Department
Where did you spend your first semester
School of Slavonic & East European
abroad?
Studies (SSEES)
Hungary
Degree Programme (e.g. BA French and
Type of Placement
Russian)
University Placement
BA Economics and Business with East
Where did you spend your second
European Studies
semester abroad?
Year in which abroad
Same place as the first semester
2012/13
Before Departure
How would you rate your preparation by your department(s)?
Very Good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
As the year abroad was part of my programme, my department was well prepared in
giving me all the relevant information needed for me to make the necessary decisions.
How would you rate your preparation by the Study Abroad Team?
Very Good
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:
How would you rate your own preparation ahead of studying abroad?
Good
Could you have done more to prepare yourself before leaving UCL? If so, please give
details:
No, I believe I was well prepared.
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):
- 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?
Yes
How did you prepare yourself for the academic aspect of your year abroad programme?
I researched the courses available to me during my year abroad at my host university.
What advice would you offer to students prior to making a decision about where to study
abroad?
Evaluate all options and ask previous exchange students about their experiences at the
universities as 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 clear with all the documents and forms they need to take with them.
I had no issues during my year abroad, but I heard of some of my classmates having
issues with visas.
Your Placement - University
Name of your host university:
Corvinus University Budapest
Location (city and country):
Budapest, Hungary
Was your university placement part of an ERASMUS or other exchange programme?
Yes
When did you receive confirmation of acceptance from the host university?
April 2012
When did your placement start?
September 2013
How did you get to your placement? Please give rough details of the journey and costs:
I flew over to Budapest on a relatively cheap flight with Wizzair. I would recommend
Wizzair since they allow 32 kilos of luggage which is ideal for exchange students.
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?
Upon arrival, I had to go to the international office to sign an enrolment sheet and pick
up a folder which had information on the university (including passwords for the
computer network and moodle) and the city. As a Hungarian, I already had a residence
card, however international students were told to get one - this was a lengthy process.
Were any special orientation events/meetings provided for study abroad students? If so,
please give details.
Yes there was a general orientation day and one provided by each department.
Is there any advice you would give to future students ahead of enrolling at this university?
If you attend this university or any other university in Hungary, be prepared to spend
hours at the registration office in order to be registered as a resident.
Registering for Courses
How easy was it to finalise and register your course choices?
Quite difficult
Please give details of the procedures and how to choose or change courses:
I discovered the choice list the spring before my year abroad and was able to register
for courses in July during a span of 2 weeks. I was a bit confused by the platform for
choosing courses at first. By the time I figured it out, most of the courses I wanted to
take had been filled up already. Students are however given the choice of adding or
dropping courses in the first week of the semester which I found helpful. One of my
courses was cancelled the night before which was quite disappointing.
Was obtaining information about courses and timetables difficult or simple?
Simple
If difficult, what advice would you offer on how to obtain the information?
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
Please give names of helpful individuals if possible:
The faculty of economics coordinator (in charge of International students within the
department), Judit Striker.
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):
Judit Striker was helpful in terms of course registration. After one of my courses was
cancelled in the first semester, I contacted her to ask whether I could be guaranteed a
place in the course the next semester and she was able to register me in advance.
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 the first semester I took 5 courses. These constituted about 11 hours a week in the
classroom. I had about an hour of work to do for each class each week. The second
semester I only took 2 courses, one an intensive course running for 6 weeks with about
10 hours a week. The second was a normal course with 3 hours a week.
Please describe the nature of the classes (i.e. large lectures, smaller seminar groups etc.) What
was the average lecture/class size?
I had lectures ranging from 12-99 students and seminars were usually around 15.
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.)?
All classes I took had readings or exercises for each week, a midterm exam and a final
exam. Some also had presentations and essays during the semester.
Please comment on the availability and approachability of teaching staff at your host
university:
Some teachers gave us their personal email addresses so that we could contact them
easily. Some of them also had office hours we could attend.
How would you rate the teaching at your host university:
Good
How would you rate the selection of courses offered:
Good
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:
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?
If yes, please give details:
Facilities
Library provision:
Students could register for a library card which allowed entry into the one library on
campus
Access to computers, internet etc.:
Internet access was available across campus and computers could be found in the
library.
