Department
Russian Federation
School of Slavonic & East European
Type of Placement
Studies (SSEES)
University Placement
Degree Programme (e.g. BA French and
Where did you spend your second
Russian)
semester abroad?
BA French and Russian
Different place than the first semester
Year in which abroad
Country:
2012/13
France
Where did you spend your first semester
Type of Placement
abroad?
University Placement
Before Departure
How would you rate your preparation by your department(s)?
Good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
Plenty of meetings and details
How would you rate your preparation by the Study Abroad Team?
Very Good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
Excellent preparation, Clare Herbert is very informative in her approach
Did you attend the Pre-Departure briefing organised by the Study Abroad Team in March?
Yes
If yes, did you find it useful?
Yes
Please give feedback/suggest any improvements:
Very good information
How would you rate your own preparation ahead of studying abroad?
Very Good
Could you have done more to prepare yourself before leaving UCL? If so, please give
details:
No
Could you have been better prepared by UCL? If so, please give details:
No
As part of your preparation, did you do any of the following (tick all that apply):
- Consult your host institution's website
If you contacted the Study Abroad Team, what did you seek advice about? Did you find the
advice useful?
Prior to departure, were you given clear instructions by your department on what was
expected of you academically during your year abroad?
Yes
How did you prepare yourself for the academic aspect of your year abroad programme?
Language preparation
What advice would you offer to students prior to making a decision about where to study
abroad?
Don't follow the crowd, go to a place that won't be full of UCL students
What advice would you give to students preparing to go abroad? What things should they
make sure to do ahead of beginning their year abroad?
Make a very long to do list and ensure they have enough money for emergency trips
home
Your Placement - University
Name of your host university:
Universite de Francois Rabelais
Location (city and country):
Tours, France
Was your university placement part of an ERASMUS or other exchange programme?
Yes
When did you receive confirmation of acceptance from the host university?
March 2012
When did your placement start?
January 2013
How did you get to your placement? Please give rough details of the journey and costs:
Eurostar to Paris, TGV to Tours, cost £200
Enrolment and Course Registration
Please describe the enrolment process at your host university. What formalities did you have
to complete, and, in particular, what documents did you need to have in order to enrol? (e.g.
carte de séjour, passport, nomination letter). As an international student, were you given any
special help with enrolment?
Straightforward, details had been sent ahead of arrival.
Were any special orientation events/meetings provided for study abroad students? If so,
please give details.
Yes, excellent orientation
Is there any advice you would give to future students ahead of enrolling at this university?
Expect delays, be surprised when things run smoothly
Registering for Courses
How easy was it to finalise and register your course choices?
Quite easy
Please give details of the procedures and how to choose or change courses:
Met with liaison officer, selected options. found out about other courses through other
students
Was obtaining information about courses and timetables difficult or simple?
Difficult
If difficult, what advice would you offer on how to obtain the information?
Inconsistent, sometimes rooms were changed without notice, classes cancelled etc
Academic Life
At your host university, who helped you with the academic or administrative aspects of your
year abroad? Please tick all that apply:
- Departmental Coordinator
- International Office / Erasmus Office
Please give names of helpful individuals if possible:
Carine Berberi is excellent at her job and really looks out for you
Please indicate what kind of help you received (e.g. with course registration; general
academic advice; specific assistance with coursework; specific assistance with dissertation
preparation; instructions concerning coursework; instructions concerning assessment):
No real help, except with one exam where erasmus students were allowed to take it
home to complete
Please comment on the number of classes you took and how many hours a week that
constituted in the classroom. Please also mention the amount of work you had to do outside
class on average:
22 hours of classes. No work outside classes, except the occasional essay (I had 1 in total)
Please describe the nature of the classes (i.e. large lectures, smaller seminar groups etc.) What
was the average lecture/class size?
Large lectures
Please describe the mode of assessment for the courses you took (e.g. written/oral exam,
essay/project etc.) and its timing (e.g. mid or end of year). Were there coursework
requirements (presentations, essays etc.)?
End of term written exams, no coursework except in 1 module
Please comment on the availability and approachability of teaching staff at your host
university:
Excellent by email, by and large
How would you rate the teaching at your host university:
Good
How would you rate the selection of courses offered:
Very good
How would you rate the intellectual level of the material covered:
Good
How would you rate the difficulty of the courses at your host university compared to UCL:
Slightly easier than UCL
Please give details:
Less coursework
If you attended a university where the language of instruction was not English, did you
experience any language difficulties?
No
Did your tutors make allowances for your not being a native speaker?
Yes
If yes, please give details:
One teacher gave us extra time in an exam
Facilities
Library provision:
Large library
Access to computers, internet etc.:
Poor computer access, use of eduroam
Clubs and societies (type, range, and cost):
All kinds of societies
Sporting facilities (type, range, and cost):
Excellent sporting provision, sporting pass for $20 for the year, gives access to classes
Other:
Summary
Why did you choose to spend your year abroad at this university in particular?
It was different from where other people were going (ie not Lyon) and I could still do
Erasmus, so financial reasons as well
Are you glad that you did so?
Yes
Would you recommend this university to future UCL students?
Yes
Please explain why:
I had an excellent time, despite getting badly homesick
How would you rate the placement overall?
Very good
How would you rate the placement within the context of your degree programme?
Very good
Is there any specific advice you would offer to students considering a placement at this
university?
Be prepared for culture shock and homesickness
Accommodation
What type of accommodation did you obtain?
Accommodation provided by your host institution
What was the average monthly rent? What was included in this cost (e.g. bills, internet, food
etc.)? Please give as much detail as possible about the costs associated with your
accommodation:
£250 a month, including internet
How early could you move in?
