Preparation
MicroEDU was extremely helpful when applying for a study place for a semester abroad. If you had any questions, all employees were always extremely friendly, hard-working and quick to reach. Many thanks to MicroEDU for this great job, so the application process was done with little effort!
With the acceptance of the exchange place, the first real preparations began.
The University of Technology of Sydney (UTS) provided me with all the information I needed to choose my courses and to organize insurance and accommodation. Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised by the many offers that the host university offered to make it easier to get used to on site. Visit andyeducation.com to get information about Boston University study abroad program.
The visa had requested I online and it was within a day or two confirmed (application took place on the weekend). You will receive a short email with the necessary information about the visa number and visa requirements. However, the issuance of a visa requires insurance that has already been taken out for the duration of the stay. These can also be concluded online. I decided to get support from “Medibank” because it was also recommended by UTS and was cheap.
As far as living is concerned, I made a conscious decision against accommodation on campus because I didn’t want to experience life in Australia from this perspective only. My friend, who also spent a semester abroad there, organized a small but nice 1-room apartment for us in the immediate vicinity of Bondi Beach. Most of the time, however, several people share a house or apartment, which can also be extremely in need of renovation, at extremely high prices. What I particularly liked about Bondi was its proximity to the beach (multiple beaches), campus, and shopping. I can warmly recommend Bondi to everyone.
Orientation week
At the beginning of each semester, an orientation week is offered for new students / international students. Various activities are offered, but they are voluntary and are intended to provide information. The individual student councils (business in my case) introduce themselves and give you a brief, exciting insight into what you can expect and what they would recommend you to do. In addition, all new students also receive a small starter pack with a bag, campus folder and other useful little things with the aim of familiarizing themselves with the course of study and enabling the first social connections. For example, by means of guided tours through the library and campus, information events about the country and its people, a kick-off event with a traditional dance by the indigenous people. In addition, helpful courses
If you cannot take part in the orientation week, several refresher courses are offered within the first week of the semester.
University life
The choice of courses takes place before departure via the UTS-Admin. You get login data by registering with your UTS email address. Before deciding on certain courses, however, you should clarify with the module supervisors at your university whether these courses will be credited. In addition, one should take into account that in Australia there are semesters 1 and 2, similar to our SS and WS. Unlike in Munich, the range of courses varies between these semesters. The current range of courses can be found on the Internet. In addition, you should check the requirements of the courses before enrolling in the UTS Handbook on the Internet. International students usually take 3 to 4 courses at UTS, so you are already very busy during the semester. Each course consists of a lecture section and a practical exercise section (tutorial). The courses can be changed again at the beginning of the semester. For example, I was able to switch from Economics for Business to Spanish Language and Culture 1 in the second week of the semester.
The courses I took were Managing People & Organizations, Marketing Foundation and Spanish Language and Culture. I was very happy with my selection. The Marketing Foundation & Managing People and Organizations course is particularly recommended for international students who have little experience with essays, presentations and group work. In this way you get to know the entire process from research to planning to writing an essay, especially in English.
The topic of communication is also not neglected by the group work. I also really enjoyed the Spanish Language and Culture course, as I was able to make a lot of contacts with locals.
The services offered by UTS were very helpful, for example there was an own fitness studio, HELPS, UTS Buddy Welcome Service, numerous (social, activity; surf; sports) clubs, very good IT support and, of course, the career center. I have attended several clubs and can only warmly recommend this one to everyone. In addition, exciting lectures and discussions on current topics from politics or society take place on a regular basis. A lot of help is offered at UTS for international students. To get good grades you should definitely take advantage of them. The first point of contact for thematic and content-related questions relating to the assignments are professors or tutors, who are always helpful and happy to give tips. In addition, as already mentioned, HELPS offers the possibility of reading a sample of one’s own work and having what has been written checked for grammar and spelling. You can go to HELPS with a draft that has already been completed, or you can only start writing there. Another good point of contact is the library, where help with literature searches or other helpful courses are held. If you have any other questions or problems, you can always contact the UTS International Office, who will always be helpful.
The semester abroad in Australia was a unique experience. During this time I got to know interesting people from all over the world and I was able to gain so many impressions about Australia and studying in this country. In addition to broadening my horizons, my English has improved a lot and my view of the world has changed for the better. I now see myself as an independent and self-confident person and look back on a fantastic adventure and a wonderful time. Despite difficulties, you also learn to deal with it and then still see the good. I am very grateful and happy to have had this experience.
