Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Dortmund: A Fantastic and Rewarding Summer Past Review

By (Mechanical Engineering, Harvard University) for

TU Dortmund University: Dortmund - International Summer Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Absolutely. I am considering living in Europe sometime after I graduate, thanks to my experience with this program. I learned to be aware of the relativity of basically everything and I understood that so many things that I thought were obvious and correct were not in other cultures/countries.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took three classes so the workload at the abroad university was less than my usual workload here. The class that had a lot of work was statistics since it was an intensive statistics course, and we met for 6 hours a week and had homework. German was time consuming too, since we had 6 hours of German a week and we often had homework. The grading system was very similar to the one at Harvard and to those of other US schools, since many of the students in the program were trying to get credit for their classes at a university in the U.S. The teaching methods were also very similar, there were lectures, section and lab components for each class. The difference between the educational system there and here is that people were not so high-strung about grades as they are here. Grades are important, but there is no widespread competition to have the highest grades.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

This program was very successful because it provided a great deal of flexibility with respect to which classes students could take. There was a vast selection of courses in many fields, from engineering to automation to German history and culture to transatlantic mobility to a course on jazz. There were many excursions that actively engaged the participants, such as several hikes, a ropes course in a forest, guided trips to surrounding cities, trip to an automobile manufacturing plant, etc. The only thing I would criticize about the program was the internet connectivity issues and limitations on monthly internet use. There was no wireless, and the after using a moderate amount of internet (including video chatting on Skype), the monthly limit would be met and I would have to go the library to use my computer there.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

I didn't like the food at the cafeteria, but I am a picky eater. I just bought my own food and cooked for myself.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Cologne lights up, Wetter high ropes course, Cologne Brewery tour, Opel car factory tour, Hohenysburg hikes, so many barbecues and cookouts, parties, clubbing with the doubles, etc.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Dortmund is a very safe city. Healthcare was easily accessible but it was a little complicated to pay for the bills and then get reimbursed. I did not need vaccines specifically for this program.

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? Around 65 euros
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I spent a lot more money than I calculated, because the monthly expenses on the website, approximately 250 E/month, turned out to be slightly unrealistic (too low).

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
Language acquisition improvement?

I practiced German with my host students and in everyday interactions, such as grocery shopping, asking for directions, asking about train schedules, talking to people at social events. Students at the university spoke English to varying degrees, but some workers at the university and people around the city did not.

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

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  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Travel experiences (Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Cologne)
  • Social life (clubbing and on campus parties and events)
* What could be improved?
  • Internet connectivity in the rooms
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This program was awesome. It was laid back, and it was easy to integrate into the host university's academic and social life and its club sports teams. There are so many things to do around Dortmund, especially with the pass you receive for being a student enrolled at the university that allows you to travel anywhere in the Nordrhein Westfalia region of Germany for free using public transportation. Dortmund is in a great location, near Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Munich, etc. Try this program if you're adventurous and are not scared of trying new things.