Clubs and societies (type, range, and cost):
Clubs and societies stands could be found around campus throughout the year
Sporting facilities (type, range, and cost):
There were no sporting facilities on campus
Other:
Summary
Why did you choose to spend your year abroad at this university in particular?
I wanted to study in Budapest and Corvinus university offered the most appropriate
modules for me
Are you glad that you did so?
Yes
Would you recommend this university to future UCL students?
Yes
Please explain why:
There are a wide range of courses taught by teachers from many backgrounds. Some
teachers were previously economists and politicians and have years of experience.
How would you rate the placement overall?
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?
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:
Personal choice
How easy was it to find accommodation?
Very easy
How long did it take you to find accommodation?
No time
Did you stay in temporary/short stay accommodation while you looked for something
permanent? If so, please give details:
I already had an apartment in Budapest because of my family.
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.
N/A
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 a flat on my own.
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:
N/A
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?
N/A
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:
N/A
What type of accommodation would you advise future students to look for (private flat,
shared flat/house, stay with local family etc.)?
Shared flat
Which parts of your host town/city would you recommend living in. Are there any parts of
the town/city which should be avoided?
I would recommend staying around the area of the university. The 8th district is best to
be avoided
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)?
I don't know
1. Cost of Living
Rent (per month):
N/A
Bills (electricity, gas, water, internet, phone etc.):
N/A
Books (overall amount spent on books during your stay):
£50-£90 for the year
Food (weekly):
Around £30
A (simple) meal (in a cafe or restaurant):
£5-£15
A coffee (in a cafe or bar):
£2
A beer (in a cafe or bar):
£3
A cinema ticket:
£4
Local travel (weekly):
£3
Entertainment (weekly):
£10
Any other regular costs:
In total, how much did you spend per month on average?
About £80
How would you rate the cost of living in your host town/city when compared to London?
Much Cheaper
Please give details. Were there certain things which were more expensive than in the UK, and
others which were cheaper?
Everything in general is cheaper in Hungary than in the UK.
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:
Yes it is viable, however salaries for students are low.
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?
You need to have a residency card to open a bank account.
Which bank did you open an account with?
CIB Bank
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?
A simple student account 'Cibbez'. It 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. CIB, OTP bank are good.
General
1. Social Factors (Opportunities and Ease of Meeting People)
How much interaction did you have with local students?
Not so much, since most of the students in my classes were international too.
How much interaction did you have with other international students?
Quite a lot.
In your experience, what were the best ways of meeting people?
In class.
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?
Yes
Please give details. Are there any mobile providers you would recommend?
T-Mobile, Vodafone
Transport
Was local transport good or bad? Please give details of local transport you used:
Transport in the centre of the city is quite good. Buses are very old and don't run as
frequently in London. The quality of the transport as compared to London is poor.
What was the cost of local transport? Are there any special deals or discounts for students?
There is a student monthly pass for 3900 HUF or £10 which is valid across all transport
in Budapest.
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?
Cheap train tickets with student discount are available within Hungary and
neighbouring countries.
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:
Budapest has some very nice ruin pubs located in the region of Kiraly street.
Is there any advice you would give to someone preparing to live in your host city/country?
No.
Did you experience any problems/difficulties while living in your host city which you would
like to share with the Study Abroad Team?
No.
Study Abroad - Summary
Did you find your year abroad rewarding academically?
Yes
Please give reasons for your answer:
I was able to take a wide range of subjects.
Did you find your year abroad rewarding in non-academic respects?
Yes
Please give reasons for your answer:
It was a great opportunity for me to come back to Hungary and experience how it is to
live in my home country.
How would you rate your year abroad experience overall?
Good
Please give reasons for your answer:
I was able to attend university while having a part-time job and visiting my family. The
year was also quite relaxing.
Do you feel that you have developed skills which will be of use to you in future?
Yes
a) My cultural awareness:
Has increased slightly
b) My language proficiency:
Has improved slightly
c) My independence:
Has increased greatly
d) My self confidence:
Has increased slightly
e) My intellectual development:
Has increased slightly
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:
Is the same
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:
I received frequent emails informing me about the tasks I needed to get done from UCL.
I also received help with my course choices.
How would you rate the support you received from the UCL Study Abroad Team during your
time abroad?
Good
Please give details/feedback and suggest any improvements:
Are there any other comments you would like to make?