Exchange Program Experience
I came to the Wroclaw University of Technology and Science in order to study and receive a diploma of foreign and Russian standards, during my studies I managed to learn a lot of new things and get to know different people, learn a new language and, of course, get acquainted with the culture of local people.
In general, study took place in a distance format due to Covid-19. Each lecture and seminar was accompanied by colorful presentations and discussion of the material covered.
At the stages of preparation for participation in this program, I had problems with collecting the necessary documents for the host university. I would recommend future participants to approach this stage with all care and caution. The application process and preparation of documents takes a long time, so you need to start early.
Since I am a citizen of another country, so I had to collect quite a few documents to apply for a student visa. I had several meetings with the ambassador, so I advise the participants to take this stage very seriously, the list of necessary documents can be found on the website of the Polish consulate.
I had problems traveling to the host country due to the pandemic, at that time many countries were closed and the cost of the flight was greatly influenced by the restrictive measures associated with the pandemic. I would advise future participants to book their tickets in advance and travel together.
It cost me 9,000 rubles to get a visa, insurance for a year - 18,000 rubles. The one-way flight cost about 25,000 rubles.
It was necessary to get to the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology with transfers through a third country.
Expenses
In Poland, I took out additional insurance (this is mandatory), costing about 1,150 rubles per month. A 50% discount applies to student travel in Poland.
The student card also entitles you to discounts in museums, some cafes.
Living in a hostel cost 14,000 rubles a month.
Studying on exchange in Korea is one of the best experiences of my life. It is an opportunity to realize myself, develop new healthy habits and experience a different culture. During six months spent at INHA University I was able to improve my teamwork skills, demonstrate leadership qualities and determine my future direction in programming. Through project-based learning I gained experience in creating programs and presenting them to my classmates and professors. Thanks to the work in the group I learned how to build relationships with people properly, consider the culture and values of people, as in Korea I interacted with people from different countries.
Tips and tricks for future participants in the academic mobility program
At the stage of preparation, there were difficulties related exclusively to the epidemiological situation in the country. For example, in the embassy in order to get a visa it was required to get a PCR-test, respectively, the waiting time for a visa increased, also there were difficulties with the departure from Russia, as the flight to Korea could only fly from Moscow and I had to adjust my plans. My advice to all participants of the academic mobility program: be patient and do not give up on any of the obstacles you face, and carefully read all the conditions that are specified for obtaining a visa or for leaving the country.
Visa process
The website of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Irkutsk has a list with all the necessary documents that you need to prepare in order to obtain a visa. You collect them, fill out two questionnaires, which can also be downloaded from the embassy website, and you will need to take a photo, which is worth taking care of in advance, so as not to run out on the last day.
Difficulties at a host foreign organization
I was hosted by INHA University and the first difficulty I had was to find a place to stay for a 2-week quarantine, because my university's dormitory does not provide this option. My advice is to look for an apartment on airbnb or ask the host university for help in finding a place to pass quarantine, they can advise you something nearby.
Also, if you're going to live in a dorm, be prepared that there will be no bedding and you will have to buy it, there are no pillows or blankets or anything. I advise you to prepare in advance and bring your own bedding to at least somewhat reduce the cost.
Expenses related to participation in a foreign internship. Tips for reducing costs.
As for costs, $80 for a visa, I personally spent 100 thousand rubles to fly in two directions because of the situation in the country.
For quarantine measures (tests, accommodation in quarantine, food) would be about 67 thousand rubles.
Paying for the dormitory 1000 dollars / 74 thousand rubles.
Payment for insurance, textbooks and registration approximately 9 thousand rubles.
Monthly expenses of approximately 40 thousand rubles, this money will cover the basic necessities and entertainment.
If you want to go on vacation in Korea, for example, a trip to Busan for 4 days will cost $ 400 / 30 thousand rubles.
Of course, almost all of these costs can be reduced, for example, to eat more in Korean cuisine, as the price is much lower when compared with European cuisine, at the same time you'll get acquainted with Korean culture. I advise you to save on transportation, because it costs a lot of money. If you want to travel around Korea, sometimes it is better to choose a bus or a plane.
For example, if you choose to travel by train to Busan, it costs 60 dollars one way, by comparison it costs 10 dollars by plane.
