Experience report
Name: Leonie Sloots
E-mail: l.sloots@tilburguniversity.edu
Exchange semester: Spring semester
Academic year: 2014-2015
Host University: University of Sheffield
Country: The United Kingdom
TOPIC: Admission, arrival, housing
How was your arrival organized? Did someone pick you up from the airport/station? Was an
orientation or introduction activity organized? How was accommodation organized? Does the
university provide you with accommodation? What kind of accommodation does the university provide?
Did you have to book your accommodation in advance or did you have to search for a place to live
after you arrived?
I left for Sheffield on the 1st of February, a week before the official semester started. The connection is
just amazing because you can fly directly from Eindhoven to Manchester. After that you’re only an
hour train ride away from Sheffield itself, which takes you through Peak District, a national park which
covers about 1/3 of Sheffield. The view is absolutely lovely and makes a good introduction to the
greenest city in the UK. University accommodation is provided, but I chose to live in private
accommodation. Partially because the University of Sheffield had repeatedly told me that they could
not guarantee a place for Erasmus students staying for only one semester, and partially because I
wanted to live in a houseshare (I ended up living with three British students) rather than in a big
apartment building.
I can definitely recommend a houseshare, but it really depends on what you’re looking for, and the
university accommodation is perfectly looked after. For me the advantages of a houseshare were the
price (which is much lower than uni accommodation), the closeness to university and the feeling that
you are actually living in Sheffield. The downside was that it was quite far from the student village
where all the other exchange students lived, but I do not have the feeling that I’ve really missed out on
anything.
Before the actual semester started we had two introduction days which consisted of getting to know a
whole bunch of exchange students (it took me a while to remember all of their names), being shown
around the university, register for courses, and basically doing a lot of fun stuff.
TOPIC: Location of university/city
Please describe the city you lived in. Where is the university located in the city? What is the best
place to go to eat/drink/dance/do sports/etc.? What are interesting things to see and do in your host
city? What was different than in Tilburg?
The University of Sheffield is located in the middle of the city centre and was just a mere 15 minute
walk from my house. It is spread out over different buildings and the law department is in a red brick
one called Bartolomé House (I always felt like walking into mini Hogwarts). I had all of my seminars
there and the lectures were in the bigger buildings.
A really big thing in the UK are the Student’s Unions and the one in Sheffield has repeatedly been
voted as being the best in the country. It’s the place where all of the societies reside, there is a small
supermarket, several food places (New Leaf, the salad bar, is definitely at the top of my list), a coffee
place, a bar and a night club area (all in one building!). This made the student experience quite
different than in Tilburg. Everything was a lot more personal, while the university itself is much bigger,
and even though you spend only a few months there you immediately feel connected and a part of
something. Other than that Sheffield looks completely different from Tilburg, very industrial but still
with a lot of character.
One of the things the exchange students started joking about after a while was that I worked as an
undercover Harley promoter, because I ended up going there quite a lot. The Harley is a combination
of a pub, a nightclub and a hotel, and has – in my opinion – the best burgers in town. To honor this
non-official function one last time I would highly recommend going there, you will not regret it! And for
all the coffee-lovers out there: Coffee Revolution (in the Student’s Union), Steam Yard and Tamper
Coffee were my favourites.
Regarding places to go out there are loads of options. Corporation is a nightclub you should at least
go to once, preferably on a Wednesday when everyone dresses up in a school uniform. If you’re a
music lover you should definitely visit one of the many open mic nights, I played at a few myself and
have encountered some big talents as well, so it is very much worth it.
TOPIC: Academics
Which courses did you take and why? Which courses would you recommend? What did the courses
add to your program at Tilburg University? How does the university compare to Tilburg University
concerning the level of the courses, use of extra material, level of English, workload, etc.? Overall,
were you happy with your academic achievements during your exchange? Please describe the
campus of your host university.
