semester abroad guide - universiteit utrecht · 2020-05-14 · administrative fees (see intranet...
TRANSCRIPT
Semester Abroad Guide Fall 2015 & Spring 2016
university college utrecht
Foreword Dean Rob van der Vaart 1
Foreword Exchange Officer Carla Kist 2
1. Practical information 3
1.1 Before going on exchange 3
1.2 During your exchange 7
1.3 After your exchange 12
2. Destinations 14
2.1 Overview of destinations 14
2.2 Destinations within Europe 16
2.3 Destinations outside of Europe 40
Africa 40
Asia 43
North America 57
Latin America 73
Special programs 76
Useful Websites 82
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Foreword Dean Rob van der Vaart
Exchange is a great opportunity! Not only will you experience daily practice of
education in a different setting (pedagogy, system, rules, et cetera) and be able to take
classes that are complementary and enriching to what UCU has to offer, but you will also
make new friends, be immersed in a different culture, and get the chance to see places
that you might not visit otherwise. What is equally or maybe even more important, is the
fact that you will be forced to find your way and place in a different setting – which is
not always easy – and learn and grow from that experience.
Many UCU students use the opportunity to spend one semester abroad. There are
many options and you should only apply after thorough orientation. This Semester
Abroad Guide will make your orientation a lot easier. Please study the general
information in this Guide in detail, since going on exchange will require quite a lot of
initiative from you.
A good way to start your orientation is to think about (possible) exchange from
the perspective of your academic ambitions and course planning. Which partner
universities offer really interesting and enriching courses from your perspective? When
you approach your orientation like this, you will often come to the conclusion that “far
away” does not always match with “best course options” (for you). If you start from a
place perspective (like – “I want to go to Australia”), you might eventually come to the
conclusion that you cannot take the courses over there that best strengthen your profile
and academic CV.
This Guide will certainly help you in your deliberations and hopefully you will find
a place / profile combination that will suit your ambitions.
Rob van der Vaart
Dean, UC
2
Foreword Exchange Officer Carla Kist
Dear Students,
The UCU-Semester Abroad Guide, together with the Study Abroad flyer, is a
starting point for your orientation and information on a semester abroad. Furthermore,
there are other sources of information like the Study Abroad Fair; websites of the
destinations; exchange students who formerly went abroad and students at UCU from
other universities. Last but not least: your tutor can help. With all the input you should
have a good sense of where you want to go.
We update the online Guide each year. We also add the experiences from the
students who went on exchange in former years. Nevertheless, you will see that some
gaps still need to be filled. As soon as new information becomes available, it will be
published on the Intranet. Apart from that, don’t forget that the websites and Facebook
pages of the exchange destinations always have the most up-to-date information.
Also, some study abroad opportunities are still in progress, so this guide is just a
snapshot of the situation in September 2014.
When you want to discuss your semester abroad plans with me, or if you would
like to have more information about certain destinations, please read this Semester
Abroad Guide first, before coming to my office hours or making an appointment. In any
case: I hope that you will have a great study abroad experience, which is intellectually
and personally valuable for you!
Carla Kist, Exchange Officer UCU
College Hall, room 107
Office hours:
Tuesday 13-15 hours; Thursday 15-16 hours;
Tel. 030-2539853;
E-mail: [email protected]
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1. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
1.1 Before Going on Exchange
How exchange works
As an exchange student, you can study for one semester at a host university in a
foreign country. This is, of course, a great opportunity to: follow courses that are not
offered at UCU, live abroad for a few months, experience a different university, culture
and language and, more generally, have the time of your life!
Formally, as an exchange student you remain registered at UCU, and you pay the
tuition fee to UCU and not to your exchange university. Because of the exchange
agreement, the host institution agrees to admit you as a student and gives you access to
all education facilities.
At UCU, you typically go on exchange in your 4th or 5th semester. An exception is
the China Program at the University of Hong Kong, where you can go in your 3th
semester (always in fall).
In exceptional cases, it might also be possible to go on exchange in your last
semester. In the past, this has mainly been allowed to former board members from
UCSA and ASC in their extra (7th) semester. In those situations there may be additional
requirements, e.g. having done all needed 300-level courses and having written your
thesis. Again, this will only be allowed for very good reasons and must be approved by
the UCU Examination Board.
Where you can go
UCU has been working very actively on increasing the number of exchange
programs available to its students. Therefore, we now have more than 30 destinations
on offer, at least 15 in Europe (from UK to Italy) and 22 outside Europe: in Africa, Asia,
North America and Latin America. You can find the complete list of the universities on
page 13. You can also go to other destinations offered by Utrecht University
International Office.
Rules for exchange
The UCU Student Handbook 2014-2015 gives an overview of study abroad
options (page 8) and includes paragraphs on Academic Rules and Regulations . Please
read them carefully and take special note of the required criteria for going on exchange.
Also note that some destinations do hold extra requirements, e.g. on the number of
credits taken or on a higher average GPA than 3.0. You will find the specific
requirements in this guide.
We will repeat the rules on study abroad here (paragraph 3.19 in the Student Handbook
2014-2015):
3.19 Study abroad (see also page 19-20 Student Handbook 2014-2015)
3.19.1 Students can apply for permission to study abroad for one full semester in
semester 3 (China/Chinese Studies program only), semester 4 or semester 5 (all
available exchange programs). Information about application for study abroad is
published on the intranet.
3.19.2 Educational activities abroad administered by UCU may be subject to specific
requirements and are subject to the terms of the agreement made with parties involved.
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3.19.3 Students are eligible for study abroad for one full semester if they have
• A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher
• No shortage of credit
• Transfer credits totalling no more than 30 ECTS
• Proficiency at the intermediate (2) level in the language of instruction at the host
institution.
• No social or academic probation during exchange semester (see § 5)
These criteria must be met at the time of application as well as at the time of departure
for a study abroad destination.
3.19.4 UCU may set a maximum limit on the number of students receiving permission
for study abroad in any given term/semester; eligibility for exchange therefore does not
automatically qualify a student for study abroad.
3.19.5 Study abroad at an institution that is not part of an exchange agreement with
either UCU or UU requires permission from the Director of Education and Examination
Board.
3.19.6 UCU approval of an exchange semester does not guarantee a place at the desired
host university.
3.19.7 Students who cancel their exchange after the cancellation deadline are liable for
administrative fees (see intranet and semester abroad guide for more information).
3.19.8 Students must submit a learning agreement with their final course plan as soon
as they have registered at the host university.
3.19.8.1 The Examination Board judges course content and possible overlap to decide
which courses can be taken for credit. All changes in this agreement must be approved
by the Examination Board. Courses taken on exchange that have not been approved will
not carry credit at UCU.
3.19.8.2 Should the student hope to use a course taken on exchange for a specific UCU
requirement (e.g. required level 3 course, language and culture requirement,
methodology requirement) this must be indicated explicitly in the learning agreement
request, and specific information on content, workload, level, assessment must be
included.
3.19.9 The student is responsible for completing a course program abroad that meets
the UCU study load of 30 ECTS per semester. All courses, credits, and grades achieved
on exchange will appear on the UCU transcript. The number of credits registered on the
transcript will be converted to ECTS. Numerical grades are converted to the UCU letter
grades.
3.19.10 If extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control make it impossible for
a student to complete the equivalent of 30 ECTS per semester, the student must inform
the Exchange Officer and his/her tutor; any credit shortage must be remedied as soon
as possible. A request for permission to complete less than 30 ECTS has to be
sent to the UCU Examination Board.
3.19.11 The official transcript issued by the host institution will be attached to the
student’s transcript upon graduation.
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How to make a choice?
In general you can go to all destinations abroad. There are some host universities
with whom we only have an exchange contract for certain subject areas. You can find all
information in the description of each host university. All UCU destinations have been
chosen because of their excellent quality, high in academic ranking and/or being a
Liberal Arts and Science Faculty or College.
It is important for you to talk to your tutor about your whole curriculum at UCU
and the way your semester abroad courses fit into your study program. This can be a
rather strict program, like the special UCU programs of China Studies (Hong Kong) or
the Transnational Law Program (TLP), or it can be that you are more flexible in choosing
your courses and the time when you can go abroad (in your 4th or 5th semester). In case
you study pre-med at UCU, most of the times you’ll have to plan your semester abroad
carefully, including some of the mandatory courses abroad.
Application Procedures 2015-2016
1) On Tuesday September 30, 2014 The Study Abroad Fair takes place. It starts with
a general information session at 13.30 hours in the Auditorium. From 15.00 hours
onwards there is a Study Abroad Fair in the lounge of Dining Hall with information about
most UCU- exchange and some UU -destinations. Exchange students will represent their
university. They will answer your questions and give personal advice. The fair is meant
for first and second year students who think about studying abroad in the academic year 2015-2016.
2) On October 29th, 2014 the Exchange-Exchange Event will take place
3) Before or by November 14, 2014 you must fill out and give to the Exchange Officer
a UCU-exchange application form. The exchange application form will be handed out to
you at the Study Abroad Fair. Alternatively, you can find it on UCU Intranet. You can
indicate on this form either UCU-destinations, or central UU-destinations.
4) In the academic year 2015-2016, at least 38 UCU exchange destinations abroad are
available. All host universities are of outstanding quality and many of them have a
Liberal Arts & Sciences profile. This makes it easier for the UCU Examination Board to
approve all courses to be counted towards your curriculum requirements and graduation
at UCU. Therefore students are encouraged to study abroad through a UCU contract. Each semester there are 60-70 places available at UCU-destinations.
5) You can apply for a UCU exchange partner (see list UCU destinations) and indicate a
maximum of 3 different destinations. You have to send the signed application form on
paper (including the exchange course information 2015-2016, exchange motivation
letter 2015-2016, language proficiency form and financial plan ) before Friday
November 14, 2014 to the UCU-Exchange Officer Carla Kist, College Hall, room 107
Campusplein 1 or leave it at Reception Desk in College Hall. Attention: keep a copy of
your application form, because you need it to upload for your online application in Osiris
(see below)! Make sure that the documents for your application are printed one-
sided and do not contain staples; also do not forget to sign your application form by
yourself and the course information form by your tutor.
You also have to apply separately online for your UCU-destinations through Osiris. There
you need to upload a copy of your UCU-application documents in word or PDF. This
procedure also has to be done by November 14, 2014. Only after you applied through Osiris, your exchange application is complete!
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6) If you decide to apply for a central UU destination, you can indicate the UU-
destinations on your UCU-application form. You also have to apply separately for UU-
destinations through Osiris. It is your own responsibility to arrange your study abroad
through the International Office of UU at Heidelberglaan 8. See for information on UU-
destinations: www.uu.nl/students/exchange. You cannot combine UCU- and UU
destinations in your UCU-application form. So make sure you fill in either three UCU-
destinations or three UU-destinations. Otherwise, your application will be considered invalid.
7) When your UCU exchange application is approved you will be notified for a nomination
before or by February/March 2015 by UCU or by UU International Office. The first
students who will receive a notification are the applicants for fall 2015 California and the
University of Madison, Wisconsin (in December 2014). You will be informed by e-mail
about the different host application procedures by the UCU-exchange Officer. For UU-
destinations you will be informed by the UU International Office.
Host university application procedures
When you are selected for a certain destination by the Exchange Office, UCU
nominates you to the host university. The host universities have their own application
forms and/or procedures that vary from just an on-line application to a complicated
procedure with many forms to be sent, either by you as a student, or by the Exchange
Officer. Also, there are many different deadlines. Therefore, sometimes it takes quite
some time before you hear something, either from the Exchange Officer, or from the
host university. When you are selected for fall semester, the procedure must be finished
by the end of June. When you are selected for spring semester, by the end of October
you can count on being placed and admitted at the host university.
In general your application documents will be sent by urgent mail at the latest
one week before the deadlines of the host university mentioned in this booklet and on
the websites of the host universities. You will receive instructions from the Exchange
Office regarding the UCU-deadline for submission of your host university documents to
the Exchange Officer.
Once you have submitted your applications forms, you have to indicate which
courses you’d like to take, based on the overview of courses that are offered in the
semester or quarter you are going abroad. This can be an insecure period of time,
because sometimes it is not very clear whether or not you will be placed in your
preferred courses. Only when you arrive at your host university, you can actually
register and enroll in all available courses.
Withdrawal It can happen, of course that you have to withdraw at a certain stage after you
are nominated for a host destination. When you cancel before the first of May 2015,
for going abroad in fall 2015, and July 1, 2015 prior to your exchange in spring
2016, there are no costs involved. When you cancel after the first of May or the
first of July respectively, prior to the semester of your exchange, you have to
pay €200. Your stay at University College will then depend on the availability of a room.
You always have to talk to your tutor and the exchange officer, to explain the
reasons why you want to withdraw. You’ll have to send a cancellation form to the
Exchange Officer.
If you re-apply for exchange in an alternative semester in the future after prior
withdrawal, then your placement depends on availability of spots. You might thus not be
placed at your favorite destination or you cannot go on exchange if you postpone your
exchange plans after withdrawal.
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1.2 During your exchange
Residence permit Depending on the country you are going to, you should report and/or registrar at
the local Immigration Authorities within three to eight days upon arrival. This also
applies to EU-residents who intend to study longer than three months in one of the other
EU-countries. Do not forget this! Are you an international student from outside EU?
Please contact the UCU Admissions Officer regarding (prolongation of) your Dutch
residence permit and visa-requirements abroad.
Housing Housing arrangements vary, depending on the host. At some host institutions,
room and board will be an integral part of the (on-campus) housing arrangements.
Others may offer off-campus housing. Some host universities provide housing; others
only assist in finding a room. Make sure you know what type of accommodation facilities
is provided. This includes location, limitations and whether you are sharing a room with
one or more students, such as in a dorm room.
If housing is not arranged you could book temporary accommodation for a few
nights in a youth hostel or motel well in advance. This is especially important if you
arrive on a weekend or public holiday. When you arrive before your study program
starts, the host university is not required to provide housing for you. Then, finding a
temporary room is your own responsibility.
Representational role You should be aware that you are ambassadors for University College Utrecht,
while on exchange. Your conduct in the host country will have a bearing on the
reputation of UCU. Consequently, exchange students are expected to maintain the
highest standards of academic achievement and personal conduct while participating in
an exchange program.
Also, host institutions may call upon UCU students to represent UCU in exchange
related events for their students. You are expected to participate in these events. This is
fun, because you meet many host university students. Some of them might come to
study at UCU the next academic year!
Finances
Costs of exchange
As an exchange student, you don’t have to pay the tuition fee of the host university;
you’ll pay the fees of UCU. You will have to pay for housing, however, also if on-campus
housing is provided for. Depending on the university and country you go to, this might
be either cheaper or more expensive than the housing costs at UCU. Amounts are given
with every destination, but these are only indications. (Currencies have been converted
according to the rates of September 2014 they can and will change over time.)
Other costs that you should take into account are your travel costs, like flights –
especially when you go outside Europe, this will be a large expense -, the costs to obtain
a visa (inside Europe not needed for EU-students), health insurance (extra mandatory
health insurance, specifically in the U.S.) and of course your living costs. Again, these
can vary a lot depending on your destination: for example, in many Asian countries, the
costs for food are low, whereas in the States you might sometimes be obliged to
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purchase a more expensive meal plan. Previous exchange students gave two main
pieces of advice regarding finances:
1) You’re likely to travel around more than you would do when being in Utrecht. This
is a very good idea – you’re abroad, after all – but this travelling will cause
additional costs. Take that into account!
2) Inquire about any discounts for students that might be available and make sure
to have an International Student Identity Card, an internationally accepted proof
of student status (in some university towns, public transport is completely free
for students!).
Try to estimate in advance your expenses as well as possible, so that you won’t
encounter disappointments! In this guide you find estimated living costs per destination.
Also, on most host university websites there is an overview of expected costs per
semester.
Dutch students (and certain International students) who receive
‘Studiefinanciering’ will keep receiving it during their exchange, as long as they remain
full-time registered as a student at UCU and their exchange is recognized as part of their
UCU program. This is the case when you study abroad through a UCU or UU exchange
agreement. International students with a (UCU) scholarship will keep their grant, while
studying abroad.
Travel and Living Costs
The costs of your semester abroad will depend on the country you go to and the
length of your stay. Available grants will only cover a (small) part of your expenses so
you should expect to spend additional personal savings and/or to receive parental
support. Expensive destinations: USA (visa, health insurance and housing costs), Paris
(housing and living expenses), certain destinations in Asia (travel costs).
Insurance
You should of course be properly insured while abroad. Please check with your
insurance company whether you are covered while abroad. Differences between
insurance companies are tremendous.
Should you need special/extra insurance for your exchange, we recommend AON:
https://www.students-insurance.eu/ or Holland Zorg: http://www.hollandzorg.com/.
Some host universities (mostly American universities), require you to take their
university insurance as well.
OV-refund
Dutch students can get a refund for their OV-studentcard, by requesting an OV-
vergoeding-buitenland. Make sure you send in the proper form two months before you
leave. The form is available on: http://www.duo.nl/Images/8731_tcm7-411.pdf.
