Stories from Abroad

Foreign internship at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany) opened for me an opportunity to get acquainted with a different methodological approach to learning and working with information.


During the internship I wrote two scientific articles, one of which will be published in an international journal at the university; developed the entire practical part for the future master’s thesis, which will be defended at INRTU in June 2022. Thanks to the university environment (common studios for classes, group projects, quality and timely consultations with professors) there was more motivation for study and research work.
The trip to Germany dramatically affected my internal development and personal growth. After 5 months living in another country, not knowing the local language, and having a lot of household difficulties (especially at first), I became much stronger, braver and more confident. Being away from my family and friends and in another language environment I improved my English and of course my communication skills.
I also managed to find an official part-time job, which helped a lot in terms of socialization and additional income.
The difficulties encountered in preparation were mostly related to the registration of the visa. Advice for future students: study more when preparing documents, do not panic if there are some troubles, everything can be solved.
We were engaged in visa obtaining on our arrival to Novosibirsk (it was our intermediary point between Irkutsk and Germany). We had to prepare the documents as soon as possible. There were problems with the insurance, which we solved on the same day. My advice: call the consulate beforehand and once again specify the package of documents to be submitted, and for each point all the details.
Upon arrival at the Karlsruhe University of Technology there were practically no difficulties. The only problem was the language barrier, but this is normal at first.
I did not have to pay for visa registration, because I was going on a scholarship program DAAD, but I paid about 6000 rub. for notarized translation of the documents, about 3000 rub. for Russian insurance for the first weeks in Germany. In Novosibirsk during the visa application process spent about 3000 rubles for accommodation, the flight Irkutsk — Novosibirsk 14500 rubles, Novosibirsk — Moscow 10900 rubles, Moscow — Frankfurt 13500 rubles, Frankfurt — Karlsruhe 3000 rubles.
Accommodation in Karlsruhe cost 360 euros per month, monthly obligatory insurance 111 euros, on average 140 euros per month for food. Semester fee was 151 euros. Public transportation was 2.8 euros.
Upon return, tickets Berlin — Istanbul 151 euros, Istanbul — St. Petersburg 282 euros, St. Petersburg — Moscow 4000 rubles, Moscow — Irkutsk 13500 rubles.
Advice: When you arrive at the airport find out what kind of grocery stores are budget. The quality of products everywhere is on the same level, but the cost is strikingly different. Also, often the semester fee in Germany includes a ticket for public transport. Check with your university administration.

It was an unforgettable period in my life. I was surrounded by interesting people with whom we had a great time together. People fr om different countries, sometimes with completely opposite views on life, gathered in one place with a common goal - to gain knowledge. I managed to reconsider my attitude to some things, to experience completely new feelings and emotions for me. I can conclude that the social aspect was worked out even better than the educational one. During the 5 months spent in Poland, I visited 4 more countries, and 11 cities - the presence of a Schengen visa allows you to easily travel around Europe.

Preparation for the internship went smoothly, the staff of the student mobility department provide active assistance in paperwork.

I got my visa very quickly - about a week after applying. The main thing is to carefully read the list of required documents and not miss anything. In my case, the bank employee only put a stamp on the certificate of my income, which was a mistake, because the signature of the employee is required also.

Wroclaw University has extensive experience in working with foreign students, so the adaptation to the new location was very fast. Very often various events were organized wh ere you could meet other students and teachers, which also helps to get comfortable, just do not be shy.

My Expenses
Amounts in rubles.
Visa costs: 20 900,
airfare/fare (round trip): 42,600,
food and accommodation - 18,000 - 20,000.
Inexpensive groceries in Klaufland.

During my trip to Poland, I met a lot of nice and interesting people, and also got a huge amount of new knowledge. 

It was an incredible experience for me, it helped me develop the skills of an architect and also gave me grounds for thinking about my future. All teachers at the university could not only present the material perfectly, like true specialists in the field of pedagogy, but they were also practicing specialists in various fields like Design, Architecture, Landscape, Engineering and much more, which gave not just a good-looking cover, but really deep knowledge with an individual approach to each student.

Thus, teachers direct students in the right direction, because they are really interested in becoming future graduates as architects and not only.