I took three courses: a first year one (Introduction to Legal Processes), a third year one (Advanced
Issues in International Law) and a postgraduate one (Copyright an Related Rights). I was able to do
the first year one because I didn’t need the credits for my undergraduate diploma, and I really wanted
to get a decent introduction into English law. It turned out to be very much focussed on criminal law,
which was a bit of a let-down, since I thought it would be 50% criminal law and 50% civil law. Still, I
learned a lot from it and it enhanced my essay writing skills as the exam consisted mostly of essay
questions instead of problem ones. The Advanced Issues in International Law was a really good
course, and I can highly recommend taking it, especially if you are in international law student. They
discuss several main topics in international law, while drawing upon recent events to illustrate the
issues surrounding it. The main lecturer is a really good researcher himself and his own articles
always set out the most important aspects really well. The Copyright law course was really nice a well.
It was quite short (only 6 seminars), but it still managed to thoroughly touch upon the main themes
and rules in European copyright law. Especially this course was very useful for me, as I am planning
to register for the master Law & Technology. Copyright is obviously a big part of this and I think
already having some basic knowledge will help me a lot.
In my opinion the way of studying and the workload is quite similar to Tilburg. You have lectures and
seminars, for which you need to prepare, and you are expected to cooperate during these seminars.
There are not a lot of contact hours, but you are expected to work independently a lot, which is the
same as in Tilburg. At the time of writing I did not have my grades yet, but I am fairly confident about
the exams in that they went well.
TOPIC: Social life
Which social activities organized by the university or students? Did you have contact with local
students? Did you have contact with other exchange students? How did you get along with the local
students and other exchange students? Did you travel to other places/countries during your exchange?
The University organizes loads of events, practically every night there is a weekly clubnight with an
own theme and they have a wonderful concept called ‘Give it a go’. This program enables you to try
out lots of hobbies, sports, crafts, and so on (yoga, knitting, barista trainings,…. They also organize
weekend daytrips to several cities in the UK, such as Oxford, Cambridge, York,… Every activity is
included in a booklet, and there is a box office in the Student’s Union where you can buy tickets for it.
I had quite a lot of contact with both local students as well as exchange students. Obviously I met
loads of the latter during the introduction days, and during the semester I met more and more. I even
got to know a few of them in the last week of the semester, which goes to show how many exchange
students there actually are. In Sheffield you will instantly feel at home, whether you’re amongst
exchange or local students. Everyone is so kind-hearted and the exchange students form a real family.
Through the Give it a Go program I visited the cities York and Oxford. Other than that I have been to
Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Nottingham, London, Brighton and Manchester. Sheffield is a really
good spot for travelling because of its central location. Buses and trains go everywhere around the
country, and Manchester Airport is only an hour away. The combination between studying and
travelling was very workable, as long as you keep up with things you will be completely fine.
TOPIC: Living costs
How did you finance your exchange period, apart from the grant you received from Tilburg University?
What were your living expenses abroad like compared to Tilburg? What did you spend most of your
money on? What would you advice future students to spend their money on? Please outline your
approximate monthly budget whilst on exchange: housing, food, textbooks, etc.
My exchange budget consisted of the normal government grant, an Erasmus scholarship and my own
savings. England is quite expensive so keep that in mind when you decide this is the place for you.
Also, since I lived at home before I moved to Sheffield, my expenses did not even come close to the
ones abroad. The biggest expense was definitely rent, I paid around 1,300 pounds for a period of four
months + approximately 50 pounds in bills (electricity, water, internet,…). Private accommodation
(where I stayed in) is cheaper than university accommodation, which saved me quite a lot of money.
I would recommend everyone to make an estimation of costs and income early on, so you have a
good overview of what you already have and what you still need. Try to make sure you have a fair
amount of money so you don’t have to start saying no to everything, because that would be such a
shame.
Like I said, my housing expenses were around 1,500 pounds (and keep in mind that uni
accommodation is around 2,000). I spent quite a lot of money on food as well since I try to eat organic
as much as possible, but this completely depends on what you want yourself. There are loads of
supermarkets all over Sheffield that often also deliver to your house (Tesco, Waitrose, Aldi,…). I did
buy a few textbooks, on which I spent approximately 50 pounds, but the library is massive and has
practically every book so you can just loan them if you want. However, be aware that more students
think like this, so sometimes books are not available anymore.