When I asked to start my contract - relatively free choice
Did you have to vacate the premises during the holidays?
No
How would you rate the accommodation provided?
Satisfactory
Please describe the type of accommodation you stayed in, its location and level of comfort.
Did you have a single or double room? What were the kitchen and other facilities like? What
was or wasn't provided (e.g. bedding, kitchen utensils)? Did you feel that the accommodation
represented good value for money?
Single room, very small, no utensils, kitchen poor, would have liked more social
facilities
Did you live with local students, or with other foreign students? Were the halls a good place
to practice your language skills and interact with local students?
Lived with a mix of local and foreign students
Would you recommend this accommodation to future students?
No
Is there any other advice you would like to share with future students looking for
accommodation in your host town/city?
Get a flat, halls can be a bit depressing
How did you obtain your accommodation? Please describe the application process, when you
applied, and when you received confirmation:
Included in application form, was informed of arrangements while in Russian
Finance
How much money did you need on arrival (e.g. for housing deposits, rent and other start-up
costs)?
£250
1. Cost of Living
Rent (per month):
225EUR
Bills (electricity, gas, water, internet, phone etc.):
20EUR
Books (overall amount spent on books during your stay):
50EUR
Food (weekly):
30EUR
A (simple) meal (in a cafe or restaurant):
15EUR
A coffee (in a cafe or bar):
1.50EUR
A beer (in a cafe or bar):
1.50EUR
A cinema ticket:
10EUR
Local travel (weekly):
10EUR
Entertainment (weekly):
20EUR
Any other regular costs:
In total, how much did you spend per month on average?
£300
How would you rate the cost of living in your host town/city when compared to London?
The same
Please give details. Were there certain things which were more expensive than in the UK, and
others which were cheaper?
Meals out were much more expensive, transport more expensive, books far more
expensive
2. Working
Is supplementing your income through part-time work a viable option?
Yes
If yes, do you have any advice about what type of work to look for, or where to look? Please
give the names of any employers or agencies you worked for, and any newspapers, websites
or notice boards you would recommend:
tutoring/au pair jobs. Local newspaper
Does your host institution help with finding part-time work?
No
3. Banking
Did you open a bank account in your host country?
Yes
If yes, was it easy to open an account? Please describe the process and what documents were
needed. Did you have to make a minimum deposit to open the account?
Yes, very easy, staff at bank very helpful, no min deposit
Which bank did you open an account with?
BNP Paribas
What type of account did you open? Were there any charges, and was it easy to withdraw
money within your host country using this account?
Standard bank account. No charges, was easy to withdraw money
Would you recommend opening a local bank account? If so, which bank(s) or account(s)
would you recommend?
Yes, to get CAF money, but no other reason. I barely used it.
General
1. Social Factors (Opportunities and Ease of Meeting People)
How much interaction did you have with local students?
A fair amount, but I had to make considerable effort
How much interaction did you have with other international students?
A lot, through Erasmus socials etc
In your experience, what were the best ways of meeting people?
Going to orientation events, through friends
If you were studying in a country where the local language is not English, how often did you
speak the local language?
Very often
2. Mobile Phones
Would you recommend getting a mobile phone with a local tariff as well as/instead of your
English mobile?
No
Please give details. Are there any mobile providers you would recommend?
If you have an iphone, you can use wifi, as there is plenty of it at uni etc. Otherwise,
FREE.FR are good for contracts. DO NOT USE NRJ - they are out to get foreign
students and I have many friends who have ended up in legal trouble
Transport
Was local transport good or bad? Please give details of local transport you used:
Good, I used the buses daily and there is a monthly bus pass for 30EUR which gets you
on all buses in town with no limits
What was the cost of local transport? Are there any special deals or discounts for students?
30EUR student ticket
Did you travel more widely within your host country or within the region? How easy was it
to travel, and was it expensive to do so?
More expensive when put in context of journey distances etc
Life in your Host Country
Please comment on the social life and entertainment in your host city/country, or any other
aspects of life there which you would like to share:
Good social life, lots of bars and student social scene
Is there any advice you would give to someone preparing to live in your host city/country?
Throw yourself into it, say yes to everything
Did you experience any problems/difficulties while living in your host city which you would
like to share with the Study Abroad Team?
Serious homesickness to point of clinical depression
Study Abroad - Summary
Did you find your year abroad rewarding academically?
Yes
Please give reasons for your answer:
Language skills improved
Did you find your year abroad rewarding in non-academic respects?
Yes
Please give reasons for your answer:
Social skills and cultural awareness improved, more independent
How would you rate your year abroad experience overall?
Very good
Please give reasons for your answer:
I had a fantastic time and wish I could do it again
Do you feel that you have developed skills which will be of use to you in future?
Yes
a) My cultural awareness:
Has increased greatly
b) My language proficiency:
Has improved greatly
c) My independence:
Has increased greatly
d) My self confidence:
Has increased greatly
e) My intellectual development:
Has increased slightly
f) My personal development:
Has increased greatly
g) My ability to make decisions:
Has increased greatly
h) My ability to explore and create opportunities:
Has increased greatly
i) My ability to cope with difficult situations:
Has increased greatly
j) My ability to solve problems:
Has increased greatly
How would you rate the support you received from your department at UCL during your time
abroad?
Good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
How would you rate the support you received from the UCL Study Abroad Team during your
time abroad?
Very good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
Clare Herbert and rest of study abroad team do fantastic job!!
Are there any other comments you would like to make?