You will receive € 102,29 (in 2014) extra per month because you do not use your OV-
student card during your absence. Your application form has to be signed by UCU for
approval, which can be done by the Exchange Officer.
ERASMUS
You can apply for an ERASMUS-grant when you are going to study abroad in
Europe. You are not eligible for Erasmus when you go abroad outside Europe. If you are
an EU or EEA student, going on exchange within the EU or EEA, you can apply for an
Erasmus scholarship. Make sure you hand the form in to Student Services (International
Office of Utrecht University) two months before you leave.
Applying for a scholarship can be done online in Osiris. Information can be found
through this link: https://www.uu.nl/students/exchange. Students going on exchange
through UCU need a signature from the Exchange Officer.
Students going on exchange on a UU program need a signature from the
coordinator at International Office UU (Student Services).
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In case you are a student with an ERASMUS-grant, you need to have signed
and stamped the “Learning Agreement” and the “Statement host institution”
(see below).
If you hand in your form in time, Student services pay 80% of the amount shortly before
you leave, and the remaining 20% after you have returned and handed in your report.
Erasmus students need to hand in some additional forms. Once you applied, Student
Services will send you a confirmation and extra details.
Please mind: use your postal address for the application.
Statement host institution
If you are on a so-called “Erasmus/Socrates” exchange (European destinations),
you need to make sure that the “Learning Agreement” and the “Statement host
institution” is signed and stamped. Upon return to Utrecht you will have to submit this
form as well (together with the Student Report) to the International Office at UU before
the remaining grant can be transferred to your account.
Other Grants/Scholarships
There are not many general scholarships available outside the ERASMUS-
program, but of course you can search yourself on the Nuffic-site (www.nuffic.nl);
Fulbright-Center: www.fulbright.nl or at this site: www.scholarshipportal.eu. See also
page for useful websites.
UCU LEARNING AGREEMENT (not the same as ERASMUS-learning agreement)
Your first exchange application included a course list. Experience has shown that
most students have to adapt their course schedule before or after their arrival. The final
courses you choose to attend during your semester abroad are, therefore, not approved
automatically. You need permission from the UCU Examination Board for your program.
In order to arrange this you have to send electronically a UCU learning agreement
as soon as the course registration is definite. On this form you should include course
titles and credits of the courses you follow. Only after approval of the UCU Examination
Board, the credits of these courses can be included on your UCU transcript.
If one or more courses on your learning agreement are not approved, you have
to enroll in alternative courses. It is, therefore, extremely important to hand in the
learning agreement as soon as possible after your arrival, at a point where changes in
your schedule are still possible.
If your learning agreement is not approved, you will not receive credits for your
semester abroad.
Steps in getting your learning agreement approved:
1. Carefully consider the courses you take while abroad.
2. Fill out the semester abroad learning agreement form after arrival at your host
university and once you are successfully registered for all your courses.
3. Send back the signed learning agreement including course outlines to the
Examination Board’s email address ([email protected]) and cc your tutor.
4. If you want a course to fulfill a major requirement, please fill out a special request
form and include the necessary documentation.
5. The Examination Board sends you an email whether or not your learning agreement
is approved.
6. If (part of) your learning agreement is not approved: you have to hand in an
alternative proposal a.s.a.p.
7. If your learning agreement is approved, please bring a transcript with you upon
return or make sure it is sent to UCU.
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When choosing the courses, please take the following in mind:
Amount of credits: You have to complete a full time workload of 30 ECTS (840
working hours). At many other universities the amount of credits differs per course.
This is fine. It is the total amount of credits (=fulltime workload for a semester) at
the host university that equals 30 ECTS that matters.
The credit systems of the universities UCU has an agreement with are described
below. If you still have questions about the credit system at your host institution,
contact the Exchange Officer.
It is not possible to take less than 30 ECTS on exchange. There are two
exceptions: students on exchange to the University of California to a quarter system
campus (not Berkeley or Merced) in fall, complete 16 quarter units, which is equal to
22,5 ECTS, and students who go to the University of Washington, Seattle in fall take
16 quarter units, equal also to 22,5 ECTS. The credit shortage in these cases needs
to be compensated by attending a summer course, winter course or fifth course prior
to the semester abroad. In all other cases, it is not possible to only earn 22,5 ECTS
and compensate this with a summer course, winter course or fifth course without
permission of the UCU Examination Board.
Courses that are not allowed:
□ Courses in sport, photography, scenario writing and so on, are not considered
to be academic courses. This type of courses may be attended only as an
extra, on top of the courses approved in your learning agreement.
□ Make sure that there is no overlap with previous courses taken at UCU.
□ Students visiting the University of California are not allowed to take Lower
Division courses. They need to select Upper Division courses ranging from the
numbers 100 until 199.
□ Attending courses in languages that are also taught at UCU and that could
count towards the fulfillment of the language requirement is not allowed. You
can, however, take a language course for some credits as part of your total
course plan or as an extra course. If you intend to do this, please include this
in your learning agreement and complete the Special Request form, to be
approved by the UCU Examination Board.
Finishing track: it is possible to finish a track with an exchange course, however,
not automatically. In this case, please indicate it on the learning agreement and
complete the Special Request form. Please note: you have to take the equivalent of
7,5 ECTS! Combining two courses and adding up the credits is possible, as long as
both are at the appropriate level and connect logically to each other.
Level 2 as prerequisite for a level 3 course: if you would like to be admitted to a
level 3 course with a level 2 exchange course, you can ask the instructor of the
planned level 3 course at UCU permission to enter using the Course Admission form.
In this case, you should provide him/her with a detailed course description. The
instructor may also request you to do an entrance/ level test. You do not have to
request this to the UCU Examination Board, but you have to send the Course
Admission form to your tutor.
Pass/fail: attending a course on a pass/fail basis during your exchange is not
possible, unless the course is only taught at a pass/fail basis and cannot be taken for
a grade. In this case, you should indicate this on your learning agreement and fill out
the Pass / Fail request form. Please note this course will count as the one course you
are permitted to take as a pass/fail course during your studies at UCU.
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Requests level 3: if you would like one or more courses on exchange to be counted
towards your major at UCU, you need to send the Special Request form to your tutor
and add relevant documentation (course description, level, credits, hours, literature).
Before you leave UCU, it is wise to discuss with your tutor the possibilities for your
curriculum at UCU.
Legal Issues and Other Topics
Make sure your regular mail is forwarded or checked by someone. It is also
recommendable to authorize someone (e.g. a parent) to represent you for
Studiefinanciering, bank issues and so on. Be sure to keep checking your solismail
regularly, as important messages from UCU keep coming in. Don’t forward your solis-
mail to hotmail or live-mail because we have had trouble in the past with sending e-
mails to these addresses!
Of course you cannot have a mid-term meeting with your tutor in person, but you’re
still required to fill out and send the mid-term form!
You do not have to deregister from the municipality of Utrecht: if you are away
shorter than 8 months, deregistration is not necessary and your address will be kept.
International students with a Dutch residence permit going on exchange: check
whether your permit is still valid when you return to the Netherlands. You are
allowed to spend a maximum of 9 months abroad during your UCU-program without
jeopardizing your Dutch residence permit.
Visa/Residence permit for your host country: depending on your nationality you may
need a visa for the country of your host institution. Whatever nationality you hold, a
residence permit for stays longer than 3 months is always a necessity outside the
EEA countries.
Make sure your passport is still valid for at least six months after the completion of
your semester abroad.
If you are a student with a residence permit for the Netherlands and you are going
on exchange, please contact the UCU-admissions officer (Marja Peursum).
Your residence permit might be expired during the period you reside abroad. This can
cause a lot of problems.
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1.3 After Your Exchange
Credits and grades
We will receive your transcript with grades normally within two months after the
end of your semester abroad and your return to Utrecht. Some host universities want
you to sign an approval form that they may issue and send your transcript to us. Ask
your host university contact person what applies there. The approval of your learning
agreement is the guarantee that the courses, credits and grades on your transcript will
count towards your UCU graduation. However, if there are courses, credits and grades
on your transcript, which are not approved by the UCU Examination Board, then it is not
sure whether they will be included for your graduation. The UCU registrar will make the
grade conversion and enters your grades in Osiris.
Student Report
Upon your return to UCU, you will be required to write a student report on your
experiences as an exchange student. This can be a copy of your Erasmus report, or the
UCU questionnaire in surveymonkey. These reports will assist future students applying to
participate in the exchange program and the tutors and UCU staff in planning and
organizing the exchange. Please keep in mind that sending the questionnaire to the
Exchange Officer is a responsibility as a result of going on exchange and a mandatory
requirement which finalizes the exchange process; thus, failing to do so might lead to
negative consequences! The deadline for this is January 15, 2016 for fall 2015 and
August 15, 2016 for spring 2016. The questionnaires are kept at UCU and will be
available for students.
Study Abroad Fair and UCU Open Days
We would highly appreciate it if you can help us with giving information and
advice to future generation students at the next Study Abroad Fair and during UCU Open
Days. This is on a voluntary and non-paid basis.
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2. DESTINATIONS
2.1 OVERVIEW OF DESTINATIONS
DESTINATIONS WITHIN EUROPE
France (page 16-18)
Institut d’études Politique de Lille, Lille (Politics, Law, International Relations)
Sciences-Po de Paris, (with campuses in Dijon/Le
Havre/Menton/Nancy/Paris/Poitiers/Reims (Politics, Law, International
Relations)
Germany (page 19-23)
Jacobs University, Bremen (all fields)
Universität Konstanz, Konstanz (all fields)
* NEW: University College Freiburg, Freiburg
* NEW: Bard College, Berlin (Humanities & Social Sciences)
Italy (page 24-26)
Scuola superiore di studi universitari e di perfezionamento Sant'Anna (and
University of Pisa), Pisa (Social Sciences, Sciences)
Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Pisa (all fields)
Russia (page 27)
University of Saint Petersburg, Smolny College for Liberal Arts and Sciences
(all fields, both English and Russian)
Spain (page 28-31)
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Humanities and Social Sciences), Madrid
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid (all fields)
* NEW: Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona (all fields)
Sweden (page 32)
* NEW: University of Uppsala, Uppsala (all fields)
United Kingdom (page 33-39)
Exeter University, Exeter (all fields)
Leeds University, Leeds (all fields)
The Queen’s University, Belfast (History & Anthropology, Law and some other
fields)
Bader International Study Centre (part of Queen’s University Canada, located
in Sussex, UK)
14
DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE OF EUROPE
AFRICA
Morocco (page 40-41)
Ecole de Gouvernance et d’Economie de RABAT, Morocco (Social Sciences)
* NEW: International Undergraduate Research Program Virginia Tech College of
Liberal Arts and Human Sciences/EGE RABAT/UCU (Humanities & Social Sciences)
South Africa (page 41-42)
Rhodes University, Grahamstown (all fields)
ASIA
China, Hong Kong (page 43-46)
Chinese University of Hong Kong, S.H. Ho College Hong Kong (all fields)
University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Arts (50% courses in Arts, 50% other fields)
Japan (46-47)
* NEW: Yamanashi Gakuin University (Humanities)
Malaysia (47-48)
*NEW: Monash University, Malaysia campus (UU Destination, all fields)
Singapore (page 49-53)
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (all fields)
National University of Singapore, University Scholars Program (honours),
Singapore (all fields)
* NEW: Yale/NUS, Liberal Arts and Sciences College (all fields)
South-Korea (page 54-56)
Hanyang University, Seoul (all fields)
Yonsei University, Underwood International College, Seoul (all fields)
NORTH-AMERICA
Canada (page 57-58)
Queen’s University, Kingston (all fields)
United States of America (page 58-71)
Boston College, Boston
University of California, Berkeley/Davis/Irvine/Los Angeles/Merced/Riverside/San
Diego/Santa Barbara/Santa Cruz
University of Connecticut, Honors Program, Storrs campus (all fields)
University of Maryland, College Park (all fields)
University of New Hampshire, Durham
University of Washington, Seattle, honors program (all fields)
University of Wisconsin, Madison, honors program (all fields)
15
LATIN AMERICA
Peru (page 73-74)
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima (all fields)
Mexico (page 74-75)
Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City (all fields)
SPECIAL UCU PROGRAMS
Hong Kong University (China Program, Humanities UCU) (page 76-77)
Chinese University of Hong Kong (China Program, Humanities UCU)
Washington University, School of Law (WUSOL), St. Louis (Transnational Law
Program) (page 78-79)
Thesis Fieldwork, Aruba
16
2.2 DESTINATIONS WITHIN EUROPE
France, Institut d’Études Politique de Lille, Lille
Especially interesting
for
Homepage
International Office
website
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
SSC majors with tracks in politics and international
relations.
www.sciencespo-lille.eu
http://www.sciencespo-lille.eu/index.php?id=95
https://www.facebook.com/sciencespolille
2 students per semester
Mid-September – Late December (including exams)
Mid-January – Early June (including exams)
Some in English, but the majority is in French.
Intermediate French required by UCU.
Fall Semester: April 15th (non EU-students) or June 1st
(EU/Erasmus students), Spring Semester: mid-
November (all students).
The list of courses offered can be found through the
website > Etudiers > Les Cours. For Bachelor students,
IEP offers ‘a multidisciplinary humanist education in
social sciences’, so the bulk of the courses is in the
field of: economics, history, political science,
management, law and foreign language.
Courses have levels varying from 1st (beginner) to 5th
(advanced-master) years. In the list of courses (see
above) you can easily find the level.
The IEP works with the ECTS system and requires its
students to take 30 ECTS per semester.
Grades in France are given on a
scale from 1-20, 20 being the
highest grade. This converts to
UC-grades according to the
following table:
IEP does not have a campus, but
international students can ask
the University to bring them in
contact with some Landlords or
contact the ‘Bureau des
Internationaux’ (‘the BDI’),
which also can give advice on
how to find a room.
An off-campus room in Lille is
cheaper than in Utrecht: appr. €250. Living expenses
will be more or less equal to those in the Netherlands.
You’ll probably use the metro quite often – a ticket
A+ 16.5-20
A 16
A- 15
B+ 14
B 13
B- 12.5
C+ 12
C 11
C- 10
D+ 9
D 8
D- 7.5
F 1-7
17
Orientation
Students’ Experiences
costs just over one euro.
The first two days of every semester are reserved for
an introductive seminar and for administrative
registration. Lastly, there is the student organization
(‘the BDI’), which takes care of the arrival and
integration of Internationals into Lille and the IEP,
organizes cultural activities etc. More info under:
www.sciencespo-lille.eu/index.php?id=95 > Intégrer >
Incoming Students
Finding housing on your own in Lille can be very hard,
but BDI will definitely help you out. Former exchange
students advise you to get to know French people, as
many exchange students tend to stay in their own
group and speak only English to each other. Apart
from that, Lille houses many nice museums and clubs
for all tastes. And of course there’s the famous French
cuisine…
France, Sciences Po, several campuses
Especially interesting
for
Homepage
Facebook page
Link for international
students
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
SSC majors with tracks in politics, international
relations, economics and history.
http://www.sciences-po.fr/
https://www.facebook.com/sciencespo
http://www.international.sciences-po.fr/en/guide-
international-students-0
2 students per semester. Attention: only for UCU-
students who have at least 120 ECTS. Sciences Po has
in total seven campuses, in: Dijon, Le Havre, Menton,
Nancy, Paris, Poitiers and Reims. You can list your
preferences when you sign up for Sciences-Po, but
you might not be placed at your first choice.
Early September – Late December (including exams)
Late January – Late May (including exams)
Courses in both English and French are offered.
Students can choose to either take courses only in
English, only in French or to combine the two
languages. However, UCU requires you to have at
least an intermediate level of French.
Fall Semester: Mid-April, Spring Semester: Mid-
October
The focus at Sciences Po is, obviously, on politics and
related subjects: Journalism, International Relations,
History, Sociology and Economics. However, every
location has its own curriculum and its own
specializations. (E.g. Le Havre specializes in Asia,
Poitiers in Latin-America.)
More information:
http://www.sciences-po.fr/portail/fr-fr/decouvrir-
18
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
sciences-po/sciences-po-en-chiffres11.html.
It may also be interesting to know that each
semester, Sciences Po’s campus in Reims, in the heart
of the Champagne region, welcomes exchange
students who wish to enhance their international
studies. This certificate-awarding exchange has been
specifically designed for students to thrive in the
growing community of media and international
scholars in France. The certificate studies offered are:
Journalism, European Affairs, International Affairs and
Business & Economics. More information can be found
at: http://college.sciences-
po.fr/sitereims/fr/content/exchange-students-2014
There are two kinds of courses: lecture courses and
electives, and both can be either in French or in
English. There seems to be no differentiation in all
undergraduate courses: no entrance requirements are
listed, so it seems that at least all exchange courses
are open to every student. Be prepared to have many
alternative courses available.
Sciences Po works with ECTS. You’ll have to take 30
ECTS per semester. The number of credits per course
can differ, so the number of courses you’ll have to
take can vary.
Grades in France are given on a scale from 1-20, 20
being the highest grade. This converts to UC-grades
according to the following table:
None of the locations has a
residential campus, but they will
be happy to help you in finding
a room. In Paris, this will be
quite difficult (and expensive);
in the other cities, it might be
easier.
