faculty/college Bèta Faculty

level bachelor’s master’s PhD

name study programme Wiskunde

destination city & country Leipzig, Germany how did you travel to your Train destination? name university abroad Universität Leipzig

start date 16 / 09 / 2019 (dd/mm/yyyy)

end date 14 / 02 / 2020 (dd/mm/yyyy)

PREPARATION exchange application process The exchange application process was quite clear. The university has sent me a lot of emails with information about the application process and there was always a person available for questions. Sometimes it took a long time to fill all the forms in, but that is just german bureaucracy. counselling & support at Utrecht University University Utrecht was very helpful with questions. They replied quickly to my emails and gave clear answers to my questions. It can be very relaxing to just make an appointment with the international office and ask all your questions at once. academic preparation In Leipzig, I did other subjects then I normally do. I took some computer sciences courses and a few language courses. All those courses were accessible without further basic knowledge, that is why I did not need any academic preparation. language preparation I only did German in High School (VWO), so I needed to improve my German, since a lot of courses were in German. When I had free time in the Netherlands I practiced my German a bit and I took a "Sprach und Orientierungskurs" in Leipzig. This was a language course that started already in September and took 3 weeks. I would not say that this course really improved my German a lot. However, it was a good way to already meet some other Erasmus Students. I recommend to apply as quick as possible when you receive the application e- mail for this course, since it is very beloved. finances I got an Erasmus Grant and also a DIA-Stipendium (Duits Instituut Amsterdam). You can apply for the last grant if you are going to Germany, but it does not necessarily mean, that you will get the grant. Since I got two grants and had some saving, it was not a problem at all to finance my semester abroad. Leipzig is furthermore very cheap (compared to the Netherlands), so it was not an expensive half year abroad. STUDY ABROAD PERIOD study programme (content and organisational issues) I did four computer science courses, one special Erasmus economics course and two German courses. Those courses were all offered by Universität Leipzig. In the beginning it was hard to chose courses, since it was not clear at all which courses I could take and if it was possible with my schedule. Luckily, it is still possible to change your courses at the end of October, so do not worry about it too much.

UU Erasmus+ report deadlines: 1 March for 1st semester ~ 1 July for 2nd semester or full year exchange

page 1 of 2

academic quality of education activities The academic quality was very good. I would say that it is the same quality as in Utrecht. I do not know what the academic quality at other faculties is, but I think it would be good as well. The only thing I had to get used to, were the lectures that took 90 min without a break. counselling & support at receiving university abroad At my faculty, there was an Erasmus coordinator. I could ask him all my questions and he could also take care of some of my (Erasmus) issues. Since I was the only incoming Erasmus student at this faculty, he had all the time for me. transfer of credits In Leipzig, they have the same ECTS system as in Utrecht. My credits have not been transferred yet, but I assume that the ECTS gets one to one transferred. Only the grading system in Germany is a bit different. It is on a scale from 1 to 5. A 1 is the best grade (the Dutch 10) and you succeeded your courses with a 4 (the Dutch 5,5). STUDENT LIFE welcome & orientation programme The first three weeks in Leipzig, I had a language and orientation course offered by the University. After that there were still a lot of activities for International students. There I met a lot of my friends. There were also some practical activities, for example, explaining how the library works. accommodation For accommodation, there are two options. The first option it to find a WG. This is the hard option, since it might be difficult to find one for only one semester. That is why I eventually took the second option. The University offers rooms for (international) students. You can apply online for some buildings (dorms) you prefere, and then they will find a room for you. It is also very cheap. My room was 21 square meters and I only paid €210. leisure & culture There is really a lot to do in Leipzig. In the south there are some beautiful lakes you can swim (in summer). There are also some museums (I liked 'Zeitgeschichtliche Forum' the most.). Furthermore, is there also a lot to see in the neighborhood of Leipzig (Berlin, Dresden ,Sächsische Schweiz). suggestions/tips The thing what I liked the most about were the clubs. The clubs are hundert times better than in Utrecht. For the people that wants to go to 'normal' pop music I can advise Moritzbastei or Elsterartig. For the Techno Fans (like me) I can advice Elipamanoke, Institut für Zukunft (the Berghain look a like of Leipzig, but then less extreem) and Distillery. Personally I liked Distillery the most, but you can decide by yourself which one the best one is. CONCLUSIONS would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain I can recommend Leipzig without a doubt. There is a lot to do and it is really a living and beautiful city. The infrastructure for bicycles is also very good and you can even rent a swap fiets .If you are really a Techno lover, then you really have to go here, because the Techno clubs were really really great. do you have any additional advice or comments? My advice is: just go for it and don't worry too much. In the beginning everything might be a bit vague and a bit stressful, but everything will be fine if you arrive. All your courses will probably change when you arrive in Leipzig, so please do not worry too much about which courses you want to take (like me).

