Experience report
E-mail: ampmolenberg@gmail.com
Study program: Minor courses abroad
Exchange semester: Spring (winter) 2015
Academic year: 3rd year of bachelor Human Resource Studies
Host university: HEC Montreal
Country: Canada
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
During my exchange in Montreal, I lived in the neighborhood called le Plateau. I can
recommend living in this area, since a lot of bars, restaurants and shops are near and it is a
perfect location for exploring the rest of the city. HEC Montreal is located in the west of
Montreal, but easy accessible from le Plateau by bus (15 minutes) or metro (25 minutes).
The university has two buildings, the main building (CSC) and a smaller building (Decelles) in
walking distance (5 minutes) from each other. Montreal is a francophone city, but almost
everyone is fluent in English as well. The city combines the North American feeling with
influences from Europe (France in particular). Due to this combination it is a diverse city, with
a modern (business) area, a historical center and beautiful nature. Personal favorites were
the area around Old Port and park Mont Royal with a beautiful view on the skyline on top. I
was there in the winter semester and one important thing to mention is the weather during
this period. From January until March I experienced the coldest winter in decades with an
average temperature of -15 degrees and extremes of -25 degrees. From April on the weather
got better, I even got temperatures of above 20 degrees during my last two weeks. This
perfectly represents the Montreal weather, (extreme) cold winters and hot summers.
Comparing Montreal to Tilburg, besides being a lot bigger, I experienced it is more vibrant
and more culture oriented. There are a lot of festivals, events and activities organized during
the year, varying from music, to art and food. I was there in the winter semester and some
big events/activities organized were Igloofest and a big ice skating ring in the old port.
Besides these winter events, I experienced how passionate the people are about ice hockey
and the Habs (Canadiens de Montreal) in particular.
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
I received the first information from HEC Montreal in the beginning of October. This
information was mainly about your own account and how to enroll for courses. After this I
received other pre-arrival information concerning housing, the introduction week etc. Overall I
can say that the International Office of HEC Montreal is well organized and really willing to
help.
Visa procedure and arrival
Dutch students do not need a visa if they are staying for a period shorter than six months (so
1 semester). Normally a pick-up is provided for students arriving a few days before the start
of the introduction week, however this was not provided this winter. We had an introduction
day from the International Office at the 3rd of January, explaining everything you needed to
know. The administration at HEC Montreal was well organized that day, so I did not
encounter any problems.
Orientation/introduction activities
At the start of each semester the exchange committee (HEChange) is organizing an
introduction week for the international students. They offer different packages and the one
including everything was around 220 CAD, which is quite expensive, but it was definitely
worth it. It was one of the best weeks I experienced during my stay in Montreal. Besides the
great activities they organize (pub crawls, snow tubing, a spa etc.), it is the best way to get to
know the other exchange students. They also arranged a buddy for exchange students that
signed up for one. I had a nice girl as buddy and she gave me a lot of information about
studying and living in Montreal.
Housing
HEC Montreal gives information about housing, providing different sites that offer
apartments. I got mine via Get Your Place, which I found the easiest and fastest way to get
one. Get Your Place is an organization from former HEC students, which provides shared
apartments all over the city. Get Your Place provides you with the dates on which you can
subscribe for a room. You have to be quick, since popular rooms will be taken quickly. I
shared an apartment with 5 other students from Germany, France, Australia and the USA.
While I did not experience any problems with my apartment, I heard from others that they
experienced some problems with their apartments rented from Get Your Place. A big
advantage of renting your room via Get Your Place is that you have something on arrival.
However if you don’t mind having something on arrival, you can find (better) apartments once
you are in Montreal.
Living costs
Canada is an expensive country, so I recommend saving some money. I financed a part of
my exchange with the study grant provided by DUO (uitwonende studiefinanciering) and a
grant I received from Tilburg University. Other expenses were financed with my savings and
some help from my parents. I have spent most of the money on housing, travelling and food.
My approximate monthly budget was:
Housing: 550 CAD
Food/drinks: 200 CAD
Transport: 40 CAD
Health insurance: 70 CAD (371 CAD for 5 months (mandatory for Dutch students)
Travelling: 300 CAD
Total: 1160 CAD (+/- €840)
Academic calendar
*Arrival date: 2nd of January and introduction week: 3rd -10th of January
*First day of the semester: 4th of January
*Last day of classes: 14th of April
*Mid-term break: first week of March (1st – 7th of March)
*Examination period: mid-terms: end of February (21st – 27th of February), finals: last week of
April (18th – 26th of April)
*Any special events: Easter break (3rd – 6th of April)
The international office
There is an International Office consisting of three women, where each of them is assigned
to a group of exchange students. Whenever you have a problem you can go see them, since
they are really willing to help.
Exchange promotion
There was no international day where we could promote our university. However there was
an international BBQ where I met students that are coming to Tilburg University in the fall
semester.