An overview of estimated
monthly expenses can be found
here:
http://international.sciences-
po.fr/en/tuition-fees-
scholarships. As you’ll discover,
Paris is by far the most
expensive destination (about €1000 per month),
whereas Le Havre and Dijon are relatively cheap with
€500 of monthly costs.
Differs per university, but generally, there is an
Orientation program. For the Paris destination, it is
mainly focused on the French methodology system,
such as how to write essays in the French style (which
is fairly different from UCU style). However, social
activities (tours and bar visits) are also included. Note
that the Paris program will cost an additional 250
Euros. It is also possible to participate in the buddy
program.
So far, we only have stories of students who went to
Sciences Po Paris. Their experiences are very positive.
The academic quality is very high and the university
has ‘an amazing network which allows them to invite
A+ 16.5-20
A 16
A- 15
B+ 14
B 13
B- 12.5
C+ 12
C 11
C- 10
D+ 9
D 8
D- 7.5
F 1-7
19
individuals from the top of the public and private
spheres’. Make sure that your French is good before
you leave and/or take a French course on location.
The (only) downside of an exchange to Paris: the
costs. You can request ‘CAF’, a housing allowance,
which will help you a bit in covering the costs. (More
information: www.caf.fr). In this respect, it can also
be useful to bring a bike. It saves you the money of
numerous metro rides and late-night taxis.
In your free time, you will of course never be bored in
this metropolis – all museums are free for students,
there are ‘thousands of bars’ and daily events. See
also: http://www.international.sciences-
po.fr/en/guide-international-students-
0?q=fr/node/114
Germany, Jacobs University, Bremen
Interesting for
Homepage
Exchange Student Info
Facebook page
Link for promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels and units
Credit System
Grade System
All fields: it is a Liberal Arts and Science College
http://www.jacobs-university.de/
http://www.jacobs-university.de/incoming-international
https://www.facebook.com/jacobs.university
http://www.jacobs-university.de/thefilm
2 students per semester
Late August – End of December
Late January – Early June
Jacobs University is a small, private University that was
established in 2001, and is in many aspects similar to
UCU (except for the fact that it also offers graduate
degrees). As about 75% of the students are non-
German, all courses are in English.
Fall Semester: May 15th, Spring Semester: October 15th
Jacobs University offers courses in several fields. More
info: http://www.jacobs-university.de/course-
catalogues
Lectures, seminars and labs are offered. The course
code gives no indication of the level, but if you consult
the course outline, you’ll see for which students the
course was designed.
Although Jacobs University generally talks about
‘credits’, these should be interpreted as ECTS.
Normally, courses have 5 ECTS, so you’ll have to take
six courses.
Jacobs University works with the A-F grading scale, but
the corresponding GPA is calculated really differently:
20
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
1.0 corresponds to an A, 4.5 corresponds to an F (See
table).
More info: http://www.jacobs-
university.de/policies-undergraduate.
All undergraduates at Jacobs University
are housed on-campus, in one of the
four residence halls. Students live in
modern single rooms, with bathrooms
usually being shared by two students.
Dining facilities are also taken care of
(three meals a day, compulsory meal
plan). More information:
http://www.jacobs-
university.de/colleges
Room and Board at Jacobs cost €2250
per semester. Other living expenses
might vary per person, but will generally be comparable
to the Netherlands. More info: http://www.jacobs-
university.de/tuitionandfees/UG
An Orientation Program is offered in the week prior to
the start of the semester. The content is a mix of
interesting and fun activities. See
https://www.jacobs-university.de/registrar/oweek
The atmosphere at Jacobs is very international (80%)
and the four residential ‘colleges’ have their own
‘college spirit’ and participate in competitions. It was
especially recommended to non-European students
because of the similarities with the Netherlands. The
‘Viertel’ (neighborhood) and Hamburg are suggested
locations to visit!
A+ 1.0
A 1.33
A- 1.67
B+ 2.0
B 2.33
B- 2.67
C+ 3.0
C 3.33
C- 3.67
D+ 4.0
D 4.33
D- 4.67
F 5
Germany, Universität Konstanz
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
All Fields. Students will also get the possibility to
apply for an internship as a research assistant or for
a regular job at the university. We only recommend
to go in the Spring semester because of the very
different academic calendar!
www.uni-konstanz.de/international
https://www.facebook.com/UniKonstanzInternational
Office
Fall: 5, Spring: 5
Mid October – Mid February
Mid April – Mid July
Depending on the subject, between 20 and 80% of
the seminars are offered in English. Especially in the
Social Sciences, the course offer in English is broad.
Fall Semester: May 15th,
Spring Semester: November 15th
21
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
The University of Konstanz offers courses in several
fields. More info:
http://www.international.uni-
konstanz.de/en/international-students/study-
opportunities/undergraduates/
http://www.studium.uni-
konstanz.de/lehrveranstaltungen/
Incoming Erasmus students are allowed to choose BA
courses from all disciplines. MA courses can be
chosen upon request with the relevant coordinator in
Konstanz
ECTS: BA seminars usually have a value of 5-6 ECTS
The University of Konstanz works with German
system (1,0-5,0), but the marks are always also
indicated following the A-F grading scale.
The International Office provides housing for all
exchange students applying within the respective
deadlines (June 15th for winter and January 15th for
summer term).
The Student Services have around 1.800 places in
the Halls of Residence at your disposal. These rooms
are generally located in single or double flats as well
as in smaller and larger shared flats (called
Wohngemeinschaften - WGs). Some of the halls are
located close to the town and close to the river
Rhine, while other accommodation facilities lie
directly adjacent to the University.
The rents for single and double occupancy flats lie
between 260 and 430 Euros per month, depending
on the room size. The offers also include Shared Flats
(WGs) with two and up to 7 occupants (235 – 275
Euros). In the halls of residence, the flats are
furnished.
A 4 weeks Orientation organized by the International
Office in connection with the Language Institute (SLI)
at the University of Konstanz, an Intensive German
Language Course, is held in September and March of
each year with an integrated Orientation Program for
newly-arrived international
students. http://www.international.uni-
konstanz.de/en/international-students/services/pre-
semester-orientation-program/
If you can’t make it for the 4-week orientation and
language programme, you can also take part at a one
week orientation in April and October.
Konstanz has a more traditional “big-university”-
system and the deadlines for exams are in mid-
March/July. Recommended in the 4th semester. Live
in Europahaus and go on excursions (skiing!!).
22
University College Freiburg at the University of
Freiburg
Homepage
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
UCF Homepage: http://www.ucf.uni-
freiburg.de/university_college_freiburg/ucf_home?set_
language=en
UCF on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ucf.las
2 Erasmus Places/Semester
September or October - February
April - August
English
15th of June (fall semester) 30th of November (spring
semester)
Liberal arts and science curriculum (see website for
details: http://www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/las
N/A
ECTS system
In German universities a 1 to 5 scale is used.
1,0-1,3 sehr gut (very good:
an outstanding achievement)
1,7-2,3 gut (good: an achievement which
lies substantially above average requirements)
2,7-3,3 befriedigend (satisfactory: an achievement
which corresponds to average requirements)
3,7-4,0 ausreichend (sufficient: an achievement
which barely meets the requirements)
5,0 nicht ausreichend / nicht bestanden (not sufficient
/ failed: an achievement which does not meet the
requirements)
Housing information: http://www.io.uni-
freiburg.de/apartment/wohnraumvermittlung-
en.html?set_language=en
Students are required to pay a student services fee
(currently €142/year). Other costs are comparable to
the Netherlands.
The UCF Welcome Week takes place during the third
week in October.
In addition, the International Office of the University of
Freiburg offers Welcome Days for all new international
students at the start of both semesters. For more
23
Student Experiences
information: http://www.studium.uni-
freiburg.de/documents-
en/einfuehrung_internationale_studierende-en/
As University College Freiburg is a new destination,
there are unfortunately no student experiences yet.
Bard College Berlin
Especially interesting
for
Homepage
Facebook page/social
media
Link for promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Students with a broad interest in humanities and social
sciences, who like to study in English in a small
international community.
www.berlin.bard.edu
https://www.facebook.com/bardcollegeberlin
https://www.youtube.com/user/BardBerlin
2 students per academic year
late August – mid December
late January – mid May
English
Autumn Semester: 1 April
Spring Semester: 1 October
http://www.berlin.bard.edu/academics/courses/
undergraduate, some courses at advanced level
ECTS and US
Grade Basic Grade Point Grade
Range
A 4.0 3.86 – 4.00
A- 3.7 3.46 – 3.85
B+ 3.3 3.16 – 3.45
B 3.0 2.86 – 3.15
B- 2.7 2.46 – 2.85
C+ 2.3 2.16 – 2.45
C 2.0 1.86 – 2.15
C- 1.7 1.36 – 1.85
D 1.0 0.51 – 1.35
F 0.0 0.00 – 0.50
24
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Student Experiences
off-campus for exchange students. Information on
finding off-campus housing:
http://www.berlin.bard.edu/fileadmin/common/Studen
t_Ressources/Housing_in_Berlin_01.pdf
Exchange students have a tuition waiver. Estimated
living expenses and additional costs are listed here:
http://www.berlin.bard.edu/admissions/tuition-and-
fees/
Thursday and Friday before the first week of class.
Unfortunately since Bard College Berlin is a new
destination, there are not any student experiences yet.
Italy, Scuola Superiore di Studi Sant’Anna, Pisa
Interesting for
Extra requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Link for promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Applied research sciences: Economics and
Management, Law Sciences, Political Sciences,
Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Medical
Sciences, and Industrial Information Engineering.
Good Knowledge of the Italian language; contact
Tatiana Bruni
http://www.sssup.it/ (also:
http://www.unipi.it/english/index.htm)
https://it-it.facebook.com/scuolasuperioresantanna
www.sssup.it (video on the Homepage)
2 students per semester
October - January
February – July (The exact dates are not yet known.
Lecture periods are 10 weeks but the length and
dates of the exam period can vary.)
Mostly Italian, some courses in English
The school does not have any application forms that
have to be filled out, so applying via UCU is enough.
The Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna is a very special
school: it has very strong links with the ‘regular’
University of Pisa, but is an Honors School for
excellent students. Every year, only about 45
students are selected to study at Sant’Anna. They
study for free and even receive a small loan to live
from. They take both regular courses at the
University of Pisa and a few special ‘Sant’Anna’
courses, also known as ‘courses for talented
students’.
As an exchange student you will also take courses at
25
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
both institutes. The Sant’Anna courses are organized
in two academic divisions with both three
departments.
- Social Sciences: Economics and Management, Law
Sciences, Political Sciences.
- Experimental Sciences: Agricultural Sciences and
Biotechnology, Medical Sciences, and Industrial and
Information Engineering.
The University of Pisa offers an even broader range
of courses, which can be found here. There is also a
powerpoint presentation available on UCU intranet.
http://www.unipi.it/english/students/academics/offin
glese.htm_cvt.htm. These courses are taught in
Italian. Another option might be to combine several
Sant’Anna courses with work in a laboratory, but this
is something you’ll have to inquire yourself.
Undergraduate; Postgraduate
As a European Institute, both the University of Pisa
and the Scuola use ECTS. Courses can have a value
of 4-12 ECTS.
As every Italian University, the Scuola uses a system
of 0-30 points, 30 being the highest. This converts to
UC-grading as follows:
For the exchange students the
International Relations Office
will give support in finding a
suitable accommodation
preferably in a university-
approved housing. The cost of
Housing must be paid by each
exchange student.
Some examples of approximate
prices (in euros), which
hopefully will help you to
compare the cost of living in
Pisa with your home country:
Single room in a shared apartment: € 350,00 a
month + utilities
Shared room in a shared apartment: € 250,00 a
month + utilities
1 litre of fresh whole milk: € 1,20
1 kilo of pasta € 1,00
1 kilo of fresh bread: € 2,80
Pizza + beer in a pizzeria: € 15,00
Coffee: € 1,00
Cappuccino + croissant in a café: € 2,00
Meal in a café (a drink + a sandwich) € 5,00
A beer in a pub: € 5,00
Bus ticket (one-hour validity): € 1,10
Student monthly bus card: € 21,30
Orientation programme offered on demand
The quality of education at Pisa is good, but as
(almost) everything is taught in Italian, make sure
that your language skills are good as well. It might
be advisable to do some self-study even beyond the
200-level. The town of Pisa is an excellent city to
conduct a lot of travels from!
26
Italy, Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Pisa
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Humanities and Science students
http://www.sns.it/en/
https://www.facebook.com/scuolanormale
2 per semester
October - January
January – July (preferably only go in spring
semester)
Italian and English (scientific disciplines)
June 30 for fall semester
September 30 for spring semester; information:
http://www.sns.it/servizi/international/exchangestud
ents/
Courses at SNS are organized on an academic year
basis (not in semester), but it is possible to attend
shorter courses during the whole academic year
(tailor-made).
The website of the Science department:
(http://www.sns.it/en/didattica/scienze/) gives an
overview of the courses per subject (math, physics
etc.). Please note that courses all run for a different
number of months (some last three months, others
nine). Course of the Arts department can be found
at: http://www.sns.it/en/didattica/lettere/
SNS incoming students are admitted to attend
classes also at the relevant departments of the
University of Pisa, whose courses are organized in
two semesters (information can be found at
http://www.unipi.it/index.php/university ).
Courses are listed by the year students should be in
when they take them.
The SNS has never adopted any University Credits
System. The exchange students’ courses evaluation
is made by their home institutions basing on the
amount of hours of lessons connected with each
course and the marks obtained by the students in
the final examinations that are specified in their
Transcript of Records.
The University of Pisa works with the ECTS system,
and the number of credits differs per course.
Courses attended there by incoming exchange
students of SNS are officially included in the SNS
Transcript of Records.
Based on 30 points with the possibility of LAUDE.
The minimum to pass exams is 18/30
If you are accepted as a student, the SNS will try to
27
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
arrange a room for you, but they stress the fact that
this might not be possible if all the rooms are filled.
In that case, you will have to find your own
room/apartment with the help of accommodation
office.
The costs of a university-arranged room will be 400
Euros per month, but if such a room isn't available,
the price will depend on the room you can find
yourself.
There is no specific Orientation program.
As the Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa is a new
destination, there are unfortunately no students'
experiences available yet.
Russia, University of Saint Petersburg, Smolny College of LASC
Interesting for
Homepage
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
All fields (Liberal Arts & Sciences College)
http://artesliberales.spbu.ru/?set_language=en
(also: http://eng.spbu.ru/)
2 per semester
Early September – Late January
Early February – Late June
Russian & English
Fall semester: May 15th, Spring Semester: November
15th.
The Smolny College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is a
department of the very large Saint Petersburg State
University (SPSU). Smolny was founded in the same
year as UCU and has some similar features: freedom
for students to design their own curriculum, small
classes, et cetera. As Smolny offers only a limited
amount of courses in English, you could probably
make a combination: a few Smolny courses and
some regular courses at SPSU. At SPSU, quite some
courses are taught in Russian as well.
The ECTS system is being used.
Grades for examinations are awarded according to
the qualitative scale from excellent (the highest) to
fail (the lowest) with satisfactory as the minimum
passing grade.
SPbU is required to provide the exchange program
participant an acceptable place of residence on
campus for the period of study. SPSU does have
university dormitories in which students (2-3) share
a bathroom and kitchen. Living with a Russian host
28
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
family might also be a nice option! More information:
http://artesliberales.spbu.ru/campus-en/dormitories
Generally, housing will be cheaper than at UCU. If
you live in the University dormitories, you’ll pay only
3500-6500 roubles (€90-170) per month. Food is
not so cheap: expect a monthly average of €200. For
€30 per month, you can travel with all public
transport.
An orientation week is being organized for exchange
students individually. For this its need to come to the
university for 3-4 days before the start of classes.
As St. Petersburg is a relatively new destination,
there are unfortunately no students' experiences
available yet.
Spain, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid
Interesting for
Extra requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Students majoring in Humanities, Social Science and
Economics
Excellent command of the Spanish language.
http://www.uc3m.es
https://www.facebook.com/uc3m?fref=ts
2 per semester
Early September – Late January (including exams)
Late January – Late May (including exams)
Spanish and English. Some of the programs offer
courses only in English, other programs use both
languages and some programs are only for those
who speak Spanish. See:
http://www.uc3m.es/portal/page/portal/international
/students/exchange/prior_arrival/learning_agreemen
t
Fall Semester: May 15th, Spring Semester: October
15th
Carlos III offers courses in many fields, but the
exchange agreement with UCU only includes the
School of Humanities, Social Science and Economics.
This still leaves you with quite some choices! See
also above link.
To know which level a
course has (studies at UC3M
are usually four years, so
four levels possible), you’ll
have to check the study
program through the
website.
UC3M uses the ECTS-
system. Most courses have
6 ECTS, so you’ll have to
take 5 courses.
Grades are given on a 1-10
29
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students' experiences
scale (10 being the highest) and then converted to
the A-F grading scale according to this table.