UU Erasmus+ report deadlines: 1 March for 1st semester ~ 1 July for 2nd semester or full year exchange

page 2 of 2 ERASMUS+ STUDIES UU Report

family name xxx first name xxx student number xxx e-mail address faculty/college Universiteit voor Humanistiek level bachelor’s master’s PhD name study programme Humanistiek destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name university abroad Universität Leipzig start date 04 / 04 / 2018 (dd/mm/yyyy) end date 05 / 08 / 2018 (dd/mm/yyyy)

PREPARATION exchange application process As I am actually a student of the University for Humanistic Studies, the application process was quite long and complicated. It wasn't always clear to me who was responsible for the different forms or signatures and dealing with three institutions at a time is just more complicated than dealing with two. counselling & support at Utrecht University Counselling and support at Utrecht University was good and helpful. Even though I had a lot of questions, university staff was very patient and tried to help as much as they could academic preparation I had done all the courses at my home university by the time I went on the exchange, so I didn't feel the need to spend extra time on academic preparations language preparation I was raised bilingual, so also didn't feel the need to improve my German before leaving. Almost all of the courses are in German though, with only a few exceptions when the teachers are non-native, so a high leven of language profiency is a must.

page 1 of 3 finances I applied for an Erasmusgrant and received maximal STUFI, and in addition to that saved money to spend during my time abroad, so I expected to have a decent budget. Leipzig is relatively cheap, compared to Utrecht, but still I spent more money than expected. This was mainly caused by all the activities and trips I did and were therefore completely voluntarily.

STUDY ABROAD PERIOD study programme (content and organisational issues) There aren't that many fields of study at Leipzig University, so the choise is rather limited. I wanted to do three ethics courses, and there were exactly three courses available in Bachelor and Master combined. Within the courses there is a lot of freedom to explore your own interests thought, and you can visit all other courses, even if you are not enlisted. academic quality of education activities The academic quality is very high, student are expected to be well prepared and to engage critically in the seminars. The amount of preperations before educational activities depends on the kind of activity and the teacher, but is usually quite a lot. Most student of the philosophy faculty don't visit all seminars, because it would take to much time to prepare, but this is known and accepted by the faculty's staff. counselling & support at receiving university abroad Counseling and support was very helpful at Leipzig University, they were very willing to make changes in administrational works when needed, so that the transfer to my home university would be as smooth as possible. transfer of credits

I am currently in the proces of transfer of credits

STUDENT LIFE welcome & orientation programme There is a club for all the erasmus students, which organises a lot of activities, meetings and trips, so it is very easy to meet peers in Leipzig. There is also a buddy programme, that connects erasmus students to local students, so that the locals can help you with getting started in Leipzig, but also show you around. accommodation There are two possibilities for housing; finding a Wohngemeinschaft, which means you get to live with other people, but they have to select you as their flatmate, or live in a Studentenwohnheim, which could be by your self or with others, but either way is organised by a studentorganisation who selects a room for you. I went for the second option, because I thought that would be less work to organise. My room in the Studentenwohnheim was very simple, not very homey, but very cheap and over all quite okay. leisure & culture Leipzig has many, many places to see. There are a lot of lakes and parks in and around the city, a lot of nice bars and pubs and overall a lot of cultural things to see. The city centre isn't that different from other city centres, but all the neighbourhoods around it are definitely worth exploring. Nightlife is very active and versatile, so there is something for everyone suggestions/tips

