As a former exchange student who studied abroad from the 2019-2020 academic year, and who had friends from other countries take part in exchange programs post-COVID, I have learned a few tips and tricks that I wish I had known before my exchange. I will be sharing the most important lessons here for future students to use as a guide.
How to Study Abroad and Why You Should
Most universities have exchange programs with other universities around the world. This means you will pay tuition for a regular course load at your university (at my university this included the cost of 4 classes plus fees such as campus fees, recreational facilities fees, etc.). Then you effectively “switch places” with a student at your host university who pays tuition there. This program allows students to study internationally without paying international student fees or tuition. Look into your school’s partnerships through the study abroad program to find out what options you have. Every university (and program/major) may offer different exchanges.
Study abroad programs give you an opportunity to not only travel more extensively throughout your exchange, but to experience life in another country as more than a tourist. You get a sense of the pace of life, the culture and the hidden gems of a new city when you are living there for an extended period of time. If you are learning a new language, this immersion is especially invaluable.
Where to live?
Once you have been accepted to a program, you need to decide where to live. I did not have an option to live in on campus residence as they were primarily reserved for first year students (I was in my third year), so I had to choose my own apartment. Some universities offer residence for international students, but for those who don’t here is my experience and recommendations:
I was studying at Carlos III de Madrid, which is located in Getafe, a municipality just outside of the city of Madrid, but inside the autonomous region of Madrid (which shared a transit system). I had the option of living in Getafe or central Madrid with the option of commuting for school or for sightseeing. I decided to stay in Getafe because the convenience of a 5 minute walk to class outweighed the 30 minute commute by train. Additionally, I later found that I enjoyed living in a quieter area as it gave me the choice of dealing with the chaos of Madrid’s central neighbourhood, Sol, when I wanted to, not all the time. I was also intending to stay for the entire year, not just a 4-month semester.
This is a personal decision that I think each student will need to make for themselves. If you have a choice between living in the inner city versus a quieter neighbourhood, you will need to decide what you prefer. As a more introverted person, I liked having the option of dealing with crowds when I was in the mood. When I was tired and just wanted to go home or go to the grocery store, I didn’t have to wind my way through busy streets. However, I made many friends that chose to live in or near Sol who loved being in the city. They enjoyed the vibrance and excitement of being in a big city and the crowds didn’t bother them. It is also easier to get home from a night out within the city centre, so if that is something you are interested in it should also be a consideration. Madrid’s train line, for example, closes between midnight at 6 am. There are buses running during the night from central Madrid to the other municipalities such as Getafe and Leganes so you are never stranded, but they are not as direct as the train.
How to Make Friends
I moved to Madrid without any connections. I chose the school because it fit the best with my program, offering classes in both English and Spanish which allowed me to ease into the expectations of a Spanish-speaking classroom in my second semester. I did not want to travel with a friend, because my main goal was to increase my Spanish proficiency and I didn’t want to rely on a pre-existing friendship for communication. I had plenty of friends scattered around the world that year, with a number of them in Europe, but none in Spain. I got very lucky to be in an apartment renting to only students, and I got to know all the girls in the building starting on the first day. We had dinner together after moving in and became a family from 9 different countries that spoke 4 different languages.
However, not everyone will find such a group on their doorstep. So these are my suggestions for making friends.
If you wish to make friends with locals, take regular classes and try to make conversation. You may be able to find someone who is willing to show you around the city and build a friendship from there.
If you want to connect with other exchange students, sign up for events offered in the first few weeks of the semester. On my third day after moving in, I went on a tour of Madrid offered by the Erasmus Student Network. On this tour I met a group of people from Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada who became my exchange friends. My advice is to join all the new student events in the first few weeks. I know some students who attended the events throughout their semester, and others, like me, who went to many events in the first month and then began to do things with my own group independently.
Other Tips
Prepare for homesickness. You may find yourself uncomfortable in this new environment, but you need to allow yourself time to adjust. When I arrived in my apartment, I was very anxious and homesick. I thought I had made a mistake I was ready to book a flight home. I had even downloaded a countdown app to show how many days I had until I could go home. I remember feeling overwhelmed by the 274 days staring at me from the screen. Not even two weeks later, I was worried that I didn’t have enough time. Do your best to build a community and you will feel just as at home in this new country as you did before you moved.
Budgeting is also very important. As an international student, you will be living in your host country on a student visa which generally speaking does not allow you to work in the country. This means you will need to save up all the money you need for the duration of your exchange before you arrive. You may be able to do some remote or freelance work while abroad, but I would try not to avoid making this a necessity to your survival abroad as you want to enjoy your time and not have to stress about rent payments or grocery bills. Additionally, most programs will need to see a bank statement proving that you have sufficient funds to stay for the duration of your exchange without an income.
Have you studied abroad? What other tips and tricks would you recommend?