Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I'll show you what you want Past Review

By (Chungnam National University) - abroad from 01/03/2020 to 01/24/2020 with

FUBiS - International Summer and Winter University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
How to survive in foreign countries. How to be friendly with new people. How to adapt to new environment. These things would adapt to my whole life.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I could have special experience, while studying in FUBiS program. There are several cases through various lectures. You should choose one lecture, if you are in 3 weeks program.(ex. football in philosophical view, Hitler, Festival, History in Europe, and so on) Most lectures include team projects, assignment(essay), and test. The intensity of lectures would be the same as your home university.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staffs are very kind. They give all efforts to make students feel comfortable and happy.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It would be case by case. It is up to your luck. This is because it is not sure that you can meet good host or not.

* Food:

There is a cafeteria in campus. It provides reasonable prices for students. However, the tastes is not always delicious.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It is up to you. Because you are a visior in that country, the local people will feel new. Most of them would not be close to you, until you give your hand to them. However, If you approach them at first, they will help you and become close to you. In my cases, most Germans were very kind and nice.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

You should sign up for health insurance when you register the program. It will give a lot of helps, if you have to use medical institution.

* Safety:

I think Berlin is one of the safest city in Europe except for some regions. South east region is little bit dangerous. So, be careful.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I could learn a lot of things in Berlin. It is not an easy chance to meet a lot of people from various countries. This is the main reason. You can learn and feel valuable lessons, while hanging out with them.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The total fee for the program was about 2000$(include tuition, insurance and housing fee). The living expense depends on each person. In my case, I spent almost 25 euros per day.(transportation, shopping, and meals)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About 150 euros
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you want to save your money, you would better have meals in home. This is because the housing fee includes breakfast and dinner. However, It will interrupt to be close to your friends. It is more easier to be friendly with new people, if you have some meals with them

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? You should use English or German in your home and university. So, it would be much easier to communicate with people, if you have good skill for these languages.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • People(professor, staff, and new friends)
  • Lecture
  • Place(you can do many things in Berlin)
* What could be improved?
  • Language
  • Motivation
  • Enthusiasm
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Some information about the university. Free Berlin University is very high class Univ.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

More than just a Game - Football as a Philosophical, Anthropological, and Sociological Subject
Course Department:
Instructor: Sven Rucker
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Students can have various views through this lecture. Professor shows a lot of views such as history, philosophy, religion, regulation, and sports. There would be free atomoshphere in the class. The professor likes to talk with students with many topics when it comes to football. There would be several field trips. If you are lucky, you can watch some test matches that would take place by professional football teams. Also, you can visit the Berlin Olympic Stadium. The best thing is that you can just submit only two essays for assessment. There would be no tests and team projects.
Credit Transfer Issues: I got 1.3 grade for German grade. It would be the same as A+ or A0. The topic for essays is free, if it is related to football. The amount of essays is from 3 to 5 pages. I wrote three and half pages for each essay. My topics were impact of football for young people and various views to football.