There are several options for housing at UC3M: you
can either live in one of the three residence halls
(both single and double rooms available, Dining
facilities offered), find a private apartment via a
housing agency or sign up for a program in you
which live with a Spanish host-family. More
information can be found here:
http://www.uc3m.es/portal/page/portal/servicios_jo
venes/accommodation.
When living in one of the three residence halls, you’ll
pay one price that includes the food. However, the
costs can differ depending on whether you take a
double or single room and on your yearly income.
Monthly, it would be between €600-900. Finding
something yourself is the other option, but the
average rent in Madrid is quite high. The capital has,
however, an excellent and cheap subway system.
Other living expenses are comparable to the
Netherlands.
At the start of each semester, a Welcome Program of
one day (campus tour, etc.) and a compulsory set of
Orientation Sessions where you’ll receive important
information on your life as a student at UC3M will be
organised. Moreover, there is an Erasmus program
that lasts for a few weeks and gives you a nice
introduction to the city. Lastly, a ‘Buddy Program’ is
available, but you’ll have to sign up! More
information:
http://www.uclm.es/english/services.asp.
The educational philosophy in Spain is different from
the one of UCU: instead of involving the students in
the classes and the course work, the teacher usually
expects you to be in class, sit there and to reproduce
'his' knowledge on the exams. The university
organization can be a bit chaotic compared to UCU,
so be prepared for that. The academic level is good
and courses in general are interesting. Students are
recommended to take some intensive preparation
courses, apart from the 200-level at UCU.
Spain, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
All fields, but specifically science
http://www.ufv.es
https://www.facebook.com/ufvinternacional?fref=ts
3 per semester
Early October –February
Mid-February– Mid-June (Both including exam period;
30
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
teaching period is shorter.)
Spanish (level of Spanish required is B1)
Fall semester: June 15th, Spring semester: November
15th
UFV offers a wide range of courses. You can go to
http://www.ufv.es/oferta-formativa/grados-
oficiales_2305 for an overview of the departments
and click on ‘planes de estudio’ for more detailed
information on courses. Course overview for foreign
students you can find on: http://www.ufv.es/oferta-
formativa/international-students-handbook-
academic-offer-and-ects _2032
Undergraduate: year one, level one etc.
1 UFV Credit = 0.8 ECTS, so 30 ECTS would mean
taking 36 UFV credits
UFV works with a 1-10 numerical scale:
0 to 4.9: fail
5 to 6.9: pass
7 to 8.9: merit
9 to 10: distinction or distinction with honours
There is a female residence on campus and the
possibility to live with families. Further information
about another kind of housing (shared apartments)
will be provided during Orientation Sessions. For
further info about residences, you can contact the
International Relations Office. For more general info
please visit www.ufv.es/oferta-
formativa/accommodation_2035
The University recommends the following agencies'
websites (always indicate that you will be a UFV
student): www.aluni.net and www.accommadrid.com.
Other possibilities they list are www.loquo.com,
www.segundamano.com, www.madridflatmate.com
and www.reginaalojamientos.com
The costs of housing differ, depending on whether
you choose to live in a shared apartment (350 - 500
euros/month), hire a room with a guest family (500 -
700 euros/month), or live in the residence (700 - 800
euros/month). The total costs of living are estimated,
when you rent a regular room, to be around 1000
Euros / month.
There is a short Orientation of two days before both
semesters; usually the Thursday and Friday before
the beginning of the new semester.
Excellent information and orientation programme and
a relatively high amount of exchange students .The
city center is quite far from campus but full of
exchange students whereas other neighborhoods are
a bit more 'authentic'. It is relatively easy to find a
room off-campus through the internet, which is
recommended as on-campus housing is quite
expensive.
31
Spain,
Universidad
Pompeu Fabra,
Barcelona
Especially interesting
for
Homepage
Link for promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Philosophy and Politics
http://www.upf.edu
http://www.upf.edu/international/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQM6aJd2jBE
2 per semester
September to December
January to March / April to June
Courses are taught in English, Spanish or Catalan.
The University recommends exchange students to
have at least a MCER B1 level of Spanish or a B2
level of English
First term: 30th April
Second and/or third term: 30th September
UPF offers courses in social sciences and
humanities, communication and information technologies, and health and life sciences. More course information can be
found at:
http://www.upf.edu/incoming/exchange/undergradu
ate.html
UPF uses ECTS. The academic year at UPF is divided in three terms: September – December, January – March and April – June
Each term consists of 10 weeks of classes and 2 weeks for the exams. Each term is worth a maximum of 20 ECTS, so you will need to take 2
terms. The Spanish grading system is based on a scale from 0 to 10, where 5 is the minimum passing
mark. This is converted into the UCU grading scale as follows:
UPF Grading System UCU Grading System
Excellent 9-10 A
Good 7-8.99 B
Pass 5-6.99 C, D
Fail 0-4.99 F
*The top 5% of the class can get a Honours mark (Matrícula d’Honor / Matrícula de Honor)
32
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
UPF does not provide any accommodation service
directly. However, UPF is a member of the BCU, a public service that assists international students coming to Barcelona.
It manages the Resa Housing Service: http://www.resahousing.com/en/index.php . Which offers a wide range of flats and rooms to rent and
information about student residence halls. Moreover, UPF has direct agreements with some residence halls:
http://www.upf.edu/barcelona/en/allotjament/ Housing costs vary, depending on if you live in a shared flat (350-500 euros a month) or in a student
residence hall (500-800 euros a month). Food costs roughly 200 euros/month and transport about the same.
Orientation days are planned to welcome exchange students at the beginning of each term. Attendance to these sessions is compulsory.
Since Universidad Pompeu Fabra is a new destination, there are unfortunately no student
experiences yet.
Sweden,
University of
Uppsala, Uppsala
Especially interesting
for
Homepage
Facebook page/social
media
Link for promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Students with an interest in History, and also the
Liberal Arts and Sciences campus at Gotland
www.uu.se/welcome
www.facebook.com/uppsalauniversity
2 per semester
September to January
January to June
English and Swedish
Fall intake: Before April 15
Spring intake: Before October 15
Deadlines depend on the faculty you choose though, so
this must be kept in mind.
Uppsala University offers more than 700 courses for
exchange students. The details can be found at the
following link:
http://www.uu.se/en/admissions/exchange/course/list
33
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
/
Uppsala offers courses at three levels for
undergraduates: preparatory courses, introductory
courses and continuing courses
Uppsala also works with ECTS, so 30 ECTS must be
taken per semester.
At Uppsala the following grade scales are used:
“pass with distinction” (väl godkänd), “pass”
(godkänd), and “fail” (underkänd).
There is no housing guarantee at Uppsala University
but most students will be offered a room via the
Housing Office, or on Campus Gotland by the student
Union Rindi.
For studies in Uppsala - To the Housing Office, please
refer to their website: www.housingoffice.se for more
information. For studies at Campus Gotland – Please
refer to the departmental coordinator and the student
Union at Campus Gotland, Rindi
All students, regardless of whether they are required
to pay application and tuition fees, must be able to
cover their personal living expenses while in Sweden.
To obtain a Swedish residence permit, students are
required to have a minimum of SEK 7 300 (795 euros)
per month. When you apply for your residence permit
you must enclose a bank statement showing that you
have your own bank funds available in an account
belonging to you. - See more at:
http://www.uu.se/en/admissions/exchange/housing-
and-financing/#sthash.vqFTKG0J.dpuf
An Orientation Week is arranged prior to the
semester start and provides students with extensive
information about all kinds of facilities and activities
they need in order to make the most of their stay in
Uppsala. There is also a buddy programme:
(http://www.uppsalastudentkar.se/buddy-program)
As the University of Uppsala is a new destination, there
are no student experiences as of yet.
34
UK, Exeter University, Exeter
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
All fields
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/exeteruni
Per semester: 8 students, 2 for Humanities, 2 for
Social Sciences, 1 for Human
Geography/Environmental Sciences, 1 student for
2014-2015 at the Flexible Combined Honours program
(FCH)
Early October – Mid-January (including exams)
Early January – Mid-June (including exams)
English
Fall Semester: May 31st, Spring Semester: October
31st.
The list of courses offered at Exeter University is too
long to show here, but it can be found through the
following link:
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studyabroad/subjects/.
Exeter University works with a credit system that is
‘worth’ only half of the ECTS. I.e. a course with 15
Exeter credits equals 7.5 ECTS.
Exeter University gives grades on a base of 0 to
100%. The table below shows how this is converted to
UC-grades.
90-100% 1st class honours A+
70-89% 1st class honours A
65-69% Upper 2nd class A-
60-64% Upper 2nd class B+
55-59% Lower 2nd class B
50-54% Lower 2nd class B-
40-49 3rd class C
35-39% Fail D
0-34% Fail F
Exeter University has two locations: Exeter and
Cornwall (close to Falmouth). At both locations, the
University has a large number of ‘purpose-built’ flats,
which are partly furnished and sometimes have a
communal area - similar to UC. Students have to cook
themselves. It is also possible to find a room with a
private landlord. The Accommodation Office of the
university keeps a database of available rooms in the
private sector. This accommodation might be a bit
cheaper. More info:
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studyabroad/accommodation
/
Exeter estimates that the average student needs
about £725 monthly to live. This is €925.
35
Orientation
Students’ experiences
Every year, Exeter University organizes a Welcome
Week before the beginning of the semester, including
some special activities for International Students. The
Cornwall Department of the University has a two-
week introduction program. The content and purpose
of these Weeks seem similar to UC’s Introweek. More
info:
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studyabroad/studentlife/welc
omeweek/
Previous exchange students praise the high academic
quality and especially the business courses, for which
Exeter is famous. The Arabic/Islamic Department gets
a good review too. You’re advised to look for the small
classes (max. 25 students) as these usually have the
best level. Apart from that, the University knows
many ‘societies’ that organize all kinds of activities for
your free time. Living with a host family is also
possible and is regarded as an excellent opportunity
to get to know real English culture. (And it will save
you the costs of buying furniture.) Due to the
geographical location, you will be able to visit other
cities, e.g. London. If you want to become more
familiar with British culture and study at a high-
esteemed university; choose for Exeter!
UK, Leeds University, Leeds
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
All fields
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/universityofleeds
Fall: 4, Spring: 4
Late September – Mid-January
Late January – Early June (Both including exam
period; teaching period is shorter.)
English
Fall semester: April 30th, Spring semester: October
31st
No overview of all courses is available; you’ll have to
look them up per faculty. More info:
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/faculties. In general, all
courses are open to exchange students. UCU has a
specific exchange program with the Honors, Double
Major Program of Leeds. As a consequence, a specific
part of the curriculum (honors courses) might be
open for UC students; this means that you are
allowed to take courses in all faculties.
Courses at Leeds University have three levels: the
first level is for beginners, the second is intermediate
36
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
and the third level is for those with experience in the
subject, usually graduates. Course codes indicate the
level, e.g. HIST1xxx is a one-level history course.
You’ll have to take 60 credits per semester; this will
be considered the equivalent of 30 ECTS and thus a
fulltime course load.
The grade system in Leeds will be conversed to the
UC scale as follows:
70+ A
68-69 A-
63-67 B+
58-62 B
53-57 B-
50-52 C+
45-49 C
40-44 C-
0-39 F
Housing in one of the university buildings (which are
located both on and off-campus) is guaranteed to
exchange students that apply for it in time. There is
both catered and self-catering accommodation. More
information:
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/accommodation/index.html
The costs of university housing can differ, depending
on which building you opt for and whether you want
to include a meal-plan or not. (Even if you opt for a
meal-plan, all buildings have some kind of
kitchenette.) Catered housing will cost between £99-
150 per week (€130-190). Housing without meals
cost between £80-112 (€100-145) weekly. An exact
overview is to be found here:
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/accommodation/costs.html
and more information on the costs of ‘daily products’
can be found here:
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/international/planning_your_
finances.htm#estimated. In general, the UK is a bit
more expensive than the Netherlands.
A non-compulsory welcome program is organised for
International students prior to every semester. It
includes many activities that are mainly aimed at
getting to know new friends.
Semesters are short at Leeds University and the
amount of contact hours might be a bit lower than at
UC, but the final tests and exams do require quite
some preparation and research and the academic
quality is very good. The welcome program for
International students is helpful and fun, and the
University offers good sport facilities. Moreover,
Leeds has the biggest Student Union of England and
has a crazy number of societies clubs on offer that
you could join.
It might be a good idea to look for off-campus
housing or at least to check the university housing
where you’ll be placed in advance. Leeds is centrally
located and has an airport, so travelling through the
country will be very easy!
37
UK, The Queen’s University, Belfast
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students majoring in history and/or anthropology,
but also other fields, like law
http://go.qub.ac.uk/erasmusprog
https://www.facebook.com/QueensUniversityBelfast
Fall: 3, Spring: 3
Mid-September – Late January (Courses stop before
Christmas, but the exams are in January. Students
who want to return to their homes before Christmas
can possibly be assessed in a different way, so that
they don’t have to stay until January)
Late January – Early June
English
Fall Semester: May 31st, Spring Semester: October
31st
Queen’s offers many courses, but you’re supposed to
take courses in history or anthropology. Many
courses are offered in these two departments. See:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/StudyatQueens/Internat
ionalStudents/StudyAbroad/ChooseaCourse/Courses/
The course levels are comparable to UC: Level 1 is
for first years, Level 2 courses require some previous
knowledge and are mainly for second-years and Level
3 courses are the equivalent of our 300-levels. Some
4-year degrees also offer modules on level 4.
The full workload for one semester at Queen’s is 60
Units (also known as CATS points). Normally,
students take three modules of 20 Units. This will
probably be the equivalent of 30 ECTS.
Queen’s gives grades on a 1-100 scale, 100 being the
highest. For the complete scale, see:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/StudyatQueens/Internat
ionalStudents/FileStore/Filetoupload,137097,en.pdf
Exchange students can apply for University housing
at Queen’s. The university has over 2000 residential
rooms: single-rooms without catering. See
http://www.stayatqueens.com/. It is also possible to
live off-campus.
The costs depend on the kind of housing that you opt
for. The prices differ between £72-102 (€85-120) per
week. Living expenses in Northern Ireland are,
compared to the rest of the UK, relatively low.
Both in September and January, an Orientation
programme is organized. It gives information on both
academic and recreational matters, including a tour
through Belfast. See:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStudent
38
Students’ experiences
Affairs/InternationalStudentSupport/InternationalWel
comeandOrientation/
After the September Orientation, a Welcome Week is
organized for all new students (including exchange),
with all kinds of fun activities to get to know other
people. See:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/WelcomeWee
k//
Belfast is a rich city with very friendly people. The
location is ideal for short trips through Ireland or to
the rest of Britain!
UK, Queen's University Bader International Study Center at Herstmonceux Castle, Hailsham
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Humanities, Business and Social Science majors
http://www.queensu.ca/bisc/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/BaderISC
2 per semester
Early September – Mid-December
Early January – Mid-June (combined 'Winter Term'
and 'Spring Session')
English
Fall semester: June 30th, Spring semester: October
15th
Students will probably have to take the upper-year
courses, which include a large number of courses
ranging from Drama to Mathematics. For an overview
see their website (but make sure to click on the
'upper year' courses only):
http://www.queensu.ca/bisc/academics/courses.html
The system is comparable to UC: Queen’s has 100 to
500 levels. (400-levels are like 300-levels at UC,
intended for Seniors; 500-levels are graduate courses
that might sometimes be open to Seniors.) The first
digit of the course code indicates the level. Classes
are small with max. 30 people. Lectures are given
from Monday to Thursday, Friday and Saturday is
reserved for field studies.
39
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
You’ll receive 3 credits (=6 ECTS) per course, so you
need to take 5 courses at Queen’s.
Grades at Queen’s are
given on a percentage
scale, which converts to
UC-grades as shown.
Sometimes, grades will
also be given on the
familiar A-F scale.
Students are housed in
double rooms in the Bader
Hall, which is a five-minute
walk away from the Castle.
Bedding and towels are
provided for, but you'll have to pay for each time you
do the laundry.
For Room & Board, you pay 9000 euro for the Fall
semester, and 13000 euro for the Spring semester.
There is an academic orientation session for incoming
exchange students. It is also possible to be paired up
with a ‘buddy’.
There are unfortunately no students' experiences
available yet.
40
2.3 DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE OF EUROPE
AFRICA
Morocco, The Ecole de Gouvernance et d’Economie de RABAT
Especially interesting
for
Homepage
Facebook page/social
media
Link for promotional
video
Places Available:
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
Social Sciences
www.egerabat.com
https://www.facebook.com/EGE.Rabat
www.egerabat.com
2
2
French/English/Arabic
1st of May for Fall and 1st of November for Spring
Courses in Political Science, Law, Economics, History.
The course list changes every year and is modified
according to current events in the MENA region.
Undergraduate and graduate
EGE uses the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
to assess the workload of the courses.
Academic performance is evaluated according to the
French grading system, which follows a 20-point scale:
0-9=fail; 10-20 pass. Transcripts show both these and
the ECTS grades, as well as the number of credits
attributed to each course.
Shared or private apartments. The shared apartments
in the University area can be provided by EGE Rabat.
