290 reviews
4.03 / 5 based on 290 reviews
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karelgouwy
Student life
Describe host city:
Students equally interact with the local and student community
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Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment
Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
The student quarter is the Zuelpicher
Strasse (nice pubs: La croc, the museum). Also nice is the Friesenplatz. Most of the disco's are outside the center. In the beginning I went especially to Erasmusparties to get to know people. On Saturdays, most of the pubs in the center and the student quarter are full.
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karelgouwy
Housing
Type of housing: A room in a 'Wohngemeinschaft'(WG).
Arranged by: Independently - My choice
If returning, I would choose: WG
Why?
A 'WG', which is the normal thing in Germany, is a good thing to get to know people. Mine was a private WG (not in a home from the university), so I got to know Germans and not just other Erasmus-students.
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Personal comments
Normally you can get a (quite cheap) room in a home from the university. Some are cool, others are really primitive. Most of them are quite far from the city center. I'm happy I looked for a room on my own (it was a bit more expensive, but the location was perfect).
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karelgouwy
Expenses
Main source of funding:
An ERASMUS grant
Other sources of funding:
A private grant
Work opportunities:
I worked during my study abroad experience
Personal spending habits
Germany is more expensive than Belgium in different aspects.
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Food, Telephone, Housing, Nightlife, Travel, Overall:
was more expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
Nightlife is expensive. Travelling by train is expensive (tip: use the schönes Wochenende ticket)
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karelgouwy
Languages
Language of instruction: German
Was learning German a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
I really improved my knowledge of German. Especially the conversations and jokes with my WG-neighbours helped improving my German. At the end I even dreamt in German.
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karelgouwy
Overall
I wish I had known...
I would have prepared it more thoroughly, because in the beginning I had some problems with bureaucracy and with the university system.
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In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
There is a real good atmosphere, allthough it is one of the biggest universities of Germany (so don't expect a small university where everybody knows everybody).
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
Köln is really a nice and very openminded city. Allthough it is quite big, I never felt like living in a big and unsafe city. The people are nice and love to have fun (check out the carnival). Enjoy your stay and Kölle alaaf.
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karelgouwy
Academic
Course recommendations
Just choose whatever interests you. For those who need information about ECTS-points, the Erasmusbureau at the English department helped me out.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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