TOPIC: Culture
Did you experience culture shock while on exchange? How would you compare your host culture to
your own culture? What did you learn about your own culture while on exchange? What was different
about your host culture than you expected? What did you like and not like about your host culture? Do
you feel you learned a lot about your host culture, and if not, what would you like to learn more? How
would you describe your host countries culture? If you travelled to other cities/countries during your
exchange, were they different than your host city/country, and how?
The Netherlands and the UK are very similar, and I therefore did not experience any culture shock at
all. Of course there are slight differences, such as the utter politeness of Britons and the greasy food,
but I have been feeling at home from the start. Everyone is open, really friendly, and always prepared
to help. Also, in Sheffield in particular everyone tends to call you ‘love’, ‘darling’, or even ‘duck’. The
first few times this happens it feels a bit weird, but you’ll quickly get used to it.
What I did realise is how Dutch some things that we do in a daily life are, such as cycling. Other than
the fact that cycling is nearly impossible in Sheffield (prepare for hills, and hills, and hills) there is just
no cycling culture whatsoever. You can buy a bike, but using it is quite the challenge. Something I
also never thought I would say: I am honestly gonna miss the (veggie) English Breakfast. Once you
get used to that massive amount of food it is the best thing ever.
TOPIC: Personal development
What did you learn from the people you met during your exchange? Would you do things differently if
you had the chance, and what would you do differently? What was your best experience, and what
was your worst experience? What will you remember for ever about your exchange period? What was
the most important lesson you learned about yourself during your exchange period?
My exchange has made me more independent as a person and has taught me to be less of a control
freak. Due to being in such a new environment and because you wanna make the absolute most of
the short period you have, impulsiveness starts playing a much bigger role in your life. I have been
less worried about ‘getting the grades’, and have instead cherished every moment and every
experience that has crossed my path. It has taught me that there is much more to life than just your
degree, and that you have to combine it with living as much as possible. There is no grade in the
world that can replace living abroad, getting to know people from all over the world, exploring new
places and challenging yourself to go step out of your comfort zone.
This attitude has led me to finally having the guts to step on stage as a solo artist, instead of relying
on other musicians to help me out. It has led me to go travelling on my own and making friends on the
go, and it has led me to become the person I have always wanted to be but never dared to.
However, this new strength doesn’t mean you will never feel sad or lonely. I have mostly felt like this
during Easter break. During this three week break practically every single exchange student left
Sheffield to travel, my housemates went home, and after my own travels I found myself in an empty
and quiet house. To get out of this rut, I dragged myself into town and started socializing with
Sheffield locals, a few of which who are now really good friends. So even at the less happy moments,
try to turn it into a good thing and the results will be extra rewarding!
TOPIC: Tips for future students
Would you recommend an exchange period? Would you recommend your host university? What
should prospective students bring with them/leave behind? What preparation is required for going on
exchange to this destination? Was there anything you should have done in preparation that you didn’t
do?
I would definitely recommend the University of Sheffield as a host university. It is a really good
university, things are well-organized, the teachers are all good in what they do and very helpful, and
the overall atmosphere is amazing. There is quite a lot of preparatory stuff to be done before you
actually leave, and I recommend you to finish this in a timely manner so you won’t have to stress out
about it in the end. With regards to things you should take with you: try to pack as light as possible,
you will end up buying stuff anyway and that will have to be brought back home. Other than that, the
weather is pretty much the same as in The Netherlands, just much more windy, so take some rain
and wind-proof clothes with you.
If still in doubt, don’t doubt any longer and do it! It had always been my dream to study in the UK, but
a fulltime degree was (obviously) too expensive, and the possibility to do an exchange was therefore
a perfect solution. I almost chickened out of it, but kicking myself in the butt and applying anyway has
been the best decision I have ever made. It is not only an amazing experience at the time itself, but it
will stay with you forever. The things you do, the people you meet, the lessons you learn,… I find that
I’m much more optimistic about the future, and have a better view on what I want to do and achieve,
without having defined how to do it.
I hope I have given you some insight into what my exchange has meant for me and what it could
mean for you. If you have any questions you are very welcome to contact me, and if you do decide to
go, to Sheffield or any other place, I wish you the best of luck and lots of fun during this experience of
a lifetime.