At the moment the areas Connewitz and Plagwitz are culturally booming, so there is plenty to see there

page 2 of 3 CONCLUSIONS would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain I would definitely recommend this university and destination. Academically I felt like the university was very challenging in a good way, and organisational very flexible. The city itself is great, one of the nicest cities of Germany at the moment. Even though it was a lot of work to organise the exchange, I am very glad I did it, and I wish I wouldn't have to leave do you have any additional advice or comments? The semester in Germany starts and ends a lot later than in the Netherlands, which has been very frustrating when it comes to paperwork, beceause the two institutions have very different deadlines for all the forms. Things that had to be handed in in the Netherlands weren't yet available in Germany and the like.

page 3 of 3 ERASMUS+ STUDIES UU Report

family name xxx first name xxx student number xxx e-mail address faculty/college Humanities level bachelor’s master’s PhD name study programme German language and culture destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name university abroad University of Leipzig start date 01 / 04 / 2018 (dd/mm/yyyy) end date 31 / 08 / 2018 (dd/mm/yyyy)

PREPARATION exchange application process It is not that complicated, as long as you just know the deadlines and fill in all the right forms. I also only took courses by one institute of the university, which makes it easier. So it was very clear what we had to do. counselling & support at Utrecht University The International Office is very helpful. Only in the summer holidays they didn't respond very quickly, but normally there weren't any problems. academic preparation

I didn't do anything special, because the level of both universities is equal. language preparation I didn't do any language preparation, because the classes were all in German. In the Netherlands I normally study German language and culture, so it was not necessary to take any classes. finances I did make a plan for my finances. After I found an apartment it turned out that I could pay it with my erasmus grant.

page 1 of 3 STUDY ABROAD PERIOD study programme (content and organisational issues) The system by the institute was a bit confusing at first, but after we had a presentation about it, it became easier. The first week we could follow some courses and then we could decide which course we would like to follow. This results in the fact that you probably have to change some of the courses you initially picked for you learning agreement, because you don't like some. I think this is a very good system. academic quality of education activities

The quality of the courses was comparable with the quality in Utrecht. counselling & support at receiving university abroad

The coordinator was very friendly. She also helped me a lot and answered mails quickly. transfer of credits The transfer of credits went quite quickly, because we (the coordinator of the University of Leipzig and I) stayed in contact with eachother.

STUDENT LIFE welcome & orientation programme

The welcome programme was very usefull. accommodation The university provides accomodation for students if you want. This can I totally recommend, because it is cheap and there are many Erasmus students. There are also many places in those accomodations where you can talk which each other etc. leisure & culture In Leipzig there are many parks, lakes, churches and art gallerys. There is an academic culture, but there are also places where there is an alternative atmosphere. The people are very kind and helpful. From the city there are a lot of cheap bus companies that have busses to all the big cities around like Dresden and Berlin. I also can recommend to visit Saxon Schwitzerland. suggestions/tips

Try to travel around

CONCLUSIONS would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain Yes, because Leipzig is a real student city. You also can visit many art gallerys and it is a perfect place to travel around. do you have any additional advice or comments?

No, but I can recommand everyone to do an erasmus semester.

page 2 of 3 ERASMUS+ STUDIES UU Report

family name xxx first name xxx student number xxx e-mail address faculty/college Humanities level bachelor’s master’s PhD name study programme Research master Philosophy destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name university abroad Universität Leipzig start date 01 / 10 / 2017 (dd/mm/yyyy) end date 31 / 03 / 2018 (dd/mm/yyyy)

PREPARATION exchange application process This was very straightforward. I filled in the online application form (osiris) and Leipzig was my first choice. After the selection, Leipzig did provide me with the contact details of the coördinator of my programme. He then needed a language proficiency certificate (at least B1) and, when he had received it, signed my Learning Agreement. counselling & support at Utrecht University I consulted some of the academic staff in Utrecht, who gave advice on the German system and which courses to pick. academic preparation I had to wait for the ''Vorlesungsverzeichnis'' (in which the courses are made public and described) to be published, this happened only at the end of August. This made it more difficult to know what I could expect. language preparation I took a course in Rotterdam before applying to Leipzig: they needed a certificate that you at least had a B1 level proficiency in German. Then, in Leipzig, I followed the preparatory language course (Spachintensivkurs), which improved it further. This is also a nice way to get to know some people.

page 1 of 3 finances You have to pay an amount to the Universität, which mainly covers public transport and registration. This came down to 207 euro. Rooms are not that difficult to find and OK priced (I recommend searching on www.wg- gesucht.de).

