My Exchange at The University of Queensland
I found at about the 360 International exchange programme through one of my friends at University. He mentioned his great experience overseas and it made me interested in completing a semester abroad.
I completed my exchange at the University of Queensland in Australia. Upon arrival, I noticed the culture to be very similar to that of New Zealand. However, it was much hotter and humid compared to Auckland. Unlike UoA, the university campus was out of the city – roughly a 20 minute drive. The campus was much more spread out and had few high-rise buildings. There were plenty of sports field surrounding the campus and plenty of good places to walk.
I stayed on campus at International House and would definitely recommend doing so. The accommodation was basic, but it was enough. The best part about staying there was the people I had gotten to meet. The vast majority of residents were exchange students from all around the world – namely, the USA and Canada. There were also a few Australians studying full-time. I got to meet lots of new people and it means that whenever I am travelling around the world, I will always have a place to stay! Furthermore, because most of the residents were on exchange, everyone was always keen to go and do activities since we were only going to be in Brisbane for a short period.
Orientation week at UQ was great, but full on. All residents arrived on a Sunday and had that day to settle in. The following week was intense as the residence packed our schedule with activities and events. We went to a water park, learned a dance, had a water fight and much more. Although it was full on, it was a great way to get to know everyone in the hall.
Unfortunately, few people turned up to class, so it was difficult to meet students who were full-time at UQ.
The highlight of my exchange would be surfing at the Gold Coast most weekends!
Challenges of my exchange would be moving to a foregin country not knowing anyone and trying to settle in. I am grateful I stayed at international house as it was easy to meet new people since we were all in the same situation.
I would recommend completing an exchange. It provides great personal development opportunities and gives you a chance to put yourself outside of your comfort zone. Furthermore, you make lifelong friends and memories. Also, I think staying in a residence is the best way to go as it is so easy to meet new people
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
The highlight of the academic experience at UQ was learning from different lecturers who had a range of different experiences and knowledge.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Surfing is a big activity in Australia. Staying in Brisbane was a conveneint way of getting to the gold coast to surf.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Don’t bring too many winter clothes in Brisbane
- Stay in a residence on campus, if you can.
- Meet as many people as possible.
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?
Probably spent about $2.5k. (excluding accommodation)
Going on exchange is not cheap. Be smart on what you spend money on, but make sure you do spend.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
My most significant takeaways were to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, meet as many new people as possible and take nothing for granted.