Department
Where did you spend your first semester
European Social & Political Studies
abroad?
(ESPS)
Germany
Degree Programme (e.g. BA French and
Type of Placement
Russian)
University Placement
BA ESPS with German
Where did you spend your second
Year in which abroad
semester abroad?
2012/13
Same place as the first semester
Before Departure
How would you rate your preparation by your department(s)?
Good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
How would you rate your preparation by the Study Abroad Team?
Good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
Generally good, made aware of possible difficulties and problems that could be
encountered.
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:
Was generally useful although quite difficult to get much specific advice from given that
it was referring to numerous institutions all over the world which seem to differ a lot.
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:
Concentrated more on improving my informal language skills.
Could you have been better prepared by UCL? If so, please give details:
As part of your preparation, did you do any of the following (tick all that apply):
- Contact final year students who had returned from their year abroad
- Consult the resources in Moodle or on the Study Abroad website
- 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?
It was difficult to given that i could not confirm my academic courses until arriving at
my host institution, however i did undertake an intensive language course prior to the
start of the semester.
What advice would you offer to students prior to making a decision about where to study
abroad?
Research the host institution well online, including what courses they offer, areas of
specialisation and support offered to exchange 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 sure they are aware of paperwork, documents and requirements of the host
instution and area, plan in advance for the first few days and initial shock of
administrative tasks like registering with the city, setting up a bank account etc.
And relax.
Your Placement - University
Name of your host university:
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universitat Bonn
Location (city and country):
Bonn, Germany
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?
October 2012
How did you get to your placement? Please give rough details of the journey and costs:
I was driven by my parents via the channel tunnel. The journey took roughly 5/6 hours.
Unaware of exact costs of petrol, tunnel etc.
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 enrolled through the Study Abroad office at the beginning of the intensive language
course i undertook. For this i needed my passport, proof of insurance (EHIC was
adequate) and a letter confirming my placement. At the start of the academic semester i
also met with my department coordinator who enrolled me in the courses i took as i was
not able to do this online as native students could due to my status as an ERASMUS
student.
Were any special orientation events/meetings provided for study abroad students? If so,
please give details.
There were tours, trips, orientations and meetings discussing the University for study
abroad students however they differed depending on whether you took part in the
intensive language course prior to the start of term or not. Also the level of support and
organised activities depended on your exchange programme, for example Junior Year
Program and Direct Exchange students were put in touch with host families and were
invited to more organised events whereas ERASMUS students were left to 'get on with
it'.
Is there any advice you would give to future students ahead of enrolling at this university?
Be prepared for a lot of bureaucracy at the start of term and to have to travel to various
offices, often with bizarre opening hours, to collect forms required by different offices
for different tasks.
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:
My department coordinator emailed me with a link to the course programme and i
replied to her with my choices, she then gave me more detailed information about what
was required from the courses and if i then wanted to continue with them she enrolled
me.
I did not change courses so am unsure about this process.
Was obtaining information about courses and timetables difficult or simple?
Average
If difficult, what advice would you offer on how to obtain the information?
Information about the courses was fairly easy to come by however timetable
information was difficult to find online. My department coordinator provided me with a
printed timetable of my classes at the beginning of each semester.
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:
Dr. Simone Giertz - departmental coordinator for Geography.
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):
Help with course choices and registration, general advice and support concerning my
experience at the university. Dr Giertz also put me in touch with german student
support groups and german students who helped me with exam preparation and
presentation and coursework help.
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:
In my first semester my classes constituted 4 hours during the week in the classroom
however i took part in a block seminar which consisted of four 7hour days at weekends.
Outside of classes i spent around 8 hours working.
In my second semester i spent on average 11 hours a week in the classroom and around
10 hours working outside of classes.
Please describe the nature of the classes (i.e. large lectures, smaller seminar groups etc.) What
was the average lecture/class size?
I took part in one large lecture of around 200 people in the second semester, a small
lecture class of around 30 people in the first semester and the rest of my classes were
smaller seminar groups of around 20 people.
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.)?
