I found out about the opportunity to spend a semester at Roehampton University in London at an international trade fair at Ludwig Maximilians University. There was a very friendly representative at one of the stands and answered my questions. This piqued my interest and got in touch with MicroEDU. I have received all the information regarding the application documents by email and have started to compile my application. You should expect a time investment of up to 1 month to have all the required forms and documents together. MicroEDU has continuously supported me with the application process. When the application was submitted, I received my “offer” after a while and immediately accepted. Now it was time to transfer tuition fees, book a flight and find accommodation.
When applying, I had to make a pre-selection of courses that I would like to take. You should clarify beforehand with your home university or faculty which ones can be credited and which cannot. I found out on site which courses I ultimately got and what my schedule looked like. I took the modules “Marketing Management” and “Managing Organizations”. Both had 1 hour of lectures and 2 hours of seminars each week. The lectures were held in larger halls with many students, the seminars were held in smaller groups with up to 20 students. This gave you the opportunity to establish personal contact with the teachers. I would recommend both modules. Visit existingcountries.com to get information about 8 best European cities to be a student.
During my time at Roehampton University, I was housed on campus. After I had been accepted for the university semester abroad, I had to apply for accommodation on campus. The demand is high, but a fixed part of the “student accommodations” is given to foreign students. The campus at the university is divided into 4 colleges: Whitelands, Digby, Froebel and Southlands. I chose Southlands College and I don’t regret the decision. The college is primarily intended for business and media studies students. It is the most modern college with the newest accommodations.
The colleges often host events, either for the entire campus or exclusively for college members. The lecture halls are also in the college. For example, I only needed a 3-minute walk from my room for the “Managing Organizations” lecture. In general, there is a wide variety of leisure activities on campus. Most of the students are involved in a “society” and are members of a sports club. There are various cafes, a bar and even a club on campus. To relax and walk, you can go to the large pond, which is located in Froebel College. Overall, it’s a very beautiful and diverse campus.
The university is well connected in terms of transport. A bus station can be reached on foot in no more than 5 minutes from each of the colleges. From there you drive to either “Barnes” or “Hammersmith” and take the train to the city center. In total, it takes about 30-40 minutes to get to the center. There is a lot to do in the city center. London has a lot to offer and is very multicultural which is also reflected in the different parts of the city. One district that I can recommend for going out is Soho. There are many different bars and a few clubs, there is something for every taste. Camden is ideal for a day trip when the weather is nice. In the meantime, this part of the city is a bit touristy, but it is still worth taking a trip there. My favorite part of town, however, was Shoreditch. Often referred to as “alternative”, Shoreditch offers a wide variety of cafes and restaurants. This district is also very suitable for shopping, especially if you are looking for a little more individual clothing. Outside of London, I highly recommend Brighton. The city is by the sea, south of London, and can be reached within an hour by train. When the weather is nice, it is perfect for a long walk on the beach or for a picnic. The university offers many excursions (for a fee), including to Oxford, Cambridge or even Edinburgh. However, I did not take part in any of these.
I was very satisfied with the on-site support. There was at least one contact person on campus for every problem. The foreign students were also well looked after. Overall, I was very satisfied with the program. The semester abroad was an unforgettable experience that, in my opinion, every student should have, if they have the opportunity. MicroEDU prepared and supported me very well and I can only recommend the University of Roehampton to others.
