Department
France
School of European Languages, Culture
Type of Placement
& Society (SELCS)
University Placement
Degree Programme (e.g. BA French and
Where did you spend your second
Russian)
semester abroad?
BA French & Spanish
Different place than the first semester
Year in which abroad
Country:
2012/13
Spain
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)?
Satisfactory
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
Would've like more information about the universities such as what to expect, teaching
standards, atmosphere, level of integration with local students etc.
Information/advice/help with accomodation would've been good too
How would you rate your preparation by the Study Abroad Team?
Satisfactory
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
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:
Specific meetings for country and university. The meeting was too general and too
much information about admin stuff before, during, after was thrown at us
How would you rate your own preparation ahead of studying abroad?
Satisfactory
Could you have done more to prepare yourself before leaving UCL? If so, please give
details:
I could've contacted previous students who had attended my universities abroad
Could you have been better prepared by UCL? If so, please give details:
More information about the universities and what to expect. A short list of cultural
differences would've saved a lot of hassle and awkwardness
As part of your preparation, did you do any of the following (tick all that apply):
- Contact exchange students who were studying at UCL at the time
- Consult the resources in Moodle or on the Study Abroad website
- Consult previous students' study abroad questionnaires
- 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?
No
How did you prepare yourself for the academic aspect of your year abroad programme?
I didn't really because I didn't know which courses I would be taking until I got there
What advice would you offer to students prior to making a decision about where to study
abroad?
Think about your choice carefully. It might be great to go with your friend or people
you know but you will integrate and socialise less because you won't have to. Plus you'll
speak more English.
Universities such as Lyon and Valencia have a huge Erasmus population so it's difficult
to integrate with local students and you can get trapped talking in English a lot because
people want to practice or their English is better than their Spanish.
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?
Figure out what you can and can't live without. Then stockpile it. It's surprising how
much you can't buy abroad that is readily available in the UK.
Your Placement - University
Name of your host university:
Université Paris 8 Saint Denis
Location (city and country):
Paris, 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?
Can't remember but May/June I think
When did your placement start?
September 2012
How did you get to your placement? Please give rough details of the journey and costs:
My dad drove me via Eurotunnel. I live in London so it was quick and easy and took
about 5 hours altogether. The tunnel ticket cost about £60 but you can get them cheaper
in advance.
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?
I just went to the Erasmus Office with my UCL letter and they gave me my student card,
email, login details etc. I had previously sent copies of my passport, birth certificate etc
so they already had these on file.
Were any special orientation events/meetings provided for study abroad students? If so,
please give details.
There was a 2 week 'stage' before term officially started which involved orientation,
integration, information etc plus a few tourist activities in Paris. I would higly
recommend it because that's where I met all my friends. Plus you find out about the
university and how to enrol etc.
Is there any advice you would give to future students ahead of enrolling at this university?
Sign up for the 'stage' because you will meet lots of people and it's very informative. I
met the majority of my friends there.
Be aware that the local students are not very friendly and once they found out I was an
exchange student they had no interest in talking to me. They are very cliquey and tend
to hang out in groups based on nationality/race/religion so there's not much integration.
The area the uni is located in is the worst banlieue in Paris but the university is literally
across the road from the metro station so it's not too bad. The buidlings are like prefabs from the 70s and it's not very pretty but it's functional.
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:
You have to go to each department to see the courses available. The first two weeks are
trial weeks so go to as many classes as possible to try them out then decide which you
want to take. After the trial period enrolling is really easy. The teacher hands you a
little form in class that you fill in with your details.
Changing courses is almost impossible because most teachers close their courses to new
students after 3 weeks. I originally took 5 classes but 5 weeks into the course the teacher
changed the time and it clashed with another class so I had to drop it because she
wouldn't change it as I was an Erasmus student and therefore unimportant.
Was obtaining information about courses and timetables difficult or simple?
If difficult, what advice would you offer on how to obtain the information?
Go to each department and talk to the secretary and obtain a copy of the timetable of
courses. It can be difficult to timetable without clashes.
Make sure you go to the Erasmus office once you've decided your courses to fill in a
form that allows them to create your transcript.
Academic Life
At your host university, who helped you with the academic or administrative aspects of your
year abroad? Please tick all that apply:
- International Office / Erasmus Office
Please give names of helpful individuals if possible:
Catherine Rochement
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):
NA
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:
I originally took 5 but had to drop one after the teacher changed the time and it clashed.