For my small lecture class i took a written exam at the end of the first semester and for
my large lecture i took a written exam at the end of the year. My other seminars were
examined by a combination of a presentation during the term, an essay at the end of
term and a mark for overall contribution to classes. I also went on an excursion which i
had to write a report on to gain credit.
Please comment on the availability and approachability of teaching staff at your host
university:
Seminar leaders were very friendly and approachable and at the beginning of the
course all welcomed me and said to contact them if i had any questions or did not
understand any of the material. Lecturers were less available and approachable due to
the nature of their teaching however for those classes they had student helpers who
managed the course and answered any queries.
How would you rate the teaching at your host university:
Very good
How would you rate the selection of courses offered:
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 more difficult than UCL
Please give details:
It differed from course to course but some of them assumed a fairly high level of prior
knowledge of the subject, however this is probably due to the fact that native students
would have studied those topics in earlier years.
If you attended a university where the language of instruction was not English, did you
experience any language difficulties?
Yes
Did your tutors make allowances for your not being a native speaker?
Yes
If yes, please give details:
No allowances were made in terms of assessment as such but i was encouraged to speak
in discussions and if anything i said was perhaps unclear or not in very good German
they would repeat what i had said asking if it was what i meant or suggesting technical
german words.
Facilities
Library provision:
Good provision. There was a good sized library within my host department as well as a
large main library with all books recommended for classes.
Access to computers, internet etc.:
There was a small computer pool within my department however there was not wifi
capability in many areas of the university. As hardly any german students use laptops
or tablets in lectures and classes this is not surprising though.
Clubs and societies (type, range, and cost):
There were quite a few clubs and societies although the registration process seemed
unclear. There were free societies within departments, especially international-focused
ones which provided a good level of support and events.
Sporting facilities (type, range, and cost):
There were many sporting facilities, however the period to sign up and pay a fee to use
some of them at the beginning of term was very short. There was a free university gym
but it was always very busy and the facilities were not very good.
Other:
Summary
Why did you choose to spend your year abroad at this university in particular?
Out of the choices of universities i had, Bonn had the best academic record, seemed as
though it had a good support system in place for exchange students and was in a
beautiful city that had a good cultural life.
Are you glad that you did so?
Yes
Would you recommend this university to future UCL students?
Yes
Please explain why:
I had a brilliant year.
How would you rate the placement overall?
Very good
How would you rate the placement within the context of your degree programme?
Good
Is there any specific advice you would offer to students considering a placement at this
university?
Accommodation
What type of accommodation did you obtain?
Accommodation provided by your host institution
How did you obtain your accommodation? Please describe the application process, when you
applied, and when you received confirmation:
Whilst applying for the intensive language course there was an option to apply for
student housing which was organised through the International Office. I filled in a form
with my preferences of costs, ensuite/shared bathrooms etc. and received confirmation
at some point in July/August before i moved in in September.
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:
My rent was 254 euros per month including bills and internet, excluding food as it was
self-catering.
I had to provide a safety deposit of 2 months rent.
How early could you move in?
We could only move in on the day that the official program of the language course
started (3rd September). We moved in during the day, enrolled and organised
paperwork then had to go to a meeting in the evening and started classes the next day.
It would have been better if we were allowed to move and settle in a few days earlier.
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?
I stayed in a large halls block which was a 15 minute bus ride from the centre of the city
and 7 minutes from my host department. The single rooms were very sparsely
decorated - no carpets and differing blinds/curtains from room to room (some with no
window covering) but all had desks, large wardrobes and bookshelves which were good.
I lived on a corridor with 4 other girls with a shared kitchen, 2 bathrooms and a shower
room. Kitchen utensils were provided, although there was a slightly odd variety as they
were just items leftover from previous inhabitants. The kitchen in general was dirty - on
arrival food had been left in the fridge and was mouldy and clearly no cleaning had
been done for a long time. Things like this were different in various flats though,
depending on previous and current inhabitants as there were some german students
who had lived in the same ro om and kitchen for the whole of their studies and had
sofas and more nicely decorated kitchens and communal areas.
There was a large communal area and bar with sofas and table-football run by the
house tutors in the basement which was a definite perk.
