Where did you study?
At La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
When did you study there?
In 2015/2016, during the last semester of my bachelor studies (spring semester).
Was the university you studied at your first choice?
No, but it was one of my top 3 choices.
Why did you want to go there?
I really wanted to go to an English-speaking country, and preferably to another continent. Australia appealed to me, because of the culture and because it is a beautiful country to travel around during/after studying.
Did you get some sort of grant to finance your time abroad?
Yes, I received the Study Abroad Allowance for students who go on exchange outside of Europe. It seems a lot of money (750 euros), but it wasn’t even enough to pay my flight.
When did you start preparing for your trip?
TiU’s application deadline was around 1,5 years before the exchange. Other preparations like visa, housing, flight tickets etcetera came a lot later.
How much money did you spend each month abroad? Where there a lot of unexpected costs?
I think I spent around 800 to 900 euros each month (of which 600 euros were spent on rent). I didn’t have to make a lot of unexpected costs, because I had figured out that I was going to travel there, before my exchange. Therefore, I had already expected these costs.
Did you have a hard time meeting people there? Did you make friends you still talk to?
No, not at all! From the first day on, I met a lot of great people and everyone was very nice. It is easier to become friends with other international students, because they all want to meet new people too. But it’s even possible to meet locals when you put some effort into it. I, for example, became a member of a sports club.
I still talk to a lot of people I met on exchange, and I have even hung out with some people who live nearby. It’s so handy to suddenly have lodging addresses all over the world! J
How was your housing arranged?
I had a room that was arranged by the university. I lived in a residence on campus. I had to get used to living with eleven people on a floor, but eventually it was really nice, because it helps to meet new people and I always had people around to talk to or visit places with. The only downside was that it was pretty expensive.
Do you feel like your exchange has added something to your study, finding a job, personal growth etcetera?
Definitely. An exchange is amazing for your self-development. Before my exchange, I lived on my own, but living in a complete different country and starting all over again is still kind of scary. However, I feel like it made me a lot more independent and less afraid of new situations. I also noticed that employers of jobs or internships find it very interesting when someone has been on exchange. They see it as an addition to your CV. Apart from that, I thought that studying itself was also an addition, because the way they teach there and the content of the courses were very different than the courses I had taken in Tilburg.
Would you advise others to study abroad? Do you have any tips?
YES! Stop doubting and just do it. Of course it’s a little scary, but it’s the best experience of your whole time as a student. Just make sure to say “yes” to everything during your first weeks: every activity, trip, and invitations to hang out with other internationals. That enables you to meet a lot of new people and makes you feel at home in no time.