Bottom line, I want to advise you to apply for a scholarship because it will cover your flight and accommodation. Also, sharing the cost of living on vacation with your friends is a huge money saver. And lastly, I suggest you download the Klook app, it will help you save money on all kinds of entertainment.
...One semester in the Republic of Korea turned my life upside down. I met many students from other countries and cultures, as well as professors with different views. Sometimes you don’t even know how different people’s views on ordinary things can be!
During this time, I studied interesting topics related to my professional field, improved my conversational technical English and learned the basics of the Korean language. Knowing the basics of Korean allowed me to communicate on everyday topics with many local people.
Studying abroad is an unforgettable experience, new acquaintances and knowledge, a storm of emotions, and self-awareness.
The main difficulties in the preparation process arose due to the situation with COVID-19. You should prepare a set of documents in advance, especially medical ones, and find out the latest information about flights to the host country.
Visa processing took 2 week. It should be considered that the process may take longer. To obtain a visa, you need documents, the set of which is regularly updated on the consulate's website. The consular fee is $ 80.
The main disadvantage was the mandatory two-week quarantine. Other than that, all issues were quickly and easily resolved thanks to other students and university staff.
All processes and frequently occurring problems were explained to us on the Orientation before the start of classes. In addition, Korean students (buddy and tutors) always gave advice on the questions and regularly informed us about various events.
Visa: $ 80 (~ ₽6,000)
Round trip tickets: ~ ₽80,000
Quarantine: ₩ 1,400,000 (~ ₽88,000)
Contribution for ARC: ₩ 30,000 (~ ₽1,900)
Health insurance: ₩ 40,000 (~ ₽2,500) per month
Dormitory: several dorms were offered with different prices
from ₩ 656,000 (~ ₽40,000) to ₩ 1,264,000 (~ ₽80,000) per semester
SIM card: up to ₩ 80,000 (~ ₽5,000) for 4 months
One public transport passage:
Metro: ₩ 1 250 (~ ₽80)
Bus: ₩ 1 250 - ₩ 3 000 (~ ₽80 - ₽190)
Lunch at the campus canteen: ₩ 4,000 (~ ₽250) - ₩ 20,000 (~ ₽1,300)
There is a big discount when buying a SIM card in a group. In cafes outside the campus, it is more profitable to go with a company. Buying food (for self-preparation, fruits or vegetables) is better in the market.
Impressions from the internship in Finland were extremely positive...
What are your impressions of the internship as a whole?
Impressions from the internship in Finland (Vaasa University of Applied Sciences) were extremely positive. The internship turned out to be useful for me, both professionally and in terms of personal growth and self-development.
All the subjects that are offered for study at university are very interesting and, undoubtedly, important for anyone who wants to become a sought-after specialist. That is why it was very difficult for me to choose only a few disciplines – I wanted to study everything. I also liked applying in practice any theoretical knowledge we had just acquired.
Education at university is conducted in English. In addition to noticeably improving my English language skills, I also attended Finnish language courses.
The educational process is organized in such a way that there is enough time for having interesting and useful leisure activities for yourself. In Finland, I met and made friends with people from all over the world.
Difficulties during the preparation for the internship
To be honest, I didn't have any special difficulties at the preparation stages. The most important thing is to fill in carefully and accurately all the documents. If any questions arise during the preparation process, the staff of the International Department will always be happy to help and explain everything.
I advise everyone who decides to do an internship at a foreign university in the future to apply in advance, so you will have time to collect the necessary documents.
Can you describe the process of receiving visa and give any advice?
It is necessary to obtain a residence permit, and not a regular visa, which is issued if the period of stay in Finland does not exceed three months.A residence permit is issued at the Embassy of Finland, which is located in Moscow. In general, this is the only difficulty in obtaining a visa, since after submitting the application you will have to go to Moscow and confirm your identity at the Embassy.In addition, it is worth remembering that in order to obtain a residence permit, you need to confirm your solvency and take out medical insurance with coverage of 120,000 euros.
The visa fee is 300 euros.
What difficulties did you encounter upon arrival at the host foreign organization?
I was met by one of the university teachers at the train station. In Finland I rented a house. The next day I was given a mini-tour of the city: showed me the way to the university, places wh ere you can walk, told me wh ere the shops are situated.
