Vic OE Student Evaluation Form A. Student Information Degree(s) enrolled in at VUW BCA Major(s) Management and International Business Exchange Institution Technische Universität München (TUM) VUW Trimester(s) and Year of Exchange 2011 Trimester 1 B. Finances Please provide an estimate on how much you spent on your exchange (in your host country s currency). Food & personal spending 1600 Accommodation 1800 Return Airfare 1400 Local Travel 500 Books, misc. levies (e.g. student 200 association) Visa 90 Insurance 470 Other (please specify) 1000 (Travel throughout Europe) Total = 7060 How did your financial expenses compare to what you originally expected to spend? I spent roughly 1000 more than I had expected. I however had planned for such a fluctuation when setting out my budget so while the figure was considerably higher than expected; it did not really present a problem. Given the price levels and extra opportunities in Europe I do not think I over spent, rather that my original estimates were too low. By what means did you maintain your finances? (Credit card, foreign bank account, travelers checks, etc)? Money was primarily raised through savings and through scholarships. When in Europe I used a Westpac debit card, which was very convenient. I ran a foreign account as well, as this was necessary to pay automatic payments to other German bank accounts, for example, rent and health insurance. What financial advice would you give students attending the same university as you? It is possible to go to Europe and maintain a very tight budget. However, when I Europe I suggest not to worry too much about finances, and focus on having fun rather than being concerned about your wallet! You will have so many once in a lifetime opportunities, it s up to you to take them! Were there any extra or unexpected costs which future students should be aware of?
As previously mentioned, price levels in Europe are higher, so one must be aware of that. Also, health insurance is compulsory for a student in Germany, and it is often very expensive. This is not all bad though, as you can charge almost all medical bills to this insurance. So, if you need any medical work, get it done in Europe instead of New Zealand. I had an operation on my teeth in Germany as I had already paid for insurance, so I won t have to pay for it in NZ. Also, public transport is rather expensive. It is however of excellent quality and for me was worth paying for the monthly tickets. But if you are centrally located, you may want to consider purchasing a bicycle. What was the average cost of a can of coke or coffee in your host country? This cost of living in Bavaria is notoriously high. However, this is really only for eating out and tourist activities. Many things, coke and coffee included, are still relatively cheap. C. Visas & Insurance Do you have any advice for future students when applying for visas to your host country? Germany has a very bureaucratic system for visas and living permits. This can be very difficult to negotiate, particularly if you do not speak sufficient German. Luckily, I had a very good mentor who guided me through this process. If you are not so lucky, ask for help with the University first, as the amount of work required is considerable, particularly as New Zealand is not part of the EU. Fortunately TUMi offers services with this, and has made KVR registration one of its orientation events. However, some of the deadlines are not very well communicated. For example, without my mentor I would have had no idea I only had only 10 days to register my arrival with KVR. What insurance company did you use and would you recommend it to future students? I used AOK health insurance. I had no trouble with this, and as it was a recognized brand, usually just showing an AOK insurance card is enough to prove you have sufficient insurance for anything. However, be prepared to pay a lot for these services. C. Academics Which courses did you take while on exchange? Please rate the difficulty of each course (1-5, 1 = Very Easy & 5 = Extremely Difficult) and leave any comments you may have. Course Title DaF German A1/2 Entrepreneurial Finance VUW course equivalent (if applicable) VUW points/ credits value Rating (1-5) Comments 100 Level GERM 20 2 Despite not having studied German, this course was relatively easy, and very well taught 100 Level FINA 15 5 This course had an immense workload, of entirely new concepts, and complex math. I will in fact request that this be credited at 200 level
Entrepreneurial Management Service Operations Management Technology Innovation Management European Business Law 300 Level MGMT 15 2 This was very interesting and enjoyable, and perfect for preparing for a thesis 200 Level MGMT 15 4 This course was primarily complex math, and involved methods which in the modern era of management could seem as outdated. 100 Level MGMT 15 2 Very enjoyable and well delivered. The only drawback was its beginning Monday 0800 100 Level COML 15 2 Again well delivered, with explanations in both English and German. How did you find the teachers at your exchange university? Most of the teaching staff at TUM were very professional, although much less approachable than staff here at VUW. Most had extensive expertise and a real passion for their subjects, and on the whole were very effective in guiding the class through their studies. However, in some cases individual attention was rare. That said, lecturers made a real effort to include students in class discussions, which was very beneficial in ensuring that it was difficult to fall behind. Only one lecturer was not up to the expected standard. Although he had an expertise in his field through past experience, he was very distant and almost arrogant in that he did not understand students needs, and refused to answer student enquiries. How did your academic experience differ from your time spend at Victoria? Studying at the TU requires a lot more self organization. There are significantly fewer class hours, and no real tutorials, so one must study most of the material from home. This requires a lot of self motivation, particularly for an international student wanting to experience so many other things in addition to study. However, the academic environment is very positive, with nearly all students prepared to put in the required time to each subject, and as such, self motivation is not so much of a challenge. Examinations are also vastly different, with most courses only having one exam and one assignment. This makes it very difficult to keep track of individual progress, and puts considerable pressure on performance in such exams. How did your academic experiences differ from what you expected? Having had the academic environment in Europe previously described to me by European students, I was relatively prepared for the differences, although the lack of tutorials did surprise me. I was also not expecting the EU exam method to be as extreme as it was. Do you have any advice for future students when choosing and applying for courses?
