My Exchange at Technical University of Munich
There are small things which could make life easier but nothing major.
I knew visa problems would be stressful but was more stressful then I thought but this wasn’t something I could change. Especially for students going to Europe who’s Uni acceptance comes out late, it is hard to get a long term visa prior to departure so just maybe believing that you did all application procedure correctly is important.
Germany’s bureaucracy is extremely slow so you have to be very patient. Also, in Germany, you have to register your address (which must be booked online through appointment which is all in German) and must pay broadcasting fees (basically an additional tax).
Those would be like the legal matter.
If anyone plans to travel, flixbus is a great option, very cheap. Also, it does get quite cold here in winter.
Do take photos of after your haircut so you can ask them exactly what you want if you have a language barrier.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Great/famous professors, and learning directly from them instead of just listening to them in lectures.
Everyone is really hard working which is nice.
Lots of new friends would be the best part. Everyone was really open and keen to do things.
Also better life to study balance for an architecture degree.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
There is an orientation program for exchange students called Party Animal at start of Sem which is 2 weeks of heaps of fun events :))))))
Made lots of life long friends there. I’d also recommend going to lots of ESN events for students in Europe.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
Don’t be too intimidated by German stereotype, they are all really friendly and the rude ones are rude to everyone.
ALWAYS CARRY CASH (50 euros ish). Cash is king here.
Don’t be scared to ask if you need help or lost.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
For me was enough.
I budgeted around 25000 (NZD) for 1 year of exchange but I didn’t use all my budget.
A solid part went to plane tickets. I got student accommodation which is far more cheaper then NZ and didn’t eat out much as groceries are super cheap so was okay.
But as an architecture student, I did have to spent lots here as well, approximately 500 nzd per sem maybe more.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
If you are positive, everyone around you is positive.
Do whatever you want, no one cares.
You can’t do everything but you can do most things if you plan correctly.
Don’t be shy.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
Traveling is fun! I travelled mostly by my self but hostels are great way to meet friends! I made lots of friends at hostels.
I travelled around 15 countries and all of them had their own beauty. Some highlights would be,
Go see northern lights in Norway!
Sauna is Finland,
Vienna and Paris art galleries,
Every country had something unique to offer.
Final Comments
Don’t be scared to do things on your own 🙂