Before the start of the main classes, introductory lectures were held for foreign students, wh ere they were told how the university is organized, how the classes are held, etc. They also helped us sign up for the courses we plan to attend.
In addition, each student starting his studies at the university is assigned a tutor/curator among the senior students who can meet at the train station, help to settle into a dormitory, conduct a tour of the city and the university, tell about the events taking place at the university and answer any questions you may have.
Also, in any unclear situation, you can contact the International Department of the University in Vaasa – they will always listen and help.
It is very important to register at your place of residence upon arrival, but here again, the host university organizes everything and will not let you forget about such an important moment of your stay in the country.
Indicate your expenses related to the participation in the foreign internship. Give some advice on reducing expenses.
Visa fee - 300 euros
Medical insurance - about 15,000 rubles
Studying at university is free of charge
Accommodation – about 300 euros per month. The cost depends on the chosen hostel and the room itself.
If you stay in a hostel, you will have to pay a deposit of 300 euros upon check-in, which is refunded at the end of the semester if nothing in the room was broken/damaged.
Also, if you live in a hostel, you will need to buy (or you can bring with you fr om home) tableware, bed linen, pillow, blanket, since there is only furniture in the rooms, in the kitchen there is an electric stove, refrigerator, kitchen set.
I spent about 150 euros a month on food and household chemicals. But this expense item will be individual for everyone. For example, I cooked myself and often bought fruits, vegetables, meat – all this is not very cheap. But many students prefer to eat at the university canteen, wh ere for 2-3 euros (sometimes for 0.80 euros) you can buy a delicious and hearty lunch. In principle, the prices of products in Vaasa stores are comparable to prices in Irkutsk stores, especially if you buy in stores that sell goods not only of Finnish production, but also of the other European countries (for example, Lidl) - prices there are lower than in exclusively Finnish stores (K-Market, S-Market, etc.). Finns are very proud of their country and, in particular, their products (they are really of excellent quality) - hence the higher prices.
Travel to Vaasa
Vaasa is a small and flat city, so you can get to almost any place on foot or it makes sense to buy a bicycle - then you can easily move not only around Vaasa, but also visit nearby cities. Both in the city and outside the city there are bike paths. I bought a used bicycle for 40 euros (in very good condition), which I rode all the time until I left for Irkutsk, even in winter. I also recommend buying an anti-theft lock for a bicycle (the cost is about 10 euros). Despite the fact that Finland has a very low crime rate, bicycle theft is not uncommon.
Of course, there are buses in the city. It is possible to buy a ticket for a one-time bus ride (3 euros), an all-day ticket (5.20 euros), buy a 30-day pass with an unlimited number of trips (29 euros for students) or buy a special card (worth 5 euros), then top it up with the required amount and pay for travel (one trip with this card costs 1 euro for a student). Up to and including the age of 18, you can purchase tickets at children's rates.
The impressions from the trip are extremely positive, I managed to achieve good results in the curriculum, improve my English skills. It was very interesting to get acquainted with Korean culture, life and surroundings. I learned a lot of new things and consolidated the material covered in my specialty.
There were difficulties with buying a ticket, because due to the epidemiological situation, some flights have restrictions that you cannot familiarize yourself with when buying a ticket. I recommend visiting the websites of the airlines you are interested in and see what restrictions exist on your flight before buying a ticket.
The visa process is very simple, everything is done quickly and on time. You just need to fill out the necessary documents, submit them to the consulate and pay the fee. Check your documents carefully and make copies just in case.
After arriving at the university, there were no difficulties, the local administration is very loyal to foreign students and does everything clearly according to the regulations. You will be consulted in detail on all questions of interest, you can also turn to a special AGA guide, who will show you the campus and answer all your questions. Be prepared to purchase essential household items.
To obtain a visa, you need to pay a fee in the region of 3 thousand rubles, the flight costs about 38 thousand rubles, if you buy in advance, it can be cheaper. Upon arrival, be prepared to spend about 80-90 thousand rubles for a 14-day compulsory quarantine in a special institution. Next, you will need to pay for the hostel, in my case it was in the region of 80 thousand rubles. In general, food prices are three times higher than in Irkutsk. Clothing and hygiene items can be found at our prices. The average bill for a bus is around 120 rubles. To save money, cook in the kitchen, as eating in a cafe is quite expensive here.