1. Where did you study and for how long?
I studied at the University of Oslo in Norway in the autumn of 2021 for about five months.
2. Was the university you studied at your first choice?
Yes this was my first choice.
3. Why did you want to go here?
I wanted to go to Oslo because of the city, and I was lucky that there was a university there that I could go to with nice courses. I mainly chose the place instead of the university, because I also wanted to make some trips and that was possible from Oslo.
4. What subjects did you take there? Were the subjects easier or harder than your subjects in the Netherlands? How was your knowledge tested?
I took a total of three courses because in Oslo one course is worth 10 ECTS. I took the course Audiovisual Aesthetics. This was mainly about analyzing movies, so every lecture we watched a movie and discussed it, which was really fun. I also followed a psychology course, this was called Cognition, Emotion and Language. This course focused mainly on child development. I found the lectures of this course very interesting, but it was a bit like POL. I also took a sociology course called Nordic Welfare Society. This was about the education and health systems that the nordic (Scandinavian) countries use and how these countries compare to each other. This course was quite difficult in the beginning because I had no background knowledge of the political side and history of the nordic countries.
5. Did you receive a scholarship to fund your trip?
I received a scholarship through Erasmus to study here and a monthly travel allowance that can be used instead of your student public transport to travel here on public transportation.
6. Where you with an organization to arrange your exchange?
I didn’t go with an organization, I just arranged an exchange through Erasmus+ via the university.
7. How long in advance did you start all the preparations?
I started planning and figuring out where I wanted to go at least six months in advance. This is also necessary because there are some mandatory deadlines for your exchange that you have to meet.
8. How was your housing arranged?
I stayed in a shared flat in Sogn student village, one of the largest student villages. I shared this with five others, coincidentally all girls. I had luckily been offered a furnished room through SIO, a very helpful organization that helped me with many things. A few weeks before my departure I was a bit stressed because I hadn’t been offered a room yet, but that worked out fine. You must assume that your rent is a bit more expensive than in the Netherlands.
9. Approximately how much did you spend abroad each month? Were there many unexpected expenses?
My fixed costs per month were the rent, which was 5099 nok, about 510 euros. Groceries were more expensive here than in the Netherlands, I spent about 150,- on groceries per month. Everything was open in Oslo so I was able to go out for dinner a few times at cheaper places. If I wanted to have a drink I always did that in the student pub so a beer was affordable and instead of 10, – it “only” cost 5, -. I also made two trips that both cost around 300-400 euros. There were not many unexpected costs, I knew in advance what I was getting into and what I could expect. Norway and Oslo are very expensive but I had saved up for that so I could eventually do what I wanted.
10. Did you find it difficult to get to know people there? Did you make any friends that you (still) speak to now?
In the first week of the semester, there was an introduction week where I made a lot of friends. Also, a few of my roommates were very sociable and I was able to meet people in the student pub that was in the student village. It was a bit harder to make friends with Norwegians because they often stay in their own circle. But there are plenty of places where you can make friends with Norwegians, like the lecture halls and the student pubs on campus. Furthermore, I have become such good friends with a roommate that I am going to visit her after my exchange.
11. What was the corona situation like here? Did this detract from your experience on exchange?
The corona situation in Norway was very positive. At the beginning of the semester, the measures were lenient with a few rules regarding the number of people at events. But after the first month, all the rules were abolished and it went back to normal. (No more face masks!) Which took some getting used to, but was a lot of fun! Because of the lack of rules I was able to fully enjoy my exchange and make the trips I wanted through the country and Scandinavia. Furthermore, I had two courses online and one physical course. I knew this partly in advance when I chose my courses. I also had some physical work classes. It was a bit difficult to participate in the online courses, but the teachers did their best and always tried to involve us by including interactive elements in their lectures.
12. Do you think it has added value in terms of study, finding a job, self-development, etc.?
My exchange has definitely added value. You have classes in a different way and different subjects, which is very interesting. In relation to finding a job, I think it has more to do with self-confidence. You have to arrange a lot yourself in the beginning and go after everything, this requires a lot of responsibility and I think this independence can help you on your way in future jobs. I also improved my English a lot (one of my roommates was American). It also helps me to know how to adapt quickly in a new environment.
13. Would you recommend it to others to study abroad? Do you have any tips regarding this?
I can definitely recommend studying abroad. You learn a lot, about yourself, about others and a different language and culture. I didn’t have a big culture shock myself but I think that can definitely have a big impact on your experience and self-development. One tip I would give is to really choose for yourself, taking into account whether you choose a destination or the university/courses you attend. I chose the destination because of travel and because I knew I would enjoy myself in Norway.