Private one bedroom apartments in a shared
apartment between 2500 Dhs -3500 Dhs, private own
apartment full equipped between 3500-6000 Dhs or
take apartments in the EGE neighborhood between
5000 and 7000 Dhs which can be shared with other
international students (price per person incl
water/electricity is approximately 2550 Dhs).
The orientation week is organized every semester one
week before the first day of class. During this week,
students receive information about EGE Rabat,
academics, life in Morocco and the city Rabat.
Since this is a new destination, there are unfortunately
no students' experiences available yet.
41
**International
Undergraduate
Research Program
Virginia Tech College of
Liberal Arts and Human
Sciences/EGE
RABAT/UCU
The International Undergraduate Research Program
provides students with a unique undergraduate
research experience and opportunity to learn in-depth
about another culture. During three semesters
students and faculty members from different
universities involved in the International
Undergraduate Research Consortium will work together
on a joint research topic and produce an individual
research paper approached from different angles which
they will present at the end of the project. The
program begins in the beginning of the spring
semester prior to exchange with the selection of
students to exchange. Those students begin online
correspondence with each other, are motivated to post
literature related to the joint research topic and are
guided through a series of cultural questions in order
to get to know each other and learn about the places.
During the fall semester they are part of the exchange
program; exposed to a new culture that they will
explore and complete written reflections on while
learning about or brushing up on research methods
skills through online modules and chats. Then,
students return to their campus in the spring where
they complete a project through independent study
with a faculty member and continue to learn and
reflect on culture with their exchange partner students.
In late spring, students present about their cultural
experience as well as the research topic of their
independent study during an International
Undergraduate Research Symposium.
South Africa, Rhodes University, Grahamstown
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
All fields. Especially Humanities and Science.
http://www.ru.ac.za/
https://www.facebook.com/rhodesuniversity?fref=ts
Fall: 2, Spring: 2.
Late July - December (3rd and 4th term)
Half February - Late June (1st and 2nd term)
English, except for language courses
Fall semester: 15th of March, Spring semester: 15th of
October
There are courses in the following faculties: Humanities
(largest), Commerce, Law, Science, Education and
Pharmacy. A list of all courses can be found here:
http://www.ru.ac.za/rhodes/academic/departments/
Remember that not all courses are automatically open
and that placement is not guaranteed!
First year course codes start with 1, second year codes
42
Credit system
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
with 2 and third year codes with 3. Courses that are
taught in only one of the two semesters are either 101
or 102 depending on which semester they are in
(semester 1 or 2).
16 credits at Rhodes is the equivalent of 30 ECTS.
1st and 2nd year subjects equivalent to 7,5 ECTS
3rd year subjects equivalent to 15 ECTS
4th year subjects equivalent to 30ECTS
Rhodes uses percentages, which are divided into 1st,
2nd, upper 2nd, lower 2nd, 3. Those are converted as
follows:
1 – 75-100% A
2A – 70-74% B+
2B – 60-69% B
3 – 50-59% C
P – Pass D
3NC – third class pass
with no right of admission
to higher level of course.
P
More info can be found in the pre-arrival brochure:
http://www.ru.ac.za/media/rhodesuniversity/content/d
ocuments/international/international/pre_arrival_guide.
Students are likely to be staying in a residence whilst
on campus and exchange students are obliged to do so.
Students are accommodated in private rooms in same
sex residences on campus, easily in walking distance
from lecture venues and from town.
Students should be prepared to pay (partial) tuition
fee. Accommodation costs between R31,500 - 42,300
(€3100-4200) on a yearly base. The amount per
semester is not stated, but will probably more or less
half of this. This amount includes meals!
There will be a number of events happening over the
Orientation week. Most important will be the meetings
with the International Office, which will concern your
administrative registration and your curriculum
approval.
Don’t miss out on the Orientation week! It was easy to
organise courses you wanted to get into. Exchange
students also often get put into the best on-campus
housing. Accommodation is in residences separated by
gender. It can be quite strict. A lot of travelling
opportunities, although these can be slightly expensive
as there is not much public transport. Join the
community engagement network! It is also very
important to make sure to organise your visa properly
before going there.
43
ASIA
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, S.H.Ho College, Hong Kong, CHINA
Interesting for
All fields, specifically Science
Homepage
CUHK main page
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/index.html
S.H. Ho College, CUHK
http://www.shho.cuhk.edu.hk/
Office of Academic Links, CUHK
http://www.oal.cuhk.edu.hk
Facebook page/social
media
S.H. Ho College Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/cushho
Link for promotional
video
S.H. Ho College Youtube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/shho2010
Places available
5
Fall Semester
September – December
Spring Semester
January – May
Language of
instruction
CUHK is a bilingual university. Courses are conducted
in English, Cantonese or Putonghua. The language of
instruction for individual courses is shown on the
teaching timetable.
Application deadlines
Fall Semester: April 1st, Spring Semester: October 2nd
Course offerings
All regular courses are open to exchange students
except those offered by the Faculties of Education,
Law, Medicine and the MBA programmes. More
information:
http://www.oal.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/study-abroad-
a-exchanges-for-visiting-students/term-time-
exchangestudy-abroad/study-at-cuhk/programme-
information#Course_information
Course levels
CUHK undergraduate courses are coded 1-4 while
postgraduate courses are coded 5-9. Students who
are affiliated with S.H. Ho College will be assigned to
‘GESH1000 College Symposium’ which is a non-credit
bearing course for High Table Dinner. Attendance
44
(Pass or fail) of the High Table Dinner will be shown
on their transcripts.
Credit System
Most courses at CUHK are 3 units each, this
corresponds to 5 ECTS at UCU. Full time workload is
30 ECTS, so you take 6 courses at CUHK.
Grade System
CUHK works with the A-F grading system.
CUHK grade system
http://rgsntl.rgs.cuhk.edu.hk/aqs_prd_applx/Public/H
andbook/document.aspx?id=1546&tv=T&lang=en
Housing
For undergraduate students of the S.H.Ho College, it’s
compulsory to live on campus, and so will be the case
for exchange students as well. The College has two
hostels with both about 150 double rooms. Floors are
single-sex. Apart from that, the buildings have
common rooms, a fitness room, pantries, et cetera.
Costs
Living on campus costs around HK$5,211 (approx 500
euros, figure as of 2013/14) per semester. Additional
costs are by consumption such as air-conditioning and
laundry. On-campus meals is compulsory, which cost
about HK$1,200 (approx. 120 euros, figure as of
2012/13) per semester.
For an exact overview:
http://www.oal.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/study-abroad-
a-exchanges-for-visiting-students/term-time-
exchangestudy-abroad/study-at-cuhk/cost
Orientation
An Orientation program is organized for foreign
students at the beginning of the semester. It lasts for
about a week and has both useful information about
the curriculum, student life and Chinese culture, and
some fun activities, like a city tour. More information:
http://www.oal.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/study-abroad-
a-exchanges-for-visiting-students/term-time-
exchangestudy-abroad/preparing-to-come-to-
cuhk/orientation-buddy-programme
Useful link
Students’ experiences
Programme information:
http://www.oal.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/study-abroad-
a-exchanges-for-visiting-students/term-time-
exchangestudy-abroad/study-at-cuhk/program-
information
In general, students at CUHK are expected to be more
independent, as you will have to figure out a lot on
your own. As grading is done on a bell-curve,
students might be more competitive and less inclined
to help each other, and are not necessarily as open
towards exchange students as UCU students (many
activities also take place in Cantonese clubs).
Studying is more aimed at reproduction and
memorizing than at critical reflection, which is
different from UCU. Be aware that you will share your
45
room in your dorm with a roommate, but experiences
so far have been positive in that respect.
China, University of Hong Kong, Faculty of
Arts, Hong Kong
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application
deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Students that want do at least 50%f their courses in the arts
department. Predominantly Humanities courses available.
http://arts.hku.hk/ and http://www.hku.hk/.
https://www.facebook.com/ArtsHKU
Fall: 2, Spring: 2.
Early September – Late December
Mid-January – Late May
All courses are in English, except for those offered in the
Department of Chinese. One language course (Mandarin)
compulsory for exchange students.
Fall Semester: May 15th, Spring Semester: November 15th
UCU has an agreement with the Faculty of Arts.
More information: http://arts.hku.hk/ It means that half of
your courses has to be of that faculty, which offers courses
in all Humanities disciplines, Chinese and Buddhist studies.
The other half can be a free choice. More information:
http://www3.hku.hk/oise/eng/incoming_program.php?progra
m=1
There can be differences per faculty, but in general the first
digit of a course code will indicate the level. I.e. 1xxx is an
elementary course, whereas 6xxx is a course for graduate
students.
A full course load of one semester at HKU is worth 30 credits,
which equals the 30 ECTS you’d have to take at UC. You can
choose courses from different faculties, as long as 15 credits
(so about half of the courses you’re taking) come from one
single faculty.
The grade system is the same as UC’s.
Student residences and housing are called "halls" in HKU.
There are at present thirteen halls, which vary considerably
in size and character. The halls are principally for
undergraduate students, who’ll get a furnished single room
and share bathroom facilities. More information:
http://www3.hku.hk/oise/eng/incoming_visa.php.
One semester in a residence hall costs between HK$ 5000-
8000 (€525-840). An (often compulsory, but depending on
your residence) meal plan will cost between €400-700. More
46
Orientation
Students’
experiences
information: http://www.hku.hk/study/cost_of_living.html.
At the beginning of every semester, a day-long orientation
for exchange students is organized. It will usually be held on
the last Friday before school starts and includes cultural
adjustment sessions, a library tour and a city tour.
When you’re going to Hong Kong University, you’ll be free to
choose any course at the Arts Faculty and other faculties that
you like, although some courses are very popular and might
very soon be full. Usually, exchange students will be placed
to live in international halls. You might have to share a room
and be prepared for rules that are a bit stricter than what
you’re used to. (Guests are usually not allowed overnight,
etc.). On-campus housing is, however, to be preferred over
living off-campus, as this is very expensive. For the rest, the
costs for your stay will be relatively low as most teachers
don’t ask you to buy books and the on-campus rent is quite
low. The students were very enthusiastic about Hong Kong
City and it’s the ideal place from which to explore the rest of
China and Asia. If you want to experience Asia to the fullest:
go to Hong Kong!
Japan, International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA),
Yamanashi Gakuin University
Homepage
Address
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
http://www.icla.jp/
2-4-5 Sakaori, Kofu City, Yamanashi, Japan
Late August to late December
Early April to late July
All courses are taught in English. Japanese language
skills are not required. However, international students
are encouraged to learn Japanese while they are here.
At least 6 months before arrival. More information
available upon request at <[email protected]>
Full-range liberal arts curriculum taught in English
from Art, Music, Theater, Literature, Philosophy, and
History to Political Science, Economics, Calculus,
Physics, and the Natural Sciences. Japanese language
courses from beginning-to-advanced. Japan Studies
"workshops" in Zen, Shinto, Koto, Shakuhachi, Noh
Theater, Kyougen, Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy, and
Flower Arrangement. Humanities “workshops” in
Acting, Directing, Dance, Drawing, Music Composition,
and Music and Creativity. World championship martial
arts instruction in Aikido, Karate, Judo. Wide range of
sports clubs: soccer, swimming, field hockey, baseball,
softball, tennis, wrestling, etc. Average class size is 20
students. Active learning rather than traditional lecture
courses.
47
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Undergraduate freshmen to seniors (1st year to 4th
year). iCLA is a 4-year liberal arts university.
3 credits for standard courses, 1 credit for workshops.
A=100-90, B=89-80, C=79-70, D=69-60, F=<60
All students live in brand new, internationally-
integrated dormitories on campus with other degree-
seeking and exchange students. Students live in brand
new private room dormitory towers, which are
connected to the classroom and faculty office
buildings. Meals served 3 times per day everyday.
Tuition is free for official exchange students. Room and
board costs about ¥95,000/month (approx 700 euros).
Comprehensive orientation programs for all
international students upon arrival and departure. All
international students are also assigned a faculty
advisor.
Malaysia,
Monash University,
UU Destination
Interesting for
Requirements
Homepage
Studying abroad in a full branch campus of a
reputable Australian university located in Asia.
Fantastic opportunity to travel and explore the
diversity of the Southeast Asia region.
Courses contextualized to the Asean region: Study
areas of Islamic Banking and Finance (School of
Business), Transformation in South East Asia
(School of Arts and Social Sciences), and Tropical
Biology (School of Science)
Completed at least one full year at your home
university
Minimum GPA of 3.0 or 60 per cent or equivalent
Meet our English language requirements. To prove your
English proficiency you can choose one of the following:
o TOEFL or IELTS test (inquire for details)
o High school diploma (VWO) showing your grade
for English: minimum grade 6. This is an extra
option not mentioned on the Monash website.
Just add a copy of your diploma if you meet this
requirement.
www.monash.edu.my (Study Abroad webpage:
www.monash.edu.my/studyabroad )
48
Facebook page
Link for
promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application
deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
www.facebook.com/monashabroad?fref=ts
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9XwAv3Vizc
Please check with your International Office
end July – end November (inclusive of exam period)
end February – end June (inclusive of exam period)
Detailed semester dates for exchange students are
available.
All courses are taught in English
This is a UU exchange program, not a UCU exchange
program so the process is slightly different, this is
described in the following link:
http://www.uu.nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/Dienst_Student
enservice/Buitenland/Application%20instructions.pdf
The Monash Malaysia campus offers courses from 7
Schools in the areas of Arts & Social Sciences; Business;
Engineering; Information Technology; Medicine and Health
Sciences; Pharmacy; and Science.
Course content and structure offered remain similar to
those offered in Monash Australia.
Restrictions / areas not open to exchange students:
www.monash.edu.my/study/study-abroad-
exchange/inbound/exchange/options
Undergraduate and Postgraduate (only coursework
available for exchange students)
Normal study load per term
in credits: 18 or 24
in courses: 3 or 4
One course/ unit is normally 6 credits. Minimum enrolment is 18 credits.
Grading system : percentages
Minimum pass is : 50%
On-campus housing at the Sunway Monash Residence is
guaranteed for all exchange students. We recommend
students to stay on-campus due to its proximity to the
campus and limited off-campus accommodation options
within the area.
The following guide provides a cost estimate for an
49
Costs
Orientation
Students
experiences
exchange student staying on-campus for one semester.
Expenses may vary depending on meal choices
(restaurants or street stall options) and travelling plans.
Living Expenses (2014) Semester (MYR)
On-campus accommodation 5,750 (rental only)
Additional housing expenses
(i.e. application fee, utilities,
phone, internet, etc.)
Deposit: 1,500
Processing fee: 300
Others: 1,000
Student Pass fee (inclusive of
compulsory medical insurance) 1,860
Meals 4,000
Books/supplies 500
Miscellaneous 1,000
TOTAL 15,910
Orientation week is conducted one week before semester
starts.
As Monash University, Malaysia, is a new destination, there
are unfortunately no students' experiences available yet.
Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application
deadlines
Course offerings
All fields
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/Pages/default.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/NTUsg
Fall: 3, Spring: 3.
Late August – Late December
Late January – Late May
Except for the courses in the Division of Chinese, all
courses are taught in English.
Fall Semester: March 30th, Spring Semester: September
30th
In spite of its name, Nanyang Technological University
does not only offer courses in Science, but has a broad
supply of courses: there is, for example, also a College
of Humanities, Arts and Social Science. In sum, there is
an abundant choice for courses. More information on the
courses of the various schools can be found through the
following link:
http://admissions.ntu.edu.sg/ngs/exchange/whenyouap
50
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Students’
experiences
ply/Pages/send.aspx
Nanyang University has four course levels. The first digit
of the course (the first two letters indicate the code of
the School) indicates the level. E.g. EE1xxx is a first year
course in Electronic Engineering.
20 AU per semester, which corresponds to 30 ECTS and
to at least 5 courses. Taking more AU is not possible. It
is important to note that it may not be possible to fulfil
the 30 ECTS credit requirement, depending on the
courses that you take, therefore it is advised to prepare
for a possible credit deficit.
NTU uses a GPA system from 0-5, which corresponds to
letter grades as follows:
A+ 5.0
A 5.0
A- 4.5
B+ 4.0
B 3.5
B- 3.0
C+ 2.5
C 2.0
D+ 1.5
D 1.0
F 0.0
On-campus housing is available at NTU, but not
guaranteed to exchange students. In case your
application for it is successful, you’ll be placed in one of
the 16 residence halls for undergraduates. Most of these
halls (not all!) have air-conditioning. You’ll get a double
room. If you don’t get allocated to on-campus housing,
NTU advices you to reside in one of the hostels that are
located on a short bus-ride from the campus. For more
info:
http://admissions.ntu.edu.sg/ngs/exchange/afteraccepta
nce/Pages/accomodation.aspx
The undergraduate accommodation at the university
costs $155-280 (€100-180) per month, whereas food
will cost you about €250 per month. Off-campus housing
can be quite a lot more expensive. Other expenses seem
lower or comparable to the Netherlands:
http://admissions.ntu.edu.sg/ngs/exchange/beforeyouap
ply/Pages/expenses.aspx for more information.