Social activities
Again the exchange committee plays an important role in making it the best semester of your
life. Besides organizing the introduction week, during the semester they organize many
events and activities, such as parties, trips, special activities and they always end with a
gala. Every single person in the committee does everything they can to make the semester
even better and I have a lot of respect for every single one of them. I had some contacts with
local students, but I have spent most time with other exchange students. Montreal is a
perfect starting point for trips, so I have been travelling to Québec, Toronto, Niagara Falls,
New York, Boston and Cuba.
Culture and language
I did not experience a real culture shock in Montreal, however I needed some time to adjust
to the time difference and the weather. I got used to the cold weather after a few weeks, but
after three months of snow and cold, it gets a bit frustrating at times. Montreal is a
francophone city, where in general the people speak English as well, but being able to read
in French is an advantage. A difference I recognized between Canada and the Netherlands
was in the behavior of people. Where the Dutch are quite direct, the Canadians are not. The
people in Montreal are really friendly and polite, which shows for example in standing in line
for a bus. The country where I experienced the most differences in culture, was Cuba.
Personal development
I think my exchange was very valuable for my personal development. The most important
things I learned were not necessarily from the courses I took, but from the other exchange
students. I found it very interesting to see the different insights from the exchange students,
regarding family, career etc. and it changed my opinion about some cultures and countries. I
also learned to be more open to people from other cultures/countries and it reduced my
prejudice about people. What I found most difficult was making contact with locals, because
of the French language. I had French for six years at high school, however my speaking
skills are not good at all. What I learned was that when you try to speak French, even when it
is a little bit, people appreciate it. This made me realize that whenever you make an effort to
adapt to a language or culture, people are more friendly and open in return.
I also think that an exchange abroad is valuable for your future career. It shows that you are
independent and not afraid of a (new) challenge. The fact that you can work with people with
different backgrounds and cultures is also an advantage in multinational organizations.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Academic level at host university
HEC Montreal offers courses in three languages, where most courses are taught in French,
but also enough courses are provided in English and even some in Spanish. I did not follow
any courses in French, because I thought that my level of French was not good enough to
complete one. They also offer French language courses, which I didn’t take, but I would take
one if I could decide again. In took 4 courses in English, which were Marketing Management,
Management Skills, Corporate Social Responsibility and International Management. I can
definitely recommend Management Skills and International Management because of the
interesting teaching materials and excellent teachers. There are some differences between
the academic level of HEC Montreal and Tilburg University. The first thing is that Tilburg
University is more theoretical, where HEC is more practical. A second thing is that at HEC
the classes are smaller and participation is desired. I think this is a good thing, since you are
required to think more actively about the content and the relationship with the teachers is
more personal. A final thing that is different is that your grade at HEC Montreal consists of
more components, such as (group)assignments, participation, presentations, and finals,
where at Tilburg University it mainly consists of one assignment and a final exam. Overall I
think that the academic level at Tilburg University is a bit higher than at HEC Montreal.
Exams
You can have midterms and final exams. These exams can be multiple choice, open
questions or a combination of the two. An open book exam is also possible.
Other
The library and it’s resources are easily accessible for students. However some of the online
library pages are in French only, which can be a disadvantage if you can’t find something you
need. There are enough places on the university available for group work and studying.
There are also computers available at the university, however these places are limited.
Description of courses
Course
Marketing Management
(2-100-00A)
Prerequisites
None
Exam
Written
ECTS
6
Management Skills
(2-405-98A)
None
Written
6
Corporate Social
Responsibility
(2-440-07A)
None
Written
6
International Management
(3-006-04A)
None
Written
6
Comments
Mid-term, group
assignment and final
exam (open book)
Participation, (group)
case studies,
presentation, final
exam
Mid-term, group
assignment,
participation, final
exam
Presentation, group
assignment,
participation, final
exam
Tips for future students
I would definitely recommend going on an exchange abroad. It is really valuable for your
personal development and it could help your future career, since you learn more about your
personal skills. I have also made some great friends from all around the world, who I will visit
again.
I can also recommend HEC Montreal as exchange university. The university has good
teachers and staff, who are all willing to help. The exchange committee is also an argument
for choosing Montreal, since they really make your semester abroad your best five months of
your life. Besides the good university, the city of Montreal has everything you need; a good
nightlife, beautiful nature and very friendly people. If you like skiing or snowboarding and you
don’t mind (extreme) cold temperatures, I can recommend Montreal during the spring
semester, since it gives you an unique experience.
What I can advise to everyone that decides to go abroad is to start early and read carefully. It
takes some time to arrange all the things you need; admission documents, housing,
passports, insurances etc., so start as early as possible. Also make sure you read the
university’s website carefully, so you complete all the required steps (and you don’t do things
that are not necessary, like I did).