I had a lot of difficult selecting courses in Germany, as my selection was limited to courses offered in English. As it will be difficult to find exact courses to cross credit, it is recommended that you realize that you may not be doing the exact courses you had planned. As such, if you have very particular course requirements, you may have to wait to clear these at VUW, and take the exchange semester when you have fewer restrictions on which courses you must take to finish your degree. Also notable here is how difficult it is to cross credit papers at some schools at the VUW. Even for exceedingly difficult papers, you may only be able to receive 100 or 200 level credits, depending on the head of school at the VUW s discretion. D. Accommodation What form of accommodation did you stay in? I stayed at the FelsennelKenanger StudentenWohnheim, which is similar to a hall of residence here in New Zealand, although it is independently run, and has a limited social structure, What were the pros and cons of this form of accommodation? This form of accommodation was the only real problem with my Vic OE experience. The FelsennelKenanger hall itself is well below expectation, and not recommended to any student. Unfortunately, coming in from New Zealand, there is not much choice regarding accommodation, as if you need to sort accommodation through Studentenwerk (TUM s student union) before you arrive you basically take what you are given, as a shortage of student housing exists. Some of the halls (the StuSta, Oberschleissheim and Stifsbogen) are actually really well maintained; it is only really FelsennelKenanger that is below standard. There were many reasons in which this hall was disappointing. Upon arrival there is little or no assistance. The rooms are also not properly maintained (Mine had mould when I arrived). I don t believe consideration as to who you share your floor with is given, as I shared a floor with a group of Chinese students who I m sure were lovely but only spoke in Chinese. As such it was impossible to really socialize with my floor mates. Many of the staff are not friendly, and do not really take consideration for students needs. However, after a while this does not matter, as you meet amazing people in other places, and naturally are always busy. In this sense, although the hall is really only a roof over your head, that is all you really need. What accommodation would you recommend to future students? Basically you will not have too much choice if you need to sort this out prior to your arrival, as you can only really work through Studentenwerk until arriving in Germany. This is not all bad, as previously mentioned most of the halls are actually well maintained, but some are not, so it is naturally risky. You could opt to stay with people you know and look for a flat, but language barriers make this difficult, and it is considerably more expensive. Do you have any tips of advice for future students when applying for accommodation?
Studentwerk is well organized, and the Vic OE team work hard to ensure you can organize accommodation beforehand. While you may not get a perfect room, it is definitely a major help having this already sorted before arriving. E. Support How did you find the support with. - your host university? TUM has a dedicated international office. This is very good in guiding you through the layers of bureaucracy in place when studying in Germany. Furthermore, for the management school at least, a mentoring programming is in place. This program is a major bonus and is extremely beneficial in ensuring culture shock is minimal, as such mentors are hugely helpful in working through any basic problems that arise. Many of the features of the TUM are automated or computerized, and although it is a little tricky to work out at first, they become very easy to navigate, and as such are very easy to work with. Again, the existence of a mentor is highly beneficial in overcoming any initial problems - the lecturers? TUM s lecturers and deans are often distant, and difficult to reach. However, while in class or via E mail, most are very happy to help. The only real downside is that they offer very limited office hours, so face to face help is a lot less common. - the International Office at the host university? The international office at TUM is very supportive, and understands most issues that arise. During orientation weeks it is nearly always open, and operates reliably throughout the year. The office was supplemented by a large group of tutors, who also were able to offer support when needed. Finally, the mentor program is again worth mentioning, and one never really feels as if support is not available at the TUM. F. Culture What were some of the hardest cultural differences you faced while abroad? Naturally the language barrier was a problem. Despite the fact that most Germans speak English it is always strange not being able to always understand, or to be able to speak with new friends in their mother tongue. The German people really appreciate when foreigners put the effort into learning the language so it is very important that you learn as much as you can. Germany also has many different social norms, from public transport etiquette to eating systems, but these are learned quickly, and most Germans do understand when these are not adhered to by foreigners who are new to the system. The existence of a mentor also helps in adapting to such
differences quickly. How would you recommend students to prepare for these differences? Contact your mentor as soon as you arrive, if not before hand. Even if the system seems weird to you, such mentors are selected as they are very capable of helping you. You can then judge whether or not you want to use this system more. Obviously it is also important to learn as much of the language as you can, although it is not completely necessary and one should not stress over it upon arrival. However, perhaps most importantly, bear in mind that any homesickness or culture shock will only be temporary. If you sign to enough orientation activities, and actively meet people, any anxiousness will quickly fade. Did you face any issues regarding discrimination in your host country? What were they, and what advice would you give to future students? No discrimination was noticeable at all. Germans are a very welcoming people, so as long as you are trying to fit it, you will be included. G. Personal Response Please write one paragraph about your exchange experience. Plus, don t forget to submit some photos to the exchange office!! My 6 months in Germany was the best 6 months of my life. There is no way I can describe it in one paragraph, but I would like to say thank you for making this possible, and that I recommend the Vic OE program for anyone outgoing enough to live overseas for a year. Although there were some initial culture shocks, Germany was truly amazing and so enjoyable that it was easy to forget how beneficial such an experience is upon returning. Although at the time it was one adventure after another, I have learned so much that it will stay with me for the rest of my life. Thank you for your responses, please leave any additional suggestions you may have for future participants below!