Lily (Sem 1, 2023)

My Exchange at Sciences Po

I found out about the 360 exchange opportunities through Instagram, where I saw a post about applying for a semester 1 exchange. I immediately begun researching institutions and applying, as I believed it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity and would enrich my academic career considerably. I went to Sciences Po in Paris, and it was everything I could have dreamed of and more.

A welcome programme oriented me around the beautiful old campus in the historial 7th arrondissement and I quickly made friends with people from all over the world in my classes and extracurricular activities. I lived in a student foyer with a french roommate, and we became best friends, even travelling around France together with her family. I quickly picked up the language and would go to dinners all over the city practising my french and mixing with locals. Sciences Po definitely expected academic excellence and dedication from their exchange cohort, but I was happy to study as the classes were fascinating and aligned wonderfully with my degree at home. The challenges of my degree definitely came when I was sick at the beginning, as I did not know a single soul in Paris and I was too sick to leave my shared dorm room. Once I got better and made friends, however, everything fell into place.

The people I met were definitely the highlight, and running about the city and taking weekend trips to other European countries are memories I will cherish forever. I found Paris to be incredibly social and very safe. I loved that there was something to do every night of the week and you could fill your days at museums and local markets. The food is exquisite and the cost of living was surprisingly manageable due to my cheaper accommodation choice. Life on campus is what you make of it, there are cheap food options, social places to eat and catch up and many cultural and academic events happening to take advantage of.

My advice on exchange is to prioritise the accommodation search, as that was the most crucial way I made friends and lowered my cost of living. I would also suggest making the most of the more social class atmosphere to engage with your professors directly and collaborate with the students in your classes. Sciences Po is a rigorous but enriching host university, and I would seriously consider studying there again in my academic career. Paris quickly became home, and I miss my amazing friends and my local spots around the city everyday.

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

There were very engaging professors with esteemed educational backgrounds. They really cared about your success and your experience as an exchange student in their city. They were all very approachable and on hand should you need anything which was important as the French system of writing essays and even general logistics can be very confusing. Many of the assignments were group projects and required speaking in front of the class. This was daunting, but proved to be a great way to build confidence and debate skills and also to meet friends.

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

I recommend enrolling in the welcome programme and going to the plethora of events and speakers they have on campus. If you can, go to all the exchange social events like the happy hours or the weekend trips as that is where I made the majority of my friends. They offer student discounts and I ended up touring all around northern France in a bus with Sciences Po students. From that group, I made lifelong friends who I travelled with after the semester and continue to be in touch with today. There are many facebook groups for Paris exchange students, be sure to join them all and keep up to date with the events as that is how you make sure you balance the workload while still having fun!

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

1. Start your visa application as soon as you can

2. Start your accommodation search as soon as possible, rent ranges for 400-1200 euros depending on your options and that will make a huge difference to your costs and to your overall social life as the areas of Paris differ hugely. Budget in the cost and travel times of metros to the University as you have to attend every lecture, every day and it can add up quickly.

3. During course enrollment time, log on as soon as it is available as courses fill up instantly and you may have to rearrange your course approvals!

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?

I budgeted for exchange by working three jobs the year prior and getting scholarships. I initially wanted to stay for a year, but I could only afford a one semester exhange as I could not balance working part-time and studying due to the course load of Sciences Po. For one semester, I survived, but there was little extra for travelling around europe and maximising my european exchange that way.

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

After the covid era at university, I really struggled to make friends in Auckland. I realised on exchange that making friends came easily and naturally, which really boosted my confidence and encouraged me to seek out similar social opportunities when I returned to UOA.

Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?

I travelled lots around France as the train systems are brilliant. I also took advantage of the low cost airlines in Europe to visit Amsterdam, Lisbon, Berlin, Belgium, London and Athens during the semester. I also went on a 3 week backpacking trip around Italy after the semester was over. It was incredible to be immersed in so many cultures in such a small amount of time, and I did all the travel with international students I met along the way. To know that I travelled to nine different countries alongside dozens of new friends from all over the world, is something I am so grateful for and will cherish forever.