So I ended up with 4. Each class is 3 consecutive hours per week. Though classes usually
started late and there was a 15-20 minute cigarette break halfway and a lot of the time
the teacher finished anything from an hour to two hours early.
I didn't have to do too much work outside the class. Just read the texts we were
studying, a few essays and general classwork or preparation for the next class. It
depended on the course because in my Spanish class I had to do an oral presentation.
Sometimes the work load differs for foreign students.
Please describe the nature of the classes (i.e. large lectures, smaller seminar groups etc.) What
was the average lecture/class size?
My Spanish class had 6 people whereas another class had 55 people. Teaching style very
much depends on the class. There was quite a lot of interaction and students were given
the opportunity to voice their opinion.
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.)?
Depended on the course. One course was assesed with 2 essays. Another with an oral
presentation and an exam. Another with an essay and an exam. And another with class
attendance, participation and work done throughout the course plus an essay.
Please comment on the availability and approachability of teaching staff at your host
university:
The teachers were generally quite approachable. It depended on the teacher of course
but I usually knew where to find them because they would be in their department or I
could talk to them in the break or after class.
How would you rate the teaching at your host university:
Good
How would you rate the selection of courses offered:
Average
How would you rate the intellectual level of the material covered:
Average
How would you rate the difficulty of the courses at your host university compared to UCL:
Much easier than UCL
Please give details:
There is much less independent work than UCL. The teachers generally gave you all the
information so you didn't have to do personal research. There isn't as much analysis
with literature as at UCL. People even included pictures in their essays which seemed
very strange to me because if you're told to write a 4 page essay then you can fill half of
it up with pictures.
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:
Most classes were aware that there were foreign students. It depended on the teacher
but one of my teachers was very understanding and had a different marking scheme for
native/foreign students because it was about content not language. Though to be honest
I was told that my writing skills were better than some of the native students even
though I was writing in a foreign language. I once had to explain to a French student
what 'ne...point' meant.
Facilities
Library provision:
Adequate but not much choice in the literature section. You couldn't take out many
books and the loan limit was 2 weeks which was annoying.
There were lots of tables to sit at but few electricity sources and very few computers.
Access to computers, internet etc.:
Very limited access to computers. Wifi internet access with your login details.
Clubs and societies (type, range, and cost):
There's a sports centre with a range of activities but many of them take place at other
campuses. They are free for students. I signed up to contemporary dance but after 3
weeks I quit because the supposedly advanced level was rubbish and we spent half the
lesson sitting on the floor listening to the teacher talk.
No societies except an Erasmus one which basically organises clubbing nights. To be a
part of that (it's called EAIP) you have to buy a 10€ membership card.
Sporting facilities (type, range, and cost):
Sports centre 15 minute walk from the university. Other sports facilities in other areas.
Other:
Summary
Why did you choose to spend your year abroad at this university in particular?
To be honest I didn't choose this university. I didn't get an Erasmus place when I
applied so I took this when it became available due to someone rejecting it.
Are you glad that you did so?
Yes
Would you recommend this university to future UCL students?
No
Please explain why:
I'm glad I went because I love Paris but I didn't like the university and it was quite
lonely because people weren't very friendly. It was difficult to meet people because
people just came for their classes and left. There wasn't really a social atmosphere.
Plus I saw a dead body one day as I was walking to class. There had been some sort of
fight and the guy had sustained a head wound and was lying on the floor in a pool of
blood. It's a bit of a violent area and I definitely wouldn't have felt safe after dark.
How would you rate the placement overall?
Satisfactory
How would you rate the placement within the context of your degree programme?
Poor
Is there any specific advice you would offer to students considering a placement at this
university?
Think carefully about what you expect to gain from it.
Accommodation
What type of accommodation did you obtain?
Private accommodation
If you stayed in private accommodation, please indicate whether this was a personal choice,
or whether you did so because accommodation was not provided by your host institution:
The host institution did not provide accommodation
How easy was it to find accommodation?
Very difficult
How long did it take you to find accommodation?
5 days
Did you stay in temporary/short stay accommodation while you looked for something
permanent? If so, please give details:
Hotel in Paris
Please give details of how you found your accommodation. When did you start looking, and
where did you look? Please list any websites, agencies, newspapers or other resources which
future students might find helpful when looking for accommodation.
