing to say, but it is true: plan and divide your time wisely.

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  • Connie at Fudan University, China

    Connie at Fudan University, China

    Connie Louw-Smidt attended the Shanghai Summer School at Fudan University. Here is her story.

    Shanghai Poskaart foto

    Pre-departure :

    The days leading up to my departure for my Shanghai Summer School BRICS Program at Fudan University were filled with excitement, below are some pre-departure tips

    Packing:

    Remember to check the weather forecasts and climate for the months before you go. Since it is a summer school, it will be in Summer, and in many areas in China it gets seriously hot and humid, pack appropriately. And remember comfortable shoes to walk in!

    Backpacks are the best kind of travel gear, I got one of those travel backpacks with the many straps and back support and it is completely worth it. Not only does it enable you to travel light (by forcing you to do so, as the volume is more limiting than regular suitcases) but it is also the easiest to carry around as you carry it through it becoming part of your body weight!

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  • Bianca at Hohenheim University in Germany.

    Bianca at Hohenheim University in Germany.

    Pre-departure:

    I decided that seeing as I was going all the way to Europe anyway, I may as well do some extra traveling on my way to Germany. This meant that I had to make sure I applied well in advance for my visas (plural, because I went to England too). My British Visa was a breeze to get, and I got it within 4 days of applying, however I had to apply for my Schengen visa from the German Embassy and they are extremely strict! I had neglected to book train rides and such between different Schengen countries for example, and they said this could cause a problem, so they told me to sort it all out and come back when I was more prepared. This was a problem, because I was now cutting time to my departure rather fine, and what with writing exams, it was rather hard to find time to get through to Cape Town. So I would suggest sorting Visas as soon as possible to ensure that you are actually able to get to your Summer School in the first place.

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