My Exchange at The University of Washington
I arrived in Seattle about a week before classes started, which I would recommend as it gave me time to get my bearings, figure out public transport, set up a bank account, and do some shopping for food/other stuff I didn’t bring with me on the plane. The official orientation was pretty smooth, mainly a presentation on rules/guidelines + how courses work, plus some optional fun activities.
I went with on campus accommodation and had a double room in one of UW’s student halls – I originally applied for a single, but they’re in pretty high demand, so getting your first option is a matter of applying early + luck. The location (West Campus) was really good, at most 10-15 minutes away from classes, a student gym and grocery just across the road, and plenty of other food options nearby.
Student halls at UW come with a compulsory dining plan/account – I picked the lowest budget option, since if you run out of funds you can always add more, or just pay with regular money. My hall had two kitchens on each floor, so I found it most cost effective to spend my meal plan on groceries and cook for myself throughout the week (would also 100% invest in a small rice cooker imo). Eating out in Seattle is pretty expensive (think ~Auckland prices but in US dollars), but there are tons of cool options/cuisines that are hard to find in NZ and are worth trying.
The quality of courses/teaching at UW is really good – they have a lot more funding and resources compared with UoA, especially for computer science, and the material was comprehensive and up to date. I was able to take several courses outside of my degree (if you don’t transfer back the credits, they don’t cost anything), which I found to be really interesting and worthwhile – each UW course is a bit smaller/shorter than a UoA course, so you’ll almost certainly have some extra space.
Some of the highlights of my exchange were the times I went hiking in the Cascades (awesome views with snow at the top in winter/spring); touring local parks and gardens (Seattle is just as green if not more so than Auckland, and a lot larger); wandering around Pike Place Market (look it up); and generally spending time on the beautiful UW campus, with its old brick and stone buildings, peaceful gardens and cherry blossoms.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
The non-degree papers I took at UW were really enjoyable, and a welcome break from my more intensive core courses. I chose architecture and linguistics, neither of which I knew much about beforehand, but I found them both super interesting and have continued to learn more about them in my own time since.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
If you’re coming to UW I’d recommend visiting the local parks (Washington, Volunteer, Gas Works, Woodland, Discovery) – they’re great places to explore with tons of hiking trails and good reading spots, especially in spring when the flowers are out!
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- If you can, register for courses ASAP (like 6:00AM the very second your registration period opens) – a lot of competitive courses fill up very quickly, sometimes before you’re able to even start registering, so always have backup plans in case you get unlucky.
- Bring plenty of warm clothes (thermals, puffer jacket, etc.), and possibly some vitamin D pills – in winter the temp goes nearly to zero, and daylight hours to ~9, so be prepared for the cold and dark period.
- Explore the campus – even if most of your classes are in a few places, I’d recommend taking the time to wander around the entire university grounds and appreciate the architecture and wildlife (squirrels, rabbits, crows and Canadian geese!).
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?
Having a fixed rent and meal plan for the entire period made budgeting pretty easy, I just had to find the rates and convert to NZD. The rest depends on what else you plan on doing while you’re there, how often you’d like to eat out, etc. – prices for most things can be looked up online, just keep in mind food prices don’t include tax/tips. If you plan on setting up a US bank account it might be a good idea to set up a Wise account or something similar to transfer money from NZ at good rates.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I gained a lot of new interests in things that I previously didn’t know much about, or didn’t think that I’d enjoy – in food, architecture, and geography, among others. I’d say I’ve become more conscious of and intrigued by the kinds of character-defining attributes that make a city or country what it is, and have come away excited to learn more about Auckland, New Zealand, and the rest of the world.
