BI Norwegian School Spring Exchange Report. Miu Yin On Justin BBA in Finance & Accounting

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1 BI Norwegian School Spring Exchange Report Miu Yin On Justin BBA in Finance & Accounting

2 Table of content Before exchange 1. Visa Application 2. Course Registration 3. Accommodation 4. Financing 5. Language 6. Food 7. Examinations and Teaching approach During exchange 1. Report to the police + Tuberculosis test 2. Monthly Log 3. Items to bring 4. Budget

3 Before Exchange 1. Visa Application Before exchange, exchange students are required to apply for student visa. To apply for the visa, the following things are needed: -Proof of accommodation -Passport valid at least 90 days after the expiry of visa-hk ID card -~HKD3000 processing fee -Application Form (GP7028-E) -Personal photo Remarks All required documents should be submitted in 2 sets Online application is not applicable to Hong Kong applicants Applicant have to make an appointment with the Royal Norwegian Consulate through or phone call. Processing time is around 1 month. 2. Course Registration After confirmed by UST, students would receive s from BI. Students first would have to submit a motivation letter to student office of BI and wait for confirmation. About 1 month before the official commencement of the semester, exchange students would receive the course list from BI and a specific period would be arranged for course registration. Students are allowed to take 30 ECTS at BI, while most of the courses offered to exchange students are 7.5 ECTS. The enrollment result would be released 2 weeks before the semester starts. Similar to UST, the first two weeks of the semester is the add-drop period. If students would like to add or drop any courses, simply send an to the exchange officer at BI will do.

4 3. Accommodation After receiving letter of admission from BI, students would need to create an account for student housing. Basically, there are three options for us: SiO, BSN and Diakonhjemmet. I have chosen Diakonhjemmet this semester and here are some general information about this student housing. Firstly, the student dormitory is located very close to T-bane station, which makes it convenient to take the train. However, the dormitory is located in Steinerud, a Line 1 station. The problem about the location is that there is only one Line 1 train every 15 minutes, so it usually takes long time when returning to the dormitory. Besides, because the dormitory is still new for students, so maintenance work is still taking place. Besides, there is not any supermarkets next to the dormitory, so you need to walk a short distance to the next station and shop in COOP mega and REMA1000, which are both common supermarkets in Oslo. A photo taken at Diakonhjemmet 4. Financing In Scandinavian countries, the most popular payment method is through cards, instead of cash. That s why many people choose not to bring any cash when they are travelling in these countries. Personally, I suggest students to at least prepare a little sum of cash upon arrival. In addition, note that debit/credit cards are applying 4-digit PIN code in Norway, unlike 6-digit PIN in Hong Kong.

5 5. Language Most Norwegians are fluent in English so communication is not a problem in general. However, English is rarely used in daily life. For instance, when you are buying ingredients in supermarkets, price tags and signs are only available in Norwegian, so it is always better to install a translation app in your smartphone. 6. Food Food in Oslo is usually overvalued so eating out is not a good choice for exchange students. This is also true for having lunch in BI. If you plan to travel a lot during exchange, do you own cooking is the best way to save money. 7. Examination and teaching approach Unlike UST, there are no mid-term exams at BI, so final examination contributes 100% to the final grade for finance courses. Meanwhile, students are required to complete certain number of assessments and obtain a satisfactory result in order to be able to sit for the final exam. One thing to note is that BI adopts its own policy when it comes to calculators used in exam. Only financial calculator is accepted as approved calculator while the scientific one is not approved in exams. 8. Transportation Students in Oslo can purchase 30-day monthly pass at convenience stores or T-bane stations. Each pass costs NOK 414 and pass holders are allow to use the pass as many times as possible within its valid period in Zone 1. Holders would need to compensate the fee for every single cross-zone trip. You may also be asked to provide a valid pass/ticket in the train or bus, you would be fined if you fail to present any valid tickets.

6 During Exchange 1. Report to the police and tuberculosis test As stated in visa application procedure, exchange students are required to report to the police upon their arrival. You will need to make an appointment with the police at BI International Student Office after the commencement of the semester. Then, you will be notified to book another appointment with the responsible hospital for the compulsory tuberculosis test. You will receive the identity card from the police later. 2. Monthly Activity Log January Since the semester officially commence on 6 th January, my friends and I arrive in Oslo two days before, which is also the first day for exchange students to pick up their keys. After receiving the welcome package from BI representatives at Oslo Central Station, which is the arrival service registered before arrival. I choose to live in Diakonhjemmet during my stay in Oslo, which is just 5 stations from Oslo S. After settling down at the dormitory, we head to IKEA to buy different utensils. Different orientation activities such as city bus tour and gathering at KROA (bar next to BI) are held throughout the whole month. These activities help exchange students from different countries to mingle and get to know one another. Eventually I form a group with other exchange students in the management course enrolled. February While the weather is still cold in February, it serves as a perfect timing to explore the spectacular scenery in Oslo. Snow sports is the most popular leisure activity for Norwegians, everyone went skiing and ice-skating on holidays. Without skiing equipment, (which can be rented at BI) I enjoyed going hiking in Nordmarka, which is very easily accessible. The biggest event in this month is definitely Chinese New Year. On that day, my friends and I prepared some traditional dishes and celebrate the event with other international students. It is really amazing to be able to share our culture to others during exchange.

7 March There is not much lecture in March because of Easter holiday. To my surprise, Norway is not celebrating the event much, unlike other European countries. During Easter, I visited Czech Republic, Austria and Germany and I came across Easter markets in different scales. I got to understand more about their custom and their religious belief while attending these events. Apart from international departure, I also visited Bodø, which is 17 hours train from Oslo. The peaceful little city, surrounded by snow mountains, is also called city of sea eagles. Unfortunately, the bus to Saltstraumen does not provide service on Sundays, so I missed such fascinating natural phenomenon this time, which is a real pity. April Lectures end by the end of April, which also implies deadlines for assignments approaches. My groupmates and I had to hold meetings constantly to prepare for the presentation for the Strategy course. Despite different cultural backgrounds, we worked smoothly and therefore, finished our project efficiently. Despite busy with study, I was still able to visit Bergen and Flam with my friends. Trust me, you would absolutely regret if you didn t visit these places in Norway because the view is just too spectacular.

8 May I had 3 exams in total to attend this month, but there are much time in-between each exam. Therefore, I travel to Latvia, Lithuania and Poland between the gap. Since 17 th May is the Constitution Day of Norway, I return to Oslo 2 days before. On that day, every Norwegian would dress on their traditional clothes and attend the parade which took place at the city centre. On this day, I witnessed the strength of sense of belonging of Norwegians towards their country. Most importantly, they welcome foreigners to celebrate such a special day with them, showing their friendliness and enthusiasm to share their happiness. Parade at Karl Johans Gate

9 3. Items to bring - Letter from UDI (Visa application) - Water-proof trousers and shoes - Router - Passport + HK ID card - Admission letter - Cash (NOK, Euro) and Credit Card - Water-proof coat, gloves and scarf - Adapters and chargers - Phone (with Hong Kong SIM card), Camera, Computer - Medicine - (Optional) pillow and bed sheet 4. Budget NOK Accommodation Travel expense Transportation 770 Flight ticket from & to Hong Kong Living Expenditure (Food, utensils ) Total I am so glad I had the opportunity to study in Norway for one semester. This has been an exciting and memorable experience in my life. In this country, I have witnessed how people enjoy their life, as well as their appreciation of nature. I would say that it would definitely be an inspirational trip for any Hong Kong student.