Semester Abroad in York St John University 1

Semester Abroad in York St John University (1)

Europe

Preparation

The will to go abroad has long been germinating in me. Starting a semester abroad as part of my studies was therefore my goal from the start. Since I really wanted to improve my English skills, only English-speaking countries came into question for me. USA, Canada, Australia or England, which at first glance seems boring by comparison ? Originally I would have liked to spend the semester “somewhere in the sun”. So why then to the supposedly “cold, rainy England”?

England has always fascinated me. I also like British English. That, and the experience of a fellow student at York St. John University (also with MicroEDU), then made me choose York. And I don’t regret it!

The application was more than problem-free and easy. I did an internship abroad last summer and therefore submitted my application relatively late. MicroEDU was always at my side with questions and I was amazed at how quickly I got replies to my emails – thanks for that!

It was important to me that my courses from abroad should be credited here. That is why I put together the possible courses in advance and consulted with my home university in order to have them credited to me for the time being.

The apartment search was superfluous, since I have decided to engage in one of the dormitories. Limes Court and Grange, go. This also makes the preparation much more relaxed.

Arrival and start of the semester

The semester started in mid-January. Unfortunately, for personal reasons, I had to arrive 3 weeks later, which then gave me a big headache. BUT MicroEDU provided very helpful support here too, maintaining contact with the university so that I was able to start my semester with a little delay.

Originally I wanted to fly to Manchester, because the university offered a shuttle service there for the day of arrival. According to my fellow students on site, this was a very good opportunity to make first acquaintances. After that there was a week of introduction. I can’t say anything about that due to my later arrival.

I have decided to fly to Leeds. In retrospect, however, I would always recommend Manchester as the destination airport, as there is a direct connection to York Railway Station from there.

University life and learning

According to Mcat-test-centers.com, the flair on the York St. John campus is special. The old parts of the building (this is where the theological faculty is located) in combination with the modern buildings of the business school form a mixture of a kind of “English boarding school meets high-tech university”. The equipment of the rooms and especially the library is remarkable. Since some of the examinations (at least in my modules) were homework, reports and essays, I spent a lot of time in the library towards the end of the semester (and with a lot of tea in the café next door). Reading and online access made the research much easier.

I attended three business school courses, two from year 2 and one from year 3. In terms of time, that was about 2.5 days a week (including free hours in between) and the rest for preparation and follow-up (at least that way, you still have enough free time!). A course is always divided into a lecture and a seminar. The close cooperation with lecturers and seminar leaders stood out in particular.

The Students Union is located on campus and there is actually a program there every evening of the week. There is a bar, karaoke, quiz nights and open mic events take place. With the beginning of spring, the seating outside on campus came in very handy to enjoy the sun, actually there was always something going on.

We recommend going to one of the clubs and societies. This is where you get to know the local students best, because during the lectures and seminars in my courses, people didn’t really talk or whisper to one another.

Dormitory and everyday life

I lived in Limes Court. As luck would have it, I lived with 4 other internationals, so that our kitchen (there is a slightly larger kitchen, 5 bedrooms and two bathrooms) has often turned into a meeting place for internationals from other dormitories. Every other week a cleaning lady cleaned the common rooms, definitely a nice-to-have. The Grange is much larger than the Limes and a little closer to the university. Still, I don’t regret my decision to move to the Limes. I bought a bike and I was doing so well. “Recylce York” had a good base of used bikes, including a workshop and the option to sell the bike back at the end.

There are also plenty of shopping opportunities, Sainsbury’s and ASDA are about 10 minutes’ walk away and for small purchases in between there is a co-operative food just around the corner.

It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the incredibly beautiful old town of York (actually only along the main street). On my first day, I was particularly lucky with the weather and just started walking, which I can only recommend to everyone. The charm of the old buildings and above all of the minister is simply fantastic. Enjoy the city with a cupcake and a good Yorkshire tea. I will definitely miss that the most.

Conclusion

The semester at York St. John University was an unforgettable experience for me. The university, the students, but also the city and the really exceptionally good weather (hardly any rain at all !!!) made a big contribution. The support provided by MicroEDU I can only warmly recommend any place !

Semester Abroad in York St John University 1