The courses at NTU are variable, some comparable to
UCU, others easier. Getting into your preferred courses
is quite complicated, so keep that in mind when planning
your curriculum. The dormitories at NTU are small, but
very convenient and clean. Cooking is hardly possible,
but as eating out is very cheap, this was not considered
a problem. A downside might be that NTU does not
organize an Orientation program other than some basic
(academic) information. Read up a little bit on
Singapore: ‘the history, culture and political system are
very interesting and you’ll understand the country
better’. Of course, Singapore is very a good base to
travel around in Asia cheaply, but don’t forget to visit
Singapore itself!
51
Singapore, National University of Singapore, University Scholars Program
Interesting for
Additional
requirement
Homepage
page/social
media
Link for
promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application
deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
All fields.
Minimum GPA of 3.2
NUS website http://www.nus.edu.sg/
NUS website for Non-Graduating Program
http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/ng.html
USP website http://usp.nus.edu.sg/aboutusp/index.html
IRO website http://www.nus.edu.sg/iro/sep/in/index.html
USP Facebook : www.facebook.com/NUSUSP
NUS Peer Advising Program Facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/peeradvisingNUS
NUS Student Exchange Program video :
http://youtu.be/sn0FPPrIUb0
Fall: 2, Spring: 2
Early August – Early December
Early January – Early May
All courses are taught in English.
Fall Semester: April 15th, Spring Semester: October 1st.
UCU has an exchange with the University Scholars Program
(USP). USP students are comparable to honors students.
They are registered with one of the regular faculties and do
70% of their study there. The other 30% of their academic
work is done within USP. The USP offers courses with a
limited class size, interdisciplinary content and high amount
of participation. You will also be expected to take at least one
USP course.
More info: http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/curriculum/index.html
Courses can be of 1000, 2000, 3000 or 4000 level and are
recognizable as such by their course
code. Courses with a 5000 or 6000
course are graduate courses.
Courses with the prefix BMC, BME
and BMU are not open to exchange
students. This includes the courses
of the Faculty of Medicine.
The NUS works with Modular Credits
(MCs); NUS students usually take 5
courses comprising a total of 20
Modular credits per semester. UC
has established that 18 MCs is the
equivalent of 30 ECTS.
NUS works with a GPA system (see table):
Grade Grade Point
A+ 5
A
A- 4.5
B+ 4.0
B 3.5
B- 3.0
C+ 2.5
C 2.0
D+ 1.5
D 1.0
F 0
52
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
USP has its own residential building, for all undergraduate
USP students (and also with exchange students to USP):
Cinnamon College. It is located in ‘University Town’.
Cinnamon College has both single bedrooms and shared
rooms. The UTown has, apart from the residential building,
classrooms, sport facilities, small markets, several dining
facilities, and etcetera. So, you’ll be living in a brand new
environment! More information:
http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/utown/index.html.
Please refer to this link for information on housing costs.
Note that you have to take up a meal plan is if you stay in
Cinnamon College.
http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/community-
college/college/amenities-rates.html
There is an Orientation period of one week in August, at
the beginning of Semester 1. Such a week will not be
organized at the beginning of Semester 2. It is also possible
to sign up for a ‘Buddy’ who can pick you up from the
airport and show you around. There is also a Facebook
page for exchange students, and a welcome party etc.
In general the students who went to NUS are positive about
their experiences. Especially the courses offered by the
University Scholar Program are of exceptional quality. Most
Singaporeans are very study-focused and as NUS is not an
easy university, you will spend a lot of time studying.
Traveling options are tremendous yet somewhat pricy.
Singapore,
Yale-NUS Liberal Arts and Sciences College
Especially interesting
for
Homepage
Facebook page/social
media
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of instruction
Application deadlines
Students of all majors, especially students interested
in taking courses in English in Southeast Asia.
http://www.yale-nus.edu.sg
https://www.facebook.com/yalenuscollege
https://twitter.com/yalenus
3
3
English
1 April for fall semester, 1 October for spring semester
53
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Student’s Experiences
Liberal arts curriculum including common courses and
electives in the social sciences, humanities, and
natural sciences and mathematics. Specific course
listings will be available several months before the
semester begins. Read more about Yale-NUS’s
curriculum here: http://www.yale-
nus.edu.sg/curriculum/.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd year levels
1 course = 5 Modular Credits (Same as NUS)
A-F (same as NUS)
Yale-NUS students live on campus for all four years of
their studies. Students live in single dormitory rooms
with shared bathrooms. Meals are provided in the
dining hall. Learn more about Yale-NUS’s residential
life at http://studentlife.yale-nus.edu.sg/residential-
living/.
Same as NUS
Onsite orientation will be provided on arrival in
Singapore.
Since the Yale-NUS program is new for UCU, there are
no student experiences yet, however please refer to
the student experiences of NUS.
54
South-
Korea, Hanyang University, Seoul
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application
deadlines
Course offerings
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
All fields.
http://www.hanyang.ac.kr/english/
https://www.facebook.com/HanyangUniv
Every semester a separate Facebook-group is made for
incoming exchange students. This can be found under
Hanyang Exchange Students (“year”) (“fall/spring semester”)
Fall: 2, Spring: 2.
Early March – Mid-June (1st semester)
Early September – Mid-December (2nd semester)
English & Korean. About 50% of the courses is taught in
English.
Fall Semester: end of May, Spring Semester: end of
November
Most courses, in all kinds of fields (e.g. Humanities, Natural
Sciences, Art) are offered at the Seoul campus. A small part
is offered at the ERICA campus (in Ansan), which is
specialized in technology. An overview can be found at:
http://www.hanyang.ac.kr/english/Academics/indexC1.html.
A full-time study load at Hanyang is considered 15-20 credits
per semester. These credits are comparable to
UC-credits, so you’ll have to do 16 credits to
have equivalent of 30 ECTS.
Hanyang works with the following A-F system:
Exchange students are likely to reside in the
off-campus housing, located next to the
Hanyang Hospital gate. These are located off-
campus, but on a very short travel distance
from the University. In most residences, students share a
room with one other student, in a few with three others, and
sometimes single rooms are also available. More information:
http://www.hanyang.ac.kr/english/Campus%20Life/indexF2.
html
Spring Semester (4 months): approx. 1,300,000KRW
(approx. 980 Euro)
Fall Semester (6 months): approx. 1,950,000KRW (approx.
1,400 Euro)
This is excluding meals. Hanyang indicates the monthly costs
at 700,000 KRW (€500). This would include room, food,
leisure, transport and health insurance.
There is an Orientation for exchange students at the
beginning of the semester, which takes a few days. Apart
from t2hat, there are several activities organised specifically
for exchange students: field trips, sports festival, garden
parties, etcetera.
Take a Korean class, once you get to know some words and
can say it to people, they LOVE that. The Hanyang new
dormitory is fully equipped and nearby the subway station.
55
South Korea, Yonsei University, Underwood International College, Seoul
Interesting for
Homepage
All fields (UIC is a LA&S College; but you can take courses at
all Departments of Yonsei)
http://uic.yonsei.ac.kr/
page/social
media
www.facebook.com/YonseiUIC
Link for
promotional
video
http://yonsei.ac.kr/eng/about/video/
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Fall: 2, Spring: 2.
Early September – Late December
Early March – Mid-June
Language of
instruction
All courses at UIC are taught in English.
Application
deadlines
Spring Semester: Last weekday of October
Fall Semester: Last weekday of April
Course offerings UIC offers, for second-year students and higher, courses in
five majors: Comparative Literature & Culture, Economics,
International Studies, Political Science & International
Relations, and Life Science & Biotechnology. Apart from that,
there is the option to do a minor in Korean Studies or to
follow a language course in Japanese or Chinese.
Course levels The courses are categorized into 4
different levels as shown right.
Please note that students are allowed
to take courses that are not
necessarily targeting the year they
are in, as long as they meet the
course requirements.
Course
level
Targeted
Year
1000 1
2000 2
3000 3
4000 4
Credit System 5 courses = 15 UIC credits = 30 ECTS
3 UIC= 6 ECTS
56
Grade System
UIC grading system is based on 4.3
Grade Point system. The table on right
shows the letter grade equivalent to each
grade point and grade distribution based
on class size.
For non-credit courses, the grading will
be based on Pass / Non-Pass basis.
For detailed information, please refer to
the grading system sheet.
Letter
Grade
Grade
Point
A+ 4.3
A0 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B0 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C0 2.0
C- 1.7
D- 1.3
D0 1.0
D- 0.7
F 0
Housing
Yonsei has an International House with good facilities, which
is open to exchange students. Students get a double room
and there are separate wings for men and women.
Students cannot cook in the International House; neither can
they purchase a meal plan. There are, however, many
cafeterias and bakeries close to the campus where students
can get their food. Apart from that, there are several options
for off-campus housing: studios, guest houses or a Homestay
Program in which students live with a Korean family to
experience the Korean culture more intensely. More
information:
http://uic.yonsei.ac.kr/sub/sub.asp?pageNum=800401
Costs
UIC gives an estimation of the costs for one semester, which
are $3,700 (€3,000). This includes a double room in I-House
and meals.
Orientation
Students’
experiences
The Orientation for exchange students will be offered before
the beginning of every semester. The Orientation will be held
in late February for Spring semester, and in late August for
Fall semester. For the students who require pick-up from the
airport, the service will be available for $50. Please contact
[email protected] for more information.
The campus is very close to a lot of Seoul highlights and is
located in a very vibrant student oriented part of town. The
academic program has a lot to offer as you can select
courses all around campus and Korean culture is very
interesting.
57
NORTH AMERICA
Canada, Queen’s
University, Kingston
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
All fields
http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/
https://www.facebook.com/QueensASUS?
Fall: 6, Spring: 6.
Early September – Late December
Early January – Late April (Known as ‘Winter Term’)
English
Spring term and Fall term: April 30th
Queen’s Liberal Arts and Science School offers courses
in a very large number of fields. More information:
http://www.queensu.ca/admission/programs/artsci.htm
l.
The system is comparable to UC: Queen’s has 100 to
500 levels. (400-levels are like 300-levels at UC,
intended for Seniors; 500-levels are graduate courses
that might sometimes be open to Seniors.) The first
digit of the course code
indicates the level.
You’ll receive 6 ECTS per
course, so you need to take
5 courses at Queen’s.
Grades at Queen’s are given
on a percentage scale,
which converts to UC-
grades as shown.
Sometimes, grades will also
be given on the familiar A-F
scale.
As an exchange student, you can opt for both on-
campus and off-campus housing. If you prefer the
former, you can choose between two residences:
Harkness International Hall and Jean Royce Hall. More
information: http://housing.queensu.ca/residences.
However, places are given through a lottery and are
not guaranteed. The majority of upper-year Queen’s
students live off-campus and many exchange students
also prefer this option. In general finding housing can
58
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
be quite challenging. If you prefer off-campus housing,
you’re advised to come at least one week in advance to
Kingston to start searching.
Depends on your choice for housing. One term in the
Harkness or Jean Royce Hall costs about $3100
(€2550), whereas living off-campus would cost you
only $1800 (€1500). Queen’s estimates all other costs
for one semester (incl. telephone, clothes, insurance,
textbooks and food) around $3000 per semester (2,100
euros).
The International Programs Office, with is part of the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences offers an academic
orientation session for all Arts and Sciences exchange
students. It will contain mainly academic information,
but there will be some recreational activities too.
Apart from that, the Queen’s University International
Centre (QUIC) offers a welcome and orientation
program. More information:
http://quic.queensu.ca/incoming/welcomeandorientatio
n.asp Every faculty has its own introduction for
freshmen and there’s also a special program for
exchange students, which consists of many fun
activities, e.g. a visit to Montréal.
So far, students had a great time at Queen’s! The
education is of a good level and teachers make sure to
have very interactive lectures. Experiences with both
off-campus and on-campus housing are good. At least
in Spring (‘Winter term’), it is easy to sublet a room
from a Queen’s student that is on exchange herself.
Check for example: http://kingston.kijiji.ca/ and
http://kingston.en.craigslist.ca/. QUIC is a very good
help for all non-academic matters: finding housing,
getting a health-insurance, etcetera. They also organise
some social activities. Kingston itself is a friendly and
historical town with many bars and clubs, but the
campus itself also has things to do for your time off,
e.g. excellent sport facilities. Students have mentioned
that it can be quite challenging to get into the courses
you want however.
USA,
Boston
College,
Boston
Interesting for
Additional
requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
All fields. Recommendable for premed.
GPA: 3.2
http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/
https://www.facebook.com/BostonCollege?fref=ts
Fall: 2, Spring: 2.
Late August – Mid-December
Mid-January – Mid-May
59
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit system
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
English
Fall: March 1st, Spring: September 15th
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers a long
list of courses, see:
http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/departments.html.
Boston College has five levels for courses:
- Core: Basic courses, open to any student
- One: Undergraduate elective courses open to
students from any field of study
- Two: Undergraduate courses designed primarily
for those specializing in that field of study.
- Three: Upper-level courses for undergraduate
and graduate registration. Most suited to those
with background knowledge of the general
subject matter and specializing in that field of
study.
- Four: Graduate courses, almost never open to
undergrads.
The level can be recognised in the course code: after
the first two letters that indicate the field of study, the
next digit indicates the level. (EG. HS181 is a one-level
history course.)
For the most part, classes at Boston College are
assigned 3 credits each for 45 class hours. Classes
generally meet two times each week for 90 minutes
each, or 3 times each week for one hour. UC students
are required to take 15 credits. As one course
corresponds to 6 ECTS, you will be able to take 5
courses.
The Boston grade system is exactly similar to the UCU-
system - both the A-F scale and the corresponding 0-4
scale.
On-campus housing is extremely limited and is assigned
by lottery. There are different on-campus residences,
with different costs. Some residences have kitchen
equipment, others don’t – in the latter case, students
are obliged to purchase a meal plan in one of the many
Dining facilities. In the former case, a meal plan is
optional. Students will be assigned to the residences
randomly and cannot give preferences. Off-campus
housing is also an option. Students can receive aid from
the Off-Housing Office in finding a room, but are still
advised to arrive a few weeks in advance.
Boston is, unfortunately, not one of the cheapest
destinations. Room and Board for an entire year can
cost about $12,500 (€10000) – of course the costs for
one semester are lower. In addition, all exchange
students will be required to purchase the BC Medical
plan; no waivers will be allowed for other medical
insurance.
Apart from the ‘regular’ Orientation program, a special
International Student Orientation will be organised,
including a compulsory English Placement Test for non-
native speakers. It should also be noted that fall
semester exchange students have a full week
60
Students’
experiences
orientation, while spring semester students only have a
day. BC has begun asking our exchange students to
come prepared to plan and event (individually or in a
group/team) that will introduce the BC community to
some aspect of their country or culture.
Students who visited Boston College so far had a great
time! The classes at BC are of ‘incredible quality’, the
professors of an extremely high level. Class
participation is highly encouraged and indeed almost
everyone participates and engages in discussions.
With the metro, you can be in downtown Boston within
half an hour. The town has ‘a million things to do’ and
there’s ‘always something going on’. Buses to New York
are cheap as well and you can also easily get to
Canada. The closest ski areas are at a distance of 3-
hour travel!
USA, University of California, State of California
Interesting for
Additional
requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Places available
Academic Year
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Fields of study:
Refer to the UC Majors webpage at:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Majors
.aspx
GPA: 3.2
The University of California (UC) has a total of ten
campuses: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles,
Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco (only
graduate), Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. Find links
and resources to research the UC campuses,
majors/disciplines, and more on the UCEAP Reciprocal
Exchanges webpage at:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/
Connect with the UCEAP Reciprocal Exchange program
on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/UCEAPReciprocalExchange
10 per semester
All campuses, except for UC Berkeley and UC Merced,
operate on the quarter system, where an academic year
is comprised of 3 terms: Fall, Winter and Spring
quarters. Similar to UCU, an academic year at UCB and
UCM is comprised of two semesters.
See the UC Academic Calendar at:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Before
YouArrive.aspx
English
*with the exception of foreign language courses.
Fall quarter/Fall semester: February 10;
January (Winter quarter/Spring semester): August 1.
Check the individual campus’ Course Catalog for
information on courses. See the Schedule of Classes to
61
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
see current and past course offerings.
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Discov
er-UC.aspx
At UC, students enroll in 14-17 units per term, a
combination of major and general education course
units. UC major courses are intense and students
should plan to take no more than two courses in the
major per term.
Students at UC are not limited to selecting courses in
their major only. They may enroll in courses in other
majors, if they meet course prerequisites and space in
class is available. Enrollment in specific courses cannot
be guaranteed, but often UCEAP Reciprocal Exchange
students take the opportunity to enroll in courses they
would not otherwise have had the chance to take.
At UC’s, undergraduate students generally take lower-
division courses (numbered 1-99) in their first two
years of university study, then take more advanced,
upper-division courses (numbered 100-199) in their last
two years of study. Students must meet prerequisites
to enroll in upper-division courses.
Undergraduate students may only enroll in graduate-
level courses (numbered 200 and above) with the
instructor’s permission.