Before an internship

In fact, by studying in detail all the information that the international department and the host-university give you, you should not have any difficulties in preparing for a trip abroad. The only thing is that you should not put off anything, as soon as there is an opportunity to receive some kind of document, participate in scholarships, etc. - all this must be done at once, because the extra fuss at the end of the deadline will spend you a lot of nerves, and why be stressed before such a wonderful trip. 

VISA 

The D visa is not the usual type of tourist visa that people use to travel. It is issued to persons wishing to stay abroad for at least six months due to study or work. All the necessary information with a list of documents is available on the website of the Polish Embassy.

Also, to receive it, you need to have original invitation letters from a "foreign company" – University - therefore, use the mail to receive it, and this may cause problems due to the work of our post-offices. Hah. It is also better to take care of obtaining the letter in advance - that is, as soon as you are shown an invitation - immediately ask it to be sent to you in order to obtain a visa soon.

Possible difficulties

Upon arrival in the country of study, you may have a lot of questions about ordinary household chores. Even at the stage of paperwork, the host university provides the opportunity to participate in the Buddy-program - a program for providing you with kinda curator. I strongly recommend that you participate in it, because Buddy will help you with any difficulties that you may have upon arrival and answer all your questions - from everyday life, to going to the hospital and making an appointment if you do not know the language.

Also, if there is a question connected with housing, then the best option is a dormitory that the university will provide you with - it is cheap and cheerful, very comfortable conditions for its price. But if you passed an opportunity with a dormitory, then the Airbnb website will help you with the choice of apartments.

In conclusion, I would like to say that I am really glad that our university provides such an opportunity - an internship abroad. It's an unforgettable experience.

The exchange study life is very interesting and it allows me to see different countries and cultures.

Impressions from the internship in general

Studying in Germany has made me know many friends from all over the world. We study and live together and talk about our country.
It also made me understand the customs of this country in Germany. German industry, automobiles, beer, etc., these make my study life very interesting.

I am very grateful to the university for giving me this opportunity to study in Germany and learn about different countries.
Enriched my professional knowledge, let me understand the situation of my major in different countries and regions, and benefited a lot.

Difficulties during the preparation for the internship
To travel to Germany, you need to prepare a visa in advance, contact the apartment, and check the German transportation system and how to get to the host university. Very special is the insurance, which must be a German insurance company and needs to be purchased in advance.

Describe the visa process

I have prepared a lot of materials, and they all need to be printed out. According to the instructions of the embassy and visa center, carefully prepare the materials, and there will be no mistakes.

Difficulties at a host foreign organization

Due to the epidemic and special time, everything is troublesome. For COVID testing, you need to make an appointment for local testing in advance and prepare all the procedures after arrival.
Many things can be done by mail, such as file submission and asking for help. Be sure to actively contact the staff, they will be very enthusiastic to help.

Expenses

VISA needs to be based on the price given by the embassy and visa center.
You need to prepare a blocked account in advance, and you can live according to your choice every month. My choice is 850 euros a month.
Insurance for 110 euros a month
Apartment 215 euros a month
The remaining 500 euros is enough for one month.

Prices are relatively high in Europe, and cooking by yourself will save a lot of money. Try to cook for yourself.
Public transportation needs to find out which state your university is located in. Your student card may allow you to take some transportation for free. Don't forget this.

 

First of all, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to take part in the academic mobility programme. This internship in Tianjin allowed me to get to know the city as well as to see the cultural and educational differences in the region and abroad. At Tianjin University of Technology I have many strong teachers who demonstrate excellence in professional research. The local students helped us both with our studies and with everyday issues. If you ask me what I have gained during this internship year, I will answer: "A unique experience, new knowledge, and the ability to cope with life's difficulties on my own".

Advice and suggestions before preparations

Preparations for the exchange were almost effortless. I had to prepare a CV and motivation letters in Russian and English, certified by the dean of the university.

Visa process. 

I do not need a visa to study in China

My suggestions for future academic mobility program participants

If there are some difficulties, the host country solves them. And perhaps because China is my home country, I feel safe here. 

Tips to reduce costs

I spent about 1,200 yuan a year on accommodation, and the train ride to the university cost 300 yuan.