I looked on the internet before I went for an idea of what was available but I didn't find
much. I went to Paris in mid-August and used everything: internet, websites, agencies
etc. The American Church posts adverts on its board though be careful because many
of them can be bogus and con people hang around there. The FUSAC magazine is really
good. You don't get much info but if you ring up you can view the place the next day
usually.
In Paris you can't be picky because it will be impossible to find somewhere. Places are
expensive even compared to London. Expect to pay around 600-850€ per month and
more if you want a studio. The best areas to look in are further from the centre of
course. Ask around in cafes and restaurants in case people know of vacancies.
Accomodation is in notoriously high demand in Paris because there just isn't the supply.
Beware of cons. If it sounds too good to be true it is! And never pa y more than a deposit
and month upfront. And make sure you get some sort if identification of the landlord.
And make sure their name is on a bill or admin related to the property. And sign a
proper contract (the French government provides them to landlords).
Please describe the type of accommodation you stayed in, its location and level of comfort.
Did you live in a shared flat/live with a local family/other? 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?
I lived in the second bedroom of a 2-bed flat shared with a 'salariée'. It had a small
bathroom and a small kitchen and a small hallway. It was on the fourth floor of a
building on a main street in the the 20e arrondissement, 5 min from the metro station
and near shops etc. It was a double sofa/bed that was actually quite comfortable. The
kitchen facilities were pretty basic because the woman didn't really cook. We had a
cleaner who came once a week. She provided bedding but that's unusual and I had
brought my own anyway. It was furnished etc but I couldn't make any changes because
obviously it was her flat.
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:
The rent was 550€ per month bills included plus internet etc which was really, really
good value for Paris. I didn't have to pay anything extra except the rent and sometimes
I bought loo roll. I think the reason it was so cheap was that she didn't declare it to the
government which is why she didn't allow me to apply for the grant. But I know people
who were paying 1000€ per month for a 10m2 studio so I was pretty happy with my
deal!
Did you live with locals, or with other foreign students? Were you able to practice your
language skills and interact with local students in your accommodation?
I lived with an older woman who worked as a translator. She spoke English and
Spanish which was useful though she insisted I spoke French and corrected mistakes I
made and taught me new vocab.
Would you recommend this accommodation to future students?
Yes
If yes, please give the address of the residence and, if possible, contact details for the owner:
Madame Le Mercier, 100Bis Rue des Pyrenees,Paris 75020. I found it in FUSAC and
was fortunate that she had been in London for the Olympics so hadn't answered any
calls for the flat until the day I called and she had returned from London. She received
about 600 calls for the flat. They can afford to be picky in Paris and they interview
hundreds of people for the position and then decide if they like you. They also like you
to be with a parent as they act as a backup in case you default on rent.
What type of accommodation would you advise future students to look for (private flat,
shared flat/house, stay with local family etc.)?
Well whatever you can find in Paris really but shared flat is best
Which parts of your host town/city would you recommend living in. Are there any parts of
the town/city which should be avoided?
Avoid the banlieues. And don't live near Gare du Nord or a certain part of the 10
arrondissement (you'll know which part I mean if you go there). I like the 18, 20, 5
arrondissements living wise as the more centrak you get it can be busy and touristy.
Most flats seemed located in the 20, 11, 10, 18, 16 arrondissements ie the ones furthest
from the centre.
Is there any other advice you would like to share with future students looking for
accommodation in your host town/city?
Ask questions. Don't feel you have to take somewhere just because your options are
limited if you don't feel comfortable there. And try and arrive before September when
all 350,000 foreign students descend on Paris in search of the same thing as you! I was
very fortunate that no-one was looking at the same time as me (mid-Aug) so I had more
choice and the time to think about places.
Finance
How much money did you need on arrival (e.g. for housing deposits, rent and other start-up
costs)?
1200€
1. Cost of Living
Rent (per month):
550€
Bills (electricity, gas, water, internet, phone etc.):
10€ phone (bills were included in rent)
Books (overall amount spent on books during your stay):
30€ (used library)
Food (weekly):
30-40€ (it's expensive in Paris!)