In Berkeley/Merced, you’ll take 16 ‘ semester units’ in a
semester. These units are comparable to UCU 30 ECTS
credits and workload. At the other UC campuses, the
‘units’ are worth less: 16 units is the equivalent of 22,5
ECTS. As 16 quarter units (=22.5 ECTS) is considered a
full course load for one quarter at UC California, you’ll
have a deficiency of one course if you go in fall quarter,
for which you need to make up prior to your exchange.
Please note: Students who will study at UC for two
quarters beginning in January (Winter quarter) will
need to complete two learning agreements, one for
each quarter.
The University of California works with the A-F scale like
UCU.
As a UCEAP reciprocal exchange student, you are
eligible to apply for university on-campus housing.
Housing is not guaranteed, and information on on-
campus and off-campus housing options will be made
available on the Reciprocal Exchanges Pre-Arrival
Instructions page at:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Before
YouArrive.aspx
Students must document sufficient cost of living
expense funding for the duration of their UC exchange
to be issued a DS-2019 certificate of eligibility which
you will need to apply for the J-1 visa. For
undergraduate Estimated Living Expenses, see:
http://eap.ucop.edu/Documents/ReciprocalExchanges/U
CCostofLiving.pdf
See also the “Money Matters” section of the Reciprocal
Exchanges Student Guide at:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Before
62
Orientation
Students’
experiences
YouArrive.aspx
Each host UC campus international students’ office
requires attendance of a mandatory orientation
program (either in person or online) and check-in upon
your arrival. More information about planning for your
exchange at your host UC campus will be
communicated after your UC campus placement has
been determined.
Campus-specific pre-arrival instructions are posted on
the Reciprocal Exchanges website as information
becomes available at:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Before
YouArrive.aspx
Other useful links:
Discover UC!:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Discov
er-UC.aspx
UC Majors:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Majors
.aspx
Undergraduate Application Instructions:
http://eap.ucop.edu/ReciprocalExchanges/Pages/Under
graduates/ApplyUndergraduates.aspx
Reciprocal Exchanges Student Guide:
http://eap.ucop.edu/guides/reciprocity/Pages/default.a
spx
A general note on the academic aspects of the
University of California, except for the excellent quality
and the very motivated students, is: be active in
getting into your preferred courses! Mostly, exchange
students are not given the first choice when the places
are divided. By attending all kinds of classes during the
first week (when people can still add or drop courses)
you can find out which alternatives are interesting for
you; sending a mail to a professor and convincing
him/her that you ‘need’ to do a specific course will also
often be successful. Be prepared that public transport in
California can be of low quality. Students are strongly
recommended living in the I-House, as usually also
American students have a room there, which gives a
nice mix of internationals and Americans. Be prepared
to share a room. The experiences with other kinds of
residences are equally positive, especially for students
that were able to live in “coop” housing described it as
a great experience.
63
USA, University of Connecticut, Honors Program, Storrs
Interesting for
Extra requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
All fields. Recommendable for premed. Also for
sportsmen!
Your GPA needs to be 3.2 or up.
http://www.honors.uconn.edu/. See also:
http://abroad.uconn.edu/wp-
content/uploads/sites/428/2013/12/Incoming-
Exchange-Program-Information-Sheet-2014-15.pdf
https://www.facebook.com/pages/UConn-Honors-
Program/192404167486474
Fall: 2, Spring: 2
Late August – Mid-December
Mid-January – Early May
English
Fall Semester: March 15th, Spring Semester: October
1st.
UConn has divided its education in about ten Colleges,
Schools and Centers, of which the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences seems of the most interest to UC
students. This College offers courses in many fields,
see: http://www.services.clas.uconn.edu/majors.html.
However, in principle courses in all of the schools are
open to exchange students, except for Journalism and
Pharmacy. For the School of Business, School of Fine
Arts and the School of Education, there might be some
additional entrance requirements. Apart from this, UCU
has an agreement with the Honors Program of UConn.
This means that you can also take honors courses:
courses with a limited class size, a large amount of
participation, extra debates, etcetera. The honors
courses can be found here:
http://www.honors.uconn.edu/academics/courselist.ph
p.
Honors students take a mix of honors courses and
‘regular’ courses, so you’ll probably have to do so as
well.
Course codes at UConn have courses with four digits.
The codes indicate the following:
- Code 1000-1999: introductory courses, intended
for Freshmen and Sophomores.
- Code 2000-2999: courses with only one
prerequisite, mainly intended for Sophomores.
- Code 3000-3999: advanced undergraduate
courses, intended or Juniors and Seniors.
64
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’
Experiences
- Code 4000-4999: advanced undergraduate
course, intended for seniors.
- Code 5000-6999: Graduate courses.
You will have to take 18 credits while at UConn
UConn uses an A-F grading scale, but sometimes also a
0-100 scale (see table).
A 4.0 91-100
A_ 3.7 89-90
B+ 3.3 87-88
B 3.0 81-86
B- 2.7 79-80
C+ 2.3 77-78
C 2.0 71-76
C- 1.7 69-70
D+ 1.3 67-68
D 1.0 61-66
D- 0.7 59-60
F 0 Under 59
Exchange students are advised to apply for on-campus
housing. They will then get a double room in the
undergraduate dorms. These rooms are furnished with
roughly the same amount of furniture as the UC rooms.
Students can, if they want to, apply for a more
luxurious (single) room, but as these rooms are
popular, requests can not always be granted. All
students living in the undergraduate dorms are obliged
to buy a meal plan (different options) with which they
can eat in all of the nine dining units on campus.
There are many undergraduate dorms, which means
that the fees are variable. For one semester, they are
between $2,800-5,700 (€2300-4600). The meal plans
cost about $2500 (€1700) per semester, this being the
most extensive option. Generally, you need to show
proof of $8500 (€7000) to be admitted and (as a next
step) get a visa.
In the week prior to the start of the semester, a week-
long (Fall) or five-day (Spring) Orientation program is
organized. Students will receive information on staff,
campus, fee payment, registration, dormitory life,
etcetera, but there will also be fun activities. The
program is compulsory.
See also:
http://www.studyabroad.uconn.edu/index.cfm?FuseActi
on=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=0&Link_ID=8512E412
-2BF8-9631-95010F4BD984DECB&pID=9&lID=34.
Apart from the Orientation, there is a ‘HuskyMates’
program through which students can apply for a
‘buddy’.
Previous exchange students were very satisfied with
the academic environment at UConn. Courses are
challenging and teachers are very good. The workload
is comparable or a little lower than at UC.
Housing experiences are mixed: one student found the
(double) rooms quite small and noisy, another student
65
was very positive about the accommodation.
Be prepared for the fact that Connecticut is a rural
environment and that some of the touristic ‘highlights’
are quite far away. Bus connections with both Boston
and New York are very good and cheap.
Campus life offers myriad activities for your free time.
USA, University of Maryland, Honors Program, College Park,
MD
Maryland is highlighted in red
Interesting for
Extra requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
All academic disciplines. Students interested in sports
or student group participation will have a wide variety
of extra-curricular opportunities.
Exchange students need an equivalent GPA of a 3.0 to
be admitted to the exchange program.
Students can find more admissions requirements and
application processes on the UMD Incoming Exchange
Student website:
http://www.international.umd.edu/studyabroad/12670.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/University-of-
Maryland-College-Park/161709443908449?fref=ts
Fall: 2 & Spring: 2
Early September – Mid-December
End of January – Mid-May
English
Fall Semester: March 1st, Spring Semester: October 1st.
UMD is divided into 14 Colleges and Schools, of which
the College of Arts & Humanities, College of Behavioral
& Social Sciences, and College of Computer,
Mathematical & Natural Sciences may be of most
interest to UC students. These Colleges offer courses in
many disciplines, but other colleges or schools are open
to exchange students as well. In general, students
should not expect to take more than 2 or 3 classes in
one department. Certain classes or departments may
be restricted for exchange students (more information
coming later), so students are encouraged to have a
selection of first and alternative courses that they are
interested in taking. Apart from this, UCU has an
agreement with the UMD Honors Program. This means
that you can also take honors courses: courses with a
limited class size, a large amount of participation, extra
debates, etcetera. Information on the Honors College
can be found here: http://www.honors.umd.edu/
Honors students take a mix of honors courses and
‘regular’ courses.
The list of courses available each term can be found on
the Testudo website: https://ntst.umd.edu/soc/
Course numbers at UMD have a 4-letter academic
66
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
department code followed by a three-digit course
number. The course numbers indicate the following:
- 000-099: Non-credit courses.
- 100-199: Primarily first-year courses (not
acceptable for credit toward graduate degrees).
- 200-299: Primarily sophomore courses (not
acceptable for credit toward graduate degrees).
- 300-399: Junior and senior courses (not
acceptable for credit toward graduate degrees).
- 400-499: Junior and senior courses acceptable
for credit toward some graduate degrees. The
number of such credits is limited by policies of
the Graduate School and by the graduate
program.
- 500-599: Professional school courses
(Dentistry, Law, Medicine) and post-
baccalaureate courses not for graduate degree
credit.
- 600-898: Courses restricted to graduate
students (see above for exceptions).
- 799: Master's thesis credit.
- 899: Doctoral dissertation credit.
Students take 18 credits per semester.
UMD uses an A-F grading scale (see table).
Letter
Quality
Points
(Grade Point
Average)
A+ 4.0 denotes excellent mastery of
the subject and outstanding
scholarship. A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3 denotes good mastery of the
subject and good scholarship. B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3 denotes acceptable mastery
of the subject and the usual
achievement expected. C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3 denotes borderline
understanding of the subject.
These grades denote marginal
performance, and they do not
represent satisfactory
progress toward a degree.
D 1.0
D- 0.7
F 0
denotes failure to understand
the subject and unsatisfactory
performance.
Undergraduate exchange students are advised to apply
for on-campus housing. In most cases, they will be
assigned a double room in specific undergraduate
dorms, generally in the South Hill or Leonardtown
Communities. These rooms are furnished with a couch,
bed, desk, and chair, but students will need to bring
67
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
their own bed linens and other living items. Students
who are assigned traditional campus housing without a
kitchen are required to purchase a Resident Dining Plan
(different options). Students who are assigned a room
in on-campus apartments with a kitchen are not
required to purchase a dining plan, but they can
purchase an Apartment Dining Plan should they not
wish to. Students may also choose to live off-campus,
but this is not recommended.
Undergraduate on-campus dorm or apartment fees
vary. For one semester, they are between $2,600-
3,100 (€2000-2400). The meal plans cost about $2000
(€1550) per semester. Generally, you need to show
proof of $6,500 (€5000) for one semester to be
admitted and (as a next step) apply for a J-1 student
visa. The UMD Student Activity Fee that is required for
all exchange students is $36 (€27).
In the week prior to the start of the semester, a two to
three day Orientation program is organized by the
Education Abroad Office and Office of International
Services. Students will receive information on student
life, residence life, staff & faculty, academics,
registration, health & safety, things to do in College
Park and DC, etc. There is a mandatory orientation
session for J-1 exchange students during one day of
the orientation; however, the rest of the program is not
compulsory.
The Education Abroad Office hosts a welcome dinner
(free) and a fun activity around the DC area. Students
will be responsible for the cost of the activity
(maximum $30).
Since this is a new destination, there are unfortunately
no students' experiences available yet.
USA, University of New Hampshire, Durham
Interesting for
Homepage
Places available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
All fields.
http://www.unh.edu/
Fall: 2, Spring: 2.
Late August – Mid-December
Late January – Mid-May
English
Fall Semester: March 1st, Spring Semester: October 1st
The University of New Hampshire offers a very broad
curriculum, of which all courses are open to exchange
students, as long as they meet the requirement. The
complete list of courses can be found on:
http://www.unh.edu/undergrad-
catalog/courselist.cfm?courselistyear=2011-2012
68
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
Courses with a code from 400 to 700 are
undergraduate courses. Courses with a code from 700
to 900 are graduate courses.
Students are required to take 16 credits per semester.
This is the equivalent of 30 ECTS.
Grading is done on the A-F scale, which is almost
completely similar to the UC-scale.
A 4.0 Excellent
A- 3.67 Intermediate grade
B+ 3.33 Intermediate grade
B 3.0 Superior
B- 2.67 Intermediate grade
C+ 2.33 Intermediate grade
C 2.0 Satisfactory, competent
C- 1.67 Intermediate grade
D+ 1.33 Intermediate grade
D 1.0 Marginal grade
D- 0.67 Intermediate grade
F 0.0 Unacceptable for credit
Accepted exchange students will receive a Housing
Packet, in which they will find instructions to arrange
on-campus housing. Fairchild Hall is the most
International residence hall, but (for that reason) also
very popular, so not all international students can be
housed there – but housing is guaranteed! Students
who want to be able to stay on campus during breaks
are recommended to ask for a place in Fairchild,
Randall, Devine or Hitchcock, as these are the only
buildings that remain open during the breaks. Those
living on campus are also obliged to buy a meal-plan
for the various dining halls and cafeterias on campus.
Alternatively, students can decide to live off-campus;
the university website gives some aid in how to find a
place. More info on all this:
http://www.unh.edu/oiss/pre-arrival-information-new-
international-students#housing and
http://www.unh.edu/housing/.
Depending on whether you want a single, double, triple
or quad room, the housing will cost between $2700-
3500 (€2200-2900) per semester. Meal plans are about
$1900 (€1600).
At the beginning of each semester, the UNH organizes
a compulsory Orientation Week for International
students, including exchange students. They will
receive information on their immigration rights, health
services, meet the International Office staff and other
new students, etcetera. (So, don’t expect something
comparable to the UC-Introweek.) Some optional fun
activities are also included. The Orientation in Fall is
longer and more official than the one in Spring. More
information: http://unh.edu/oiss/international-student-
orientation-general-information
Previous students have very good experiences with the
University of New Hampshire. Be prepared for a very
big university, with many offices and institutions. Be
sure to know when to arrive on campus and when to
69
leave your room; there has been some
miscommunication on this in the past. Choosing a room
with a roommate is advised: it will be easier to get
friends and acquaintances.
You won’t be bored when you’re not studying: there
are lots of activities organized, there’s a movie theater
on campus, several bars, a beautiful forest, Boston is
only on 1.5 hours distance and there’s a student-run
bus system that will bring you (for free) to nearby
places. Moreover, the Association for foreign students
organizes many activities, e.g. visits to Canada.
USA, University of Washington, Seattle
Interesting for
Extra requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit system
All fields. Recommended for premed students.
Your GPA needs to be equal to or higher than 3.4!
http://depts.washington.edu/uwhonors/
https://www.facebook.com/uwhonors
Fall: 1, Spring: 1.
Late September - Mid-December (Autumn)
Early January - Mid-March (Winter), Late March - Early
June (Spring)
English
Autumn: March 15th, Winter: August 1st, Spring:
November 1st.
See:
http://admit.washington.edu/Academics/Majors/BySch
oolCollege
UCU has an agreement with the Honors Bachelor
program at UW, which means that you are only
supposed to take honors courses!
The UW has various levels of courses, which are
recognisable by their course code (1xx, 2xx, etcetera).
100-400 levels are for undergraduates, 500 and higher
are graduate courses.
Because UW works with a quarter system, (i.e. three
teaching periods instead of two) there are differences
between Fall and Spring. If you go on exchange in Fall,
you can only attend one quarter and take, by
maximum, 22.5 ECTS. You’ll have to make up for this
deficiency prior to your exchange. If you go in Spring,
you can attend for two quarters and do easily more
than the 30 ECTS needed for UC. However, attending
for two quarters leads to higher costs; be aware of
that! As 5 Seattle credits correspond to 7.5 ECTS, 20
Seattle credits are comparable to 30 ECTS.
70
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
The UW uses a numerical grading system, with certain
exceptions in the schools of Dentistry, Law, and
Medicine. Instructors may report grades from 4.0 to
0.7 in 0.1 increments and the grade 0.0. Grades in the
range 0.6 to 0.1 may not be assigned.
Numerical grades may be considered equivalent to
letter grades as follows:
Letter Number Note
A 4.0-3.9
A- 3.8-3.5
B+ 3.4-3.2
B 3.1-2.9
B- 2.8-2.5
C+ 2.4-2.2
C 2.1-1.9
C- 1.8-1.5
D+ 1.4-1.2
D 1.1-0.9
D- 0.8-0.7 Lowest passing grade.
E 0.0 Academic failure.
No credit earned.
There are different housing options on campus: in
residences (in a double room) and in apartments,
which have cooking facilities. There are many dining
options on campus too. Living off-campus is also
allowed and the university provides information for
students wishing so. More information:
http://www.hfs.washington.edu/default.aspx
There are many different options for housing and the
costs are very different: everything between $1,300-
3,000 (€1100-2400) per quarter is possible. Of course,
the living circumstances will be in accordance with the
costs. UW doesn’t have meal plans, but an – allegedly
– fairer system that allows students to pay only for the
times (and the quantity) they eat. Again, note that the
costs will be higher if you go on exchange during
Spring semester.