The accommodation was good value for money as rooms were large and it was generally
well provided for, the only problem was that it appeared it had not been cleaned
between tenants.
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?
I lived with other foreign students (unfortunately), and for many of them their English
was better than their German so i did not get to practice as much as i wanted. However
the basement bar was a good place to interact with local students as i made friends with
the house tutors who were all german.
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?
Finance
How much money did you need on arrival (e.g. for housing deposits, rent and other start-up
costs)?
800 euros
1. Cost of Living
Rent (per month):
254 euros
Bills (electricity, gas, water, internet, phone etc.):
20 euros
Books (overall amount spent on books during your stay):
40 euros
Food (weekly):
40 euros
A (simple) meal (in a cafe or restaurant):
8-12 euros (15 incl drink)
A coffee (in a cafe or bar):
2 euros
A beer (in a cafe or bar):
2-3 euros
A cinema ticket:
8 euros
Local travel (weekly):
6.50 euros
Entertainment (weekly):
40 euros
Any other regular costs:
In total, how much did you spend per month on average?
How would you rate the cost of living in your host town/city when compared to London?
Cheaper
Please give details. Were there certain things which were more expensive than in the UK, and
others which were cheaper?
The cost of clothes, stationary etc. was roughly the same, food was marginally cheaper
and alcohol and tobacco were much cheaper
2. Working
Is supplementing your income through part-time work a viable option?
No
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:
Does your host institution help with finding part-time work?
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?
It was easy. I made an appointment and the process took around 10-15 minutes.
Documents required were my passport and certificate of registration with the city. No
minimum deposit was required.&nb sp;
Which bank did you open an account with?
Sparkasse
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?
I opened a current account which i was provided with a debit card for. There were
charges for transferring money from my english account. It was easy to withdraw
money from Sparkasse cash machines however there were charges for using other
bank's cash machines (this is the same with every bank in Germany though).
Would you recommend opening a local bank account? If so, which bank(s) or account(s)
would you recommend?
Yes. It was much cheaper and easier and made paying in shops a lot simpler. I would
recommend Sparkasse as they have many cash machines.
General
1. Social Factors (Opportunities and Ease of Meeting People)
How much interaction did you have with local students?
Some, not as much as i would have liked though.
How much interaction did you have with other international students?
A lot.
In your experience, what were the best ways of meeting people?
Attending student parties and events run my academic societies and playing flunkyball.
If you were studying in a country where the local language is not English, how often did you
speak the local language?
Often
2. Mobile Phones
Would you recommend getting a mobile phone with a local tariff as well as/instead of your
English mobile?
Yes
Please give details. Are there any mobile providers you would recommend?
I got a 9 euro pay as you go phone which was very cheap and meant i did not mind
about losing or damaging it.
Transport
Was local transport good or bad? Please give details of local transport you used:
Good. There were regular buses, trams, undergrounds and trains although there were
often minor delays.
What was the cost of local transport? Are there any special deals or discounts for students?
At the beginning of each semester all students are required to pay a 'Studienbeitrag'
including the cost of a pass (156 euros) for all forms of transport within the Bundesland
for the whole of the semester. This ticket also allowed someone to travel with you for
free at weekends and after 7pm.
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 travelled widely within the region as it was free (covered by semester ticket) and to
neighbouring areas but travelling more widely by train was expensive and cheaper to
travel on budget airlines.
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:
Is there any advice you would give to someone preparing to live in your host city/country?
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?
Yes
Please give reasons for your answer:
I felt my presentation and multitasking skills improved, and i learnt information
relevant to my area of specialisation/dissertation.
Did you find your year abroad rewarding in non-academic respects?
Yes
Please give reasons for your answer:
I feel more confident and self-reliant and better and making friends and appreciating
cultural differences.
How would you rate your year abroad experience overall?
Very good
Please give reasons for your answer:
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 slightly
c) My independence:
Has increased slightly
d) My self confidence:
Has increased slightly
e) My intellectual development:
Has increased greatly
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 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:
I did not require much support so am unable to comment but if i had any questions they
were answered.
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:
I was only in contact with the Study Abroad Team concerning paperwork and my
ERASMUS grant.
Are there any other comments you would like to make?