A (simple) meal (in a cafe or restaurant):
10-15€ for drink and main, 20-25 for basic 3 course
A coffee (in a cafe or bar):
2€
A beer (in a cafe or bar):
A cinema ticket:
11€
Local travel (weekly):
15€ (60€ travelcard for month zones 1-2 which is within the periphérique)
Entertainment (weekly):
Any other regular costs:
In total, how much did you spend per month on average?
1300€
How would you rate the cost of living in your host town/city when compared to London?
Much more expensive
Please give details. Were there certain things which were more expensive than in the UK, and
others which were cheaper?
Everything was more expensive except wine and public transport
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:
Most families with young children will employ someone to collect the child(ren) from
school every day and to look after them on Wednesdays. They really like native British
students. (They specifically request British over American)
Does your host institution help with finding part-time work?
No
3. Banking
Did you open a bank account in your host country?
No
No: If no, why not? How did you access money while abroad?
Too much hassle. I have a Santander credit card which allows me free usage abroad
and is linked to my student account.
Would you recommend opening a local bank account? If so, which bank(s) or account(s)
would you recommend?
General
1. Social Factors (Opportunities and Ease of Meeting People)
How much interaction did you have with local students?
Very little
How much interaction did you have with other international students?
Lots - I mainly interacted with other international students
In your experience, what were the best ways of meeting people?
The 'stage' at the beginning of the term. Signing up for a sports activity
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?
They don't have good phone deals unless you get a contract but you need a bank
account to set one up. Pay as you go is dreadful as you buy credit but it expires within a
certain time limit even if you haven't used it all. So 10€ would last 15days and 15€
would last 30days. And texts and calls were much more expensive (around 30centimes)
whereas my English pay as you go phone cost 8p per text and 17p/min even
internationally.
Transport
Was local transport good or bad? Please give details of local transport you used:
Generally good though very crowded and smelly. I used the metro every day and the
newer lines such as Ligne 1 are fine and modern but older ones are really dirty and
basic (you have to use a handle to open the doors). Buses are ok but slow and small so
they get crowded very easily.
What was the cost of local transport? Are there any special deals or discounts for students?
62.50€ per month for a zone 1-2 travelcard. You need a Navigo pass but you can go to a
metro guichet and they will issue you one there if you have proof of address and a form
of ID. They even take the photo with a machine so you don't need to take any with you.
There is a student card but the application form takes a while to come through so it's
not worth doing unless you're staying for a while. Plus you need a French bank account
to set up the direct debit. And you need to give 3 months notice to cancel.
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?
I visited a few places by train which was quite easy. It was cheaper than travelling by
train in England definitely. The RER is a bit complicated and takes a while to get used
to.
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:
Expensive! Definitely make use of the free access to msueums etc and there are lots of
(usually free or discounted for students) exhibitions all the time.
Is there any advice you would give to someone preparing to live in your host city/country?
Expect things to take a long time to process and just be patient. The French take a while
to get used to, especially Parisians. Men are quite flirty and will approach you in the
street. They can be persistant but just ignore them and they should get the hint.
Everyone in Paris dresses/acts uniformly so if you are slightly different to the Parisian
stereotype you will get stared at. People stare generally too and even if you look at them
staring at you they will not look away ashamed.
When entering a shop etc always greet the owner/assistant with 'Bonjour' or 'Bon soir'.
To not do so is considered rude.
Did you experience any problems/difficulties while living in your host city which you would
like to share with the Study Abroad Team?
Study Abroad - Summary
Did you find your year abroad rewarding academically?
No
Please give reasons for your answer:
The courses were not very intellectual content wise. The level was much easier than
UCL.
Did you find your year abroad rewarding in non-academic respects?
Yes
Please give reasons for your answer:
I met lots of new people and it was amazing to live in France and Spain and experience
different cultures.
How would you rate your year abroad experience overall?
Good
Please give reasons for your answer:
If the universities had been better it would've been better.
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 slightly
d) My self confidence:
e) My intellectual development:
Is the same
f) My personal development:
Has increased slightly
g) My ability to make decisions:
Has increased slightly
h) My ability to explore and create opportunities:
Has increased slightly
i) My ability to cope with difficult situations:
Has increased slightly
j) My ability to solve problems:
Has increased slightly
How would you rate the support you received from your department at UCL during your time
abroad?
Satisfactory
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?
Satisfactory
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
Are there any other comments you would like to make?