FIUTS organises a non-compulsory orientation with
both practical information and fun activities at the
beginning of every quarter. More information:
http://www.fiuts.washington.edu/students/internationa
l/index.htm FIUTS also organises the Home-Stay
Program: for a very small fee, you’ll be welcomed by a
family living in Seattle. You’ll live the first few days at
their house (before going to the Uni), to recover from
the jetlag and they’ll help you with you ‘transition’. An
excellent opportunity to immerge in American culture!
Seattle is a “magical” city with many fun activities; the
nature surrounding the city is ‘astonishing’ and the
quality of the courses in Seattle is very high.
Class sizes are often small, teachers are enthusiastic
and active participation is expected, even in the larger
71
classes. Try to do only 300 and 400-level courses, the
lower levels are mainly taken by freshmen.
You are recommended to find a room off-campus: the
on-campus housing is overpriced and sometimes also
oversubscribed.
USA, University
of Wisconsin-Madison
Interesting for
Homepage
page/social media
Link for promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
All fields.
http://www.wisc.edu/
https://www.facebook.com/UWMadison
https://twitter.com/UWMadison
http://pinterest.com/uwmadison/
Fall: 2 / Spring: 2
Early September – Late December
Mid-January – Mid-May
English
Fall Semester: February 15th, Spring Semester: August
15th.
See the university website > Academics > Course
guide to find all available courses.
There are three levels of courses at Wisconsin:
Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. Check the
course for the difficulty level, as the course number
does not designate the level.
Madison credits convert to ECTS by multiplying by 2;
i.e. 1 Madison credit = 2 ECTS. So, you’ll have to take
15 credits to do a course load equivalent to UC.
WISC uses an A-F system that differs slightly from the
UC-system: no plusses and minuses are used. See
below table:
WISC UC GPA
A A Excellent 4
AB A- Intermediate grade 3.5
B B Good 3
BC B- Intermediate grade 2.5
C C Fair 2.0
D D Poor 1
F F Failure 0
Students have to arrange housing themselves. They
can apply for university housing, but this is their own
responsibility. You’ll have the choice between
residence halls (double rooms) with dining facilities
and no kitchen or apartments (single rooms) in which
72
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
you share a kitchen and bathroom with a few people.
In Spring, many Madison students go on exchange
themselves, so you could ‘sub-rent’ their room. More
information:
http://www.studyabroad.wisc.edu/students/exchange/
Exchange_Handbook.pdf
Because especially the off-campus housing costs vary
greatly, an overview cannot be given. The Exchange
Handbook of WISC estimates that a one-semester
exchange student would spend $9,000 (€7400) on
average. This includes insurance, transportation,
clothes, food, housing and books.
There is a short Exchange Orientation program of one
day at the beginning of the semester.
Previous exchange students considered that the
University of Wisconsin has a very high academic level.
You’re advised to be on time with registering for
courses, otherwise the ones you prefer are already full.
It is suggested to live in one of the apartments and not
in the residences as mostly 1st and 2nd years do so and
you’ll thus be surrounded by younger people. So,
either get a room from an American student who is on
exchange or live in the International buildings Saxony
or Lucky’s. Living off-campus is also a good option:
many non-freshmen do so as well and it’s quite a bit
cheaper. If you want to experience College life in a
typical American college town: go to Madison!
More information:
http://www.studyabroad.wisc.edu/incoming.html
73
LATIN AMERICA
Peru, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima
Interesting for
Extra requirement
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
All fields
Excellent command of Spanish
http://www.pucp.edu.pe/EN/content/index.php
https://www.facebook.com/pucp
Fall: 2, Spring: 2
Mid-August – Mid-December (Note: the Academic Year
at PUCP ends in December, so this is the second
semester!)
Mid-March – Early July
Spanish
Fall semester: June 15th, Spring semester: January 15th.
The PUCP has ten undergraduate Schools, including one
in ‘Liberal Arts and Sciences’. In total, there should be
plenty of choice for the appropriate courses. See:
http://www.pucp.edu.pe/EN/content/pagina36.php?pID
=2540&pIDSeccionWeb=22&pIDReferencial=
Differs per School. PUCP knows, like UCU, 3-year
Bachelors, and most courses are meant to be taken in a
specific year, i.e. they do have a specific level.
To have a fulltime workload, you’ll have to take at least
20 credits per
semester in Peru.
1 PUPC = 1,5 ECTS
In Peru, a grading
system from 1-20
point is used, which
transfer to UC
grades as follows:
PUCP does not have its own housing, but they can assist
you in finding a place to live. An alternative is to live
with a Peruvian family, which will allow you to get to
know the local culture and the language even better!
There is also the option of participating in the
74
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
‘Cumpanero PUCP’. In this program, you’ll be coupled
with a Peruvian student, who will introduce you to
university life and help you with all your questions.
The costs depend of course on the place to stay that you
find. Staying with a host family would cost
approximately $350 (€250) per month, including meals.
Books and other materials are expected to cost only
$100 (€70) per semester.
Students have to arrive one week in advance to attend
the Orientation.
It is recommended that you don’t take too many 200 or
300 level courses so as not be overwhelmed. The city of
Lima and PUCP offer many great opportunities and it is
not expensive at all! Finally, make sure your Spanish is
good!
Mexico, Universidad
Iberoamericana Mexico City
Interesting for
Homepage
Facebook page
Link for promotional
video
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
All fields
http://www.ibero-exchange.org
http://www.facebook.com/iberoexchange
http://www.ibero-exchange.org/en/index.php/study-
in-mexico/about-the-ibero/impressions
2 per semester
Early August – Early December
Early January – Mid-May
Mostly Spanish, with an increasing number of English
courses. Spanish language courses are also offered.
Fall semester: June 1st, Spring semester: November
1st
You can search for courses in general on the Ibero
website:
http://enlinea.uia.mx/EstructuraAcademica/frame_bu
squeda.cfm However, not all those courses are
available each semester, so you will have to go to this
website to check whether your preferred courses are
available the next semester (will be announced 6
weeks in advance before classes start):
http://www.ibero.mx/web/site/tpl-
Nivel2.php?menu=adAlumnos&seccion=seHorarios
English taught courses: http://www.ibero-
exchange.org/en/index.php/study-in-mexico/study-
offers/lectures-in-english
Social Engagement Program: http://www.ibero-
exchange.org/en/index.php/study-in-mexico/study-
offers/social-engagement-program
Courses have levels varying from 1st (beginner) to 5th
(advanced-master) years.
Most academic semester courses at the Ibero are
75
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’ experiences
worth 8 academic credits and are taught 4 hours per
week. 8 Ibero credits correspond approx. to 6 ECTS.
Grades at the Ibero are given on a scale from 1-10,
10 being the highest grade and 6 the lowest passing
grade.
There are no dorm rooms on the campus, but you can
arrange your housing through the university
(http://www.ibero-exchange.org/en/index.php/study-
in-mexico/accommodation). You can stay with a host
family, or rent or share an apartment.
The costs for housing with a host family is 1,700 US
Dollars (1,285 Euros) for a shared room. For a single
room (if available), and additional fee of 350 US
Dollars (265 Euros) is charged. The total costs for a
semester are estimated to be around 3,250 Dollars
(2,450 Euros), including housing, transportations,
books and supplies and meals.
There is a 3-day orientation session for new visiting
students: a general orientation, registration for
classes and such activities, a few days during the
week before classes start. Ibero also offers a buddy
program: each foreign student who is interested in
participating gets assigned a Mexican Ibero student,
who will be the “buddy” of the foreign student,
helping him/her during the semester.
As the Universidad Iberoamericana is a new
destination, there are unfortunately no students'
experiences available yet.
76
SPECIAL UCU PROGRAMS
USA, Washington University, School of Law (WUSOL) St. Louis
Only meant for
Homepage
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
The semester abroad for students in the UCU-TLP
(Transnation Law Program).
http://law.wustl.edu/
Fall: 3, Spring: 3
Late August – Late December
Mid-January – Mid-May
English
Fall Semester: April 1st, Spring Semester: November
1st.
This program is only open to Transnational Law
Program students. As such, only a specific combination
of selected law courses is open to UC-students. Find
more information on:
http://www.uu.nl/EN/faculties/universitycollege/studyin
g/majorinsocialscience/Pages/TransnationalLawProgra
m.aspx. For questions on the TLP, you can contact Dr.
Matthijs de Blois, law teacher and coordinator of the
program: [email protected]
Courses can be from 100 to 400-level, relating to the
1st to the 4th year. First year course codes start with 1,
second year codes with 2, etcetera.
All courses you take as a TLP exchange student will be
on level 3. As the level is quite high, taking 11 WUSOL
credits is sufficient to get 30 ECTS transferred.
The grade system also works with an A-F scale, but the
conversion is very different:
A+ 100-97
A 96-94
A- 93-91
B+ 90-88
B 87-85
B- 84-82
C 81-79
D 78-74
F 73-70
WASHU has on-campus housing, but from previous
experiences we know that this is usually not open to
exchange law students. So, you’ll probably have to find
a room off-campus, but WASHU is willing to help you in
this. More information: http://reslife.wustl.edu/.
77
Orientation
Students’
experiences
Unknown, but the living costs and book costs can be
quite expensive. You have to make your own living
arrangements.
At the beginning of the Fall semester, the Office of
International Students and Scholars offers an Explore
program (a longer pre-orientation program together
with first-years and International students) and a
Discover program (two days of activities to get to know
the University and St. Louis.) Neither of these
programs is compulsory, but exchange students are
recommended to take part in one of them. Moreover,
WASHU itself organizes for all new exchange and
transfer students an Orientation with both much
practical information and many social opportunities.
More information: http://oisshome.wustl.edu/
The courses at WASHU (part of the TLP) are considered
excellent by all previous exchange students. Teachers
are outstanding and all students work very hard to get
the best results possible. Facilities are impressive.
Be prepared to work hard. The courses you’ll be taking
will namely be on masters’ level and will thus be harder
and require more work than an average UC 300-level
course. As a result of this, you might not have very
much free time during your exchange. Previous
students had nevertheless a very good time at WASHU,
but it is something that you should keep in mind.
In sum, going to WASHU will definitely provide you with
lots of knowledge in various fields of law and also
introduce you to a new (more American) approach to
law!
China Program, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Interesting for
Extra
Requirements
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application
deadlines
Students doing the China/Chinese studies track
Students of the China/Chinese studies track will have to
complete a course in Chinese Language and Culture at UCU
beforehand.
CUHK main page
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/HKU
Spring: 5
n/a
January to May
Chinese/English
Same as CUHK
78
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
CUHK’s Centre for China Studies offers students doing the
China Program to opportunity to follow a variety of inter
disciplinary courses to familiarise them with contemporary
Chinese culture.
The Chinese language courses are offered at elementary,
intermediate and advanced level through the Yale-China
Chinese Language Centre at CUHK. These courses are
credit-bearing and exchange students are entitled to enroll in
two courses with tuition waver per term.
Most courses at CUHK are 3 units each, this corresponds to 5
ECTS at UCU. Full time workload is 30 ECTS, so you take 6
courses at CUHK”.
CUHK works with the A-F grading system.
CUHK grade system
http://rgsntl.rgs.cuhk.edu.hk/aqs_prd_applx/Public/Handbook/document.aspx?id=1546&tv=T&lang=en
For undergraduate students of the S.H.Ho College, it’s
compulsory to live on campus, and so will be the case for
exchange students as well. The College has two hostels with
both about 150 double rooms. Floors are single-sex. Apart
from that, the buildings have common rooms, a fitness
room, pantries, et cetera.
Living on campus costs around HK$5,211 (approx 500 euros,
figure as of 2013/14) per semester. Additional costs are by
consumption such as air-conditioning and laundry. On-
campus meals is compulsory, which cost about HK$1,200
(approx. 120 euros, figure as of 2012/13) per semester.
For an exact overview:
http://www.oal.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/study-abroad-a-exchanges-for-visiting-students/term-time-exchangestudy-abroad/study-at-cuhk/cost An Orientation program is organized for foreign students at
the beginning of the semester. It lasts for about a week and
has both useful information about the curriculum, student life
and Chinese culture, and some fun activities, like a city tour.
More information:
http://www.oal.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/study-abroad-a-exchanges-for-visiting-students/term-time-exchangestudy-abroad/preparing-to-come-to-cuhk/orientation-buddy-programme Since the CUHK China Program is new, there are currently
not student experiences for it. However, please refer to the
general CUHK information earlier in the booklet for student
experience’s about CUHK in general.
79
China
Program, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Interesting for
Extra
Requirements
Homepage
Facebook page
Places Available
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Language of
instruction
Application
deadlines
Course offerings
Course levels
Credit System
Grade System
Housing
Students doing the China/Chinese studies track
Students of the China/Chinese studies track will have to
complete a course in Chinese Language and Culture at UCU
beforehand.
https://www.facebook.com/HKU
Fall: 4
Early September – Late December,
n/a
Chinese/English
Same as HKU
The courses on offer at HKU for the China Program Students
can be found at the following links:
http://www.chinast.hku.hk/course.html
http://www.chinast.hku.hk/elective.html
Students can take most Chinese Program courses in the
Faculty of Arts, and only one China-related course in the
Faculty of Social Sciences.
Students must also take one mandatory Chinese Language
course.
To gain admission, students should:
(i) Register through the Student Information System,
(ii) Submit the completed Statement of Current Level
of Proficiency in Chinese Language in the first
lesson (the Statement Form could be downloaded
from our website),
http://www.chinese.hku.hk/main/chinese-
language-centre/
(iii) Take the placement test (if any) in the first
lesson.
There can be differences per faculty, but in general the first
digit of a course code will indicate the level. I.e. 1xxx is an
elementary course, whereas 6xxx is a course for graduate
students.
A full course load of one semester at HKU is worth 30 credits,
which equals the 30 ECTS you’d have to take at UC. You can
choose courses from different faculties, as long as 15 credits
(so about half of the courses you’re taking) come from one
single faculty.
The grade system is the same as UC’s.
Due to limited availability, HKU cannot guarantee university
housing, but will provide assistance in finding housing. HKU
80
Costs
Orientation
Students’
experiences
will provide bursaries to the students who rent a private flat.
Student residences and housing are called "halls" in HKU.
There are at present thirteen halls, which vary considerably
in size and character. The halls are principally for
undergraduate students, who’ll get a furnished single room
and share bathroom facilities. More information:
http://www3.hku.hk/oise/eng/incoming_visa.php.
One semester in a residence hall costs between HK$ 5000-
8000 (€525-840). An (often compulsory, but depending on
your residence) meal plan will cost between €400-700. More
information: http://www.hku.hk/study/cost_of_living.html.
At the beginning of every semester, a day-long orientation
for exchange students is organized. It will usually be held on
the last Friday before school starts and includes cultural
adjustment sessions, a library tour and a city tour.
The China Program in Hong Kong is a new program, so there
is currently no feedback for this program in particular.
However there is feedback for HKU in general: Usually,
exchange students will be placed to live in international halls.
You might have to share a room and be prepared for rules
that are a bit stricter than what you’re used to. (Guests are
usually not allowed overnight, etc.). On-campus housing is,
however, to be preferred over living off-campus, as this is
very expensive. For the rest, the costs for your stay will be
relatively low as most teachers don’t ask you to buy books
and the on-campus rent is quite low. The students were very
enthusiastic about Hong Kong City and it’s the ideal place
from which to explore the rest of China and Asia. If you want
to experience Asia to the fullest: go to Hong Kong!
81
Fieldwork Research Aruba, Universiteit van Aruba, Oranjestad
Homepage: http://www.ua.aw/
Facebook page : www.facebook.com/pages/University-of-
Aruba/110246675704303
Places Available: 5
Spring semester only. This is a special program for advanced undergraduate
students conducting research for their degree requirements (thesis). Only
students who have completed the course UCINTCAR21 are eligible to apply.
Places in the program at the University of Aruba (UA) are awarded to students
whose research proposals and applications are approved by UA student and faculty
partners. Contact person: Jocelyn Ballantyne
Language of instruction: English, Dutch
Application deadlines: 1 September
Course offerings: Not applicable
Course levels: Not applicable
Credit System: Not applicable
Housing: communal housing with participating students (arranged by UA
partners)
Orientation: UCINTCAR21 and two-week seminar at UA, held in January at start
of program participation
82
Useful websites
Nuffic (Netherlands University Foundation for International Cooperation):
www.nuffic.nl
www.newstudents.nl
www.ddh.nl/int/overheid/ambass/ (list of embassies and consulates in the
Netherlands
www.studyabroad.com (commercial website! Online directories of programs and
destination information)
www.ib-groep.nl
www.embassyworld.com
www.studyusa.com
www.fundingusstudy.org
www.fulbright.nl
www.worldwide.edu
www.internationalstudents.nl
http://www.casaswap.com/
www.internationalscholarships.com
http://educationusa.state.gov
www.edufrance.fr
www.hostelworld.com
www.studentuniverse.com
www.isecard.com
www.absolutely-intercultural.com
http://europa.eu/pol/educ/index_en.htm (network from the European Union
including information about subsidies and university grants). Free phone number:
0800 6789 1011
http://www.philox.eu/
www.scholarshipportal.eu (more than 700 grants and funds for study in Europe)