126 reviews
4.15 / 5 based on 126 reviews
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1
Chris T
Student life
Describe host city:
Student life dominates the city
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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
Lausanne is a city with lots of clubs and a great nightlife considering it's size. Good small clubs are Jagger's!(commercial rock/pop), Buzz(electro), and then the big ones like Cult, D!, MAD, then there are bars like Captain Cook's, Les Brasseurs, XIIème siècle, the list goes on!
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4
Chris T
Housing
Type of housing: On campus
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: On campus
Why?
Personal comments
Apply early for a place in the university student accomodation (with the FMEL agency) as it's the best but you have to apply very early! In order of preference: Cèdres, then Bourdonette and then Rhodanie, the others aren't so good for location or sociability. Cèdres is by far the best if you like being near the lake, and partying all night with other students! The price is also cheap compared to the UK, and everything is well organised.
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2
Chris T
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Not specified
Other sources of funding:
none
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits
Food is more expensive, housing is cheaper.
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Food:
was more expensive than at home.
Nightlife, Overall, Telephone:
was the same price as at home.
Housing, Travel:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
Buy alcohol from denner not coop.
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0
Chris T
Academic
Course recommendations
Courses were OK, there is a very big choice in physics courses, but the few I chose were not the best. The lab I worked in however was very well equipped.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Oral exams are a bad way to assessknowledge, and it is not allowed to retake exams.
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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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8
Chris T
Overall
I wish I had known...
In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
It's great! The university has a good reputation but the best reason for choosing lausanne is for the social side, you will meet loads of people from different countries, make good friends, there are lots of exchange students in the same position, lots of trips and nightlife and a very effective erasmus student organisation.
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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
Visit switzerland while you are there, get the Demi-tariff and Voie7 as soon as you arrive as they give you cheaper rail travel and you WILL use them! Don't stay in your room all day, go and swim in the lake, apply for acocmodation early, go to the erasmus events, make an effort to talk french and do the language course in August (HIGHLY recommended!)
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2
Chris T
Languages
Language of instruction: French
Was learning French a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my French
How much did you improve your French?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Courses were in french but project was in english due to having a non-francophone supervisor. It is possible to learn french well in a year but sometimes other students communicate in english, which makes learning french harder. All professors and administration staff in EPFL also speak at least english.
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