University: University of California Riverside
City: Riverside
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: business administration
Study type: semester abroad
Decision:
I decided to spend a semester abroad at very short notice and friends made me aware of MicroEdu. A very nice and reliable team, which I practically bombarded with questions and which were patiently answered. I immediately received precise instructions about my next steps regarding the applications and how to apply for my visa. First you have to find a university, and I chose Riverside. The location is close to LA (1-2 hours), San Diego (1 1/2 hours) Las Vegas (3 hours) and the beach (1 hour) meaning it is well located to all locations and cost-effective been me MicroEdu will send you the application documents and they will fill them out. Then you send them back and they check everything and send it to the university for you. Very easy. Meanwhile, you still have to take care of the remaining papers. Visit jibin123.com to get information about Semester Abroad In Boston University.
I would recommend everyone to fly over at least 2 weeks before the actual start of the semester. On the one hand you shouldn’t underestimate the jetlag and on the other hand you just need time to get an orientation over there. Since I had friends there, finding an apartment wasn’t a problem for me. If anyone is looking for an apartment/WG, please contact me, as I have met some Americans who rent apartments, including cars. On the one hand you should really see that you have Americans as roommates because you see, experience and learn a lot more and on the other hand you should definitely plan a car, because in Riverside alone there is nothing to see and America in general is a very extensive country. Without a car you are almost lost.
University:
You have the choice between so-called extension courses, which are specially designed for foreign students, and campus courses, where you sit in the hall with normal students.
I only chose extension courses myself because it is very easy to get into the desired courses. You simply register by email. The campus courses are said to be more difficult. I have to mention that the extension courses correspond to an adult education center level. Some of the people you sit with in the course are Asian and hardly anyone can speak proper English. I chose extra subjects that I didn’t have in Germany, such as marketing and human resources. That’s why I was able to learn a lot, but the level is no comparison to our German standard. Campus courses, however, largely correspond to the German university level. You have to decide for yourself whether you prefer to have extension courses, which usually take place in the evenings, but save some work and maybe even learning, or rather campus courses that correspond to full-time studies in Germany. Of course, you also have the option of choosing extension courses and campus courses, as long as they do not overlap. There are extra contact persons for foreign students from Germany. He is very nice and no matter what, you could always speak to him. On the first day there is an introduction and it is explained what you should pay attention to in America and what rights we have as foreign students. In addition, you get a student ID, which is actually not very useful, since you can only identify yourself with your passport. There are extra contact persons for foreign students from Germany. He is very nice and no matter what, you could always speak to him. On the first day there is an introduction and it is explained what you should pay attention to in America and what rights we have as foreign students. In addition, you get a student ID, which is actually not very useful, since you can only identify yourself with your passport. There are extra contact persons for foreign students from Germany. He is very nice and no matter what, you could always speak to him. On the first day there is an introduction and it is explained what you should pay attention to in America and what rights we have as foreign students. In addition, you get a student ID, which is actually not very useful, since you can only identify yourself with your passport.
Life:
I would recommend everyone to take a road trip through California with friends/family. Grand Canyon (7 hours), San Francisco 7 (hours) the famous Highway 1, Yosemite National Park, very very worth seeing places that I recommend to everyone who goes to California! What you definitely need is a car. And you should get used to the fact that you may need 10-20 minutes for a supermarket. There are a couple of shopping malls nearby and that alone takes 20 minutes. For most Americans, a 1-2 hour drive to get to a place is not overwhelming as everyone is used to driving longer distances. One should be aware that the dimensions are simply a lot larger than in Germany. Gasoline is absolutely cheap compared to Germany. Many students also go to Hawaii for a week during their semester abroad. If you have the money, you should definitely do it, because it’s not that easy and cheap to get there.
Financial/ conclusion:
stayed longer and did a road trip. With tuition fees and rental and car costs, I had budgeted 11,000 euros for a 5-month stay abroad. These were just enough for me. You have to decide for yourself whether you want to travel a lot or not. But if you are already over there, my recommendation is to take everything you can take with you. My favorites were San Francisco (an incredibly beautiful city), San Diego (great place to meet all kinds of people) and lastly Las Vegas (the city that really never sleeps). If you have any further questions, you can contact me at any time. I am happy to answer your questions and give you contact details of landlords. And lastly, thanks again to MicroEdu.
