Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad in Germany was a great experience Past Review

By (International Business., St. Cloud State University) for

Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences: Ingolstadt - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Learned cultures from all over the world. Made friends that I will cherish forever.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: FH Ingolstadt
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There was virtually no homework throughout the semester but the workload at the end of the semester was rather large.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I thought it was very well organized. We each had a German "buddy" who was there to show us around the city upon arriving. They also showed us around the school and helped us register for all the correct classes.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a 13 person apart that shared only 1 kitchen, 2 showers and 2 bathrooms. There were way to many people for the amount of bathrooms and kitchens. There was also no clothes washer or dryer, making laundry a very difficult task to do.

* Food:

Very cheap groceries as well as food at restaurants.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I met and made friends from many, many countries including: France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Germany, and Mexico. The international students frequently took trips together which was also a great time.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Did not have any problems with healthcare or safety at all.

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

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? roughly $150. But could also be much more because we went on many weekend and 4 day long trips so I could have easily spent $400 in a single week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? When traveling, bring more money then you might think. You always end up spending more than expected.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

We had German language class once a week. I found it very hard to remember anything or learn much throughout the semester because once a week of class is not enough to learn the language. The class was exclusively in German also, with no english spoken by the professor. Many of my classmates were from language with more German language in the vocabulary so I found myself playing catch up to them, not taking in all that I should. In everyday life, it was not hard to find someone who spoke english, making everyday interaction quite simple.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Traveling
  • Meeting people from other cultures
* What could be improved?
  • German Language course
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You are going to meet many, many friends that you will have for the rest of your life. The best thing I took from this trip were the relationships I made with countless people from all over the world. I have already planned to visit some friends in Poland and Finland in the near future.