Experience report
ANR: 441868
Name: Britt Schippers
E-mail: b.c.j.schippers@tilburguniversity.edu
Exchange semester: Spring 2015
Academic year: 2014-2015
Host University: Umeå University
Country: Sweden
Admission, arrival, housing
I arrived one day earlier than the recommended arrival day and I went to the area of Ålidhem by the
Airport bus. This was not a problem. I slept at the place of a Swedish friend, who I met during her
exchange at Tilburg University during the fall semester of 2014. The next day, I went to university to
pick up the keys for my room. This was well organized. There were some free drinks and fruits for the
people who just arrived. There was a possibility to use a taxi for free to bring you and your suitcase(s)
from university to your room. I did not need to use this service. If I remember, the university does not
provide a service to pick you up from the airport/station. So, you can take the airport bus or a taxi to
university.
During fall 2014 I received an email with the question if I would like to use the service of Umeå
University to search a room for me. I accepted this and I needed to pay a first amount of money. After
the university received the money, I chose my room through an online system. It was hard to choose
a room, because there were several areas. I lived in Ålidhem, the area where most (international)
students live. This is the center for student activities and parties. It is also close to three supermarkets,
a pharmacy, hairdresser, etc. In addition, it is not far away from university and the sport center (IKSU).
I was happy with this practical location. However, if I would have live for a longer time in Umeå I
would have choose another area, named Nydalahöjd. This is a nice and calm area surrounded by a
lot of trees, and close to a beautiful lake. In general, the student accommodation are a little bit better
here, but also more expensive. Also, the distance to university and IKSU is a bit longer and there are
less bus connections.
TIP: If you choose a room in Ålidhem, pick a room at the highest level. These rooms are often more
new. In general the student accommodation are fine.
Location of university/city
Umeå is the biggest city of North Sweden, but it is not that bigger than Tilburg. The university has a
central location. The sportcenter, IKSU, is close to the university. I can definitely recommend to buy a
subscription, even when it is quit expensive. You can do so many sports during the whole day. I loved
to play indoor beach volleyball. Every changing room is provided with a sauna and there is swimming
pool with jacuzzi.
The city center is 10 minutes from university by bike. You can see that Umeå is a growing city. The
city center is nice and you can find everything you need. There are also a lot of places to have a fika,
the Swedish word for a coffee break with something sweet.
My favorite place in Umeå was the Nydala lake. This is a beautiful lake surrounded by forest. During
the winter, people are hiking on the frozen lake, go cross country skiing, ice skating or ice fishing. This
is also the best place to spot the Northern lights. During the summer, people go for a swim, hike
around the lake or play beach volleyball. In the evening you could have a nice barbeque.
Academics
The relationship between professors and students is very informal and this is something I really liked.
The education level is comparable with Tilburg University. I experienced the workload a bit less,
because you follow one (or two) course(s) at the same time. I think this education system is better,
because you can focus on one course at the same time. The English level of professors and students
is quit high. I had not difficulties to understand them. The campus is compact and nice.
I am a master student Business Law at Tilburg University. During my exchange in Umea I followed
two law courses, those will count as extra courses for my master at Tilburg University.
-
Introduction to Swedish law: 7.5 ECTS, bachelor level.
The Rule of Law and International Organizations: 15 ECTS, master level.
I can recommend both courses. I wanted to follow the Introduction to Swedish law to understand the
basics of their legal system. There were a lot of Swedish students that followed this course as well,
especially students that are not from law school, but another faculty that are interested in law. As I am
a law student in Tilburg, the content was not that hard. However, the focus on group work was new for
me. There was also a lot of space for discussion during the seminars. This experience was very
useful. The examination was one individual test of 5 hours. This was quite long, but you did not need
all these hours.
The other course, the Rule of Law and International Organizations, was very interesting. There were
only 7 students from different countries: Sweden, Pakistan, Iran, England and Germany. There was a
lot of space for discussions and sharing different point of views, so it made me more open minded
about law systems in general. I wrote different small papers. The exam was one huge paper that you
had to defend in front of your fellow students.
In addition, I took a Swedish language course for beginners (A1 level) for 15 ECTS. I can definitely
recommend this language course. The language is not that difficult to understand for people that
speak Dutch, so it is worth it to invest in this during one semester. Furthermore, it is a great change to
meet new international students.
Social life
Umeå is a real student city, so there are a lot of activities for (international) students. Firstly, you can
join the Buddy program. I can recommend you to join this program, because you get to know so many
people during your first week. They organize all different kind of activities: parties, a teambuilding day,
ice skating, a day at the sauna, sports, etc. The Swedish mentors can help you with your practical
questions and learn you more about the Swedish culture. In addition, you will meet new people in
your corridor, during your courses at university, the sport center, etc. One of my favorite activities was
the international dinners.
In addition, I travelled as much as possible. My best trips were:
- During the winter: an outdoor trip organized by IKSU: I went winter camping for 4 days close
to the boarder with Norway. We had our backpack, cross country skies and hiking boots. We
had to melt the snow to get water and we built snow walls to make sure our tent would not
blow away. This was my most adventurous experience ever.
- During the summer: I went hiking in a national park two hours south from Umeå. My Swedish
friend and I had our backpack and enjoyed the beautiful nature in Sweden. It did not get dark,
so there was no limit for us.
In addition, I did some city trips in Scandinavia: Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö, Copenhagen, Oslo,
Leardal, Bergen, Helsinki and St. Petersburg. Some trips I did on my own, others were organized. In
general, travelling by train is good in Scandinavia.
Living costs
I financed my exchange period with my Erasmus grant, student grant (studiefinanciering), own
savings and financial support of my parents.
Spending per month:
- Housing: 300 euro
- Food: 150 euro
- Textbooks: 10 euro (I did not buy all my books. I could borrow them from the library)
In addition, I spend most of my money for travelling. Sweden in general is more expansive than the
Netherlands. Especially alcohol and going out for dinner. You should take this into account by
choosing Scandinavia as your exchange destination. You can make it so expansive as you want.
Culture
I did not experience a culture shock. The Swedish culture is quit close to the Dutch culture. In general,
people in the north of Sweden are more quit and reserved. It takes a while to get to know the Swedish
people. One thing you will learn is ‘fika’. Swedish people love it and do it through the whole day.
Personal development
Firstly, this will be an experience you will never forget. You will meet so many people from different
countries, so you will get to know some different cultures. This is interesting and this will you make
more open-minded. In addition, it will make you more self-independent. The most important lesson for
me is: think less, do more. Finally, everything will work out.
I will never forget the outdoor trip I made with IKSU. Two days before we left, I met the other 5 people
who would join me. I never met them before, so I was quit nervous to stay with them for some days in
those circumstances. We had a great time and I shared very special experiences with them. It were
the four most adventurous and interesting days of my exchange period!
Tips for future students
I can recommend everyone to go on exchange. Umeå is a very nice location if you would like to
experience real winter with opportunities to do some outdoor activities and see the Northern lights.
Don’t expect a bigger city than Tilburg. Umeå University suits you when you are looking for a more
informal study environment and if you would like to experience more group work. You should take into
account that Sweden is more expansive than the Netherlands and that you should bring some real
warm cloths and good shoes.