STUDY ABROAD PERIOD study programme (content and organisational issues) They offer interesting and in-depth courses on philosophical issues, although you have to be interested in Kant, Hegel and Marx :-) academic quality of education activities

Academic quality was good to very good. counselling & support at receiving university abroad There was not much help at this front, but you can go to the coördinator. Yet, for one course I had to find a supervisor to grade the paper myself. transfer of credits

At this point, I do not know yet how this will turn out.

STUDENT LIFE welcome & orientation programme If you follow the Sprachintensivkurs, you will be welcomed and guided into the university life. I heard from students who did not follow this course that it is a bit more difficult to get to know the university and other students, when you do not follow it. accommodation Again, this is not very hard. I recommend searching on www.wg-gesucht.de, then you can live with German students in a Wohngemeinschaft. leisure & culture There is much to do in Leipzig. Via the university, you can register for sports (there is a deadline in September!) and there are many concerts (especially classical music: the Sunday concerts are for instance very cheap for students if you go last minute). Moreover, there are a lot of technoclubs and other kinds of clubs. suggestions/tips

Get to know some artists at the Baumwollspinnerei! There is a really good atmosphere at this place.

CONCLUSIONS would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain

Yes very much. The section above says it all: high academic, social and cultural 'level'. do you have any additional advice or comments? For women (and men), I advice buying Pepperspray in te DM (German drugstore). It is not really dangerous if you are in the centre or for example the Südvorstadt, but (as a precaution) it is better to be protected in some of the neighborhoods and for instance around the station in the evening or at night.

page 2 of 3 ERASMUS+ STUDIES UU Report 2014‐2015 e‐mail address faculty/college REBO level bachelor’s master’s PhD name study programme Law destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name university abroad Universität Leipzig start date 9 / 3 / 2015 (dd/mm/yyyy) end date 30 / 8 / 2015 (dd/mm/yyyy)

PREPARATION exchange application process I knew I wanted to study in a place where I could learn the local language, so I chose for Germany. In Germany I could choose from a variety of cities and I chose Leipzig, because it was in eastern‐Germany and I thought that was interesting. counselling & support at Utrecht University UU was great when it came to answering questions, signing documents quickly and notifying me about deadlines. academic preparation

None language preparation I had already had 5 years of German courses in high school. In addition, I also participated in a German course at the Goethe Institut in Rotterdam. finances I work and saved up for it. I also receive student finances. Rent and life in general is a lot cheaper in Leipzig compared to Utrecht.

STUDY ABROAD PERIOD study programme (content and organisational issues) I took a mix of courses in the political science faculty and at the Deutsch als Fremdsprache faculty. It's very easy to sign up for classes and switch if you want to. academic quality of education activities

Comparable to the UU

page 1 of 2 counselling & support at receiving university abroad Universität Leipzig has been very accomodating. There is an orientation course at the beginning of the semester and they help you find your way at the university as well as in the city. transfer of credits

While writing this, I am currently still in Leipzig and have not finished any courses yet.

STUDENT LIFE welcome & orientation programme At the beginning of the semester there is a "Sprach‐ und Orientierungskurs", in which you have German class as well as an orientation of the city and the university. I highly recommend taking this course, even if you're German is fine. I also signed up for the Buddy‐programme and I was very lucky with my Buddy. She helped me with applying for courses and she also introduced me to a lot of my now German friends. accommodation I found a room in a Wohngemeinschaft (WG) on WG‐Gesucht.de. I recommend trying to find a room in a WG as opposed to living in the Wohnheimen provided by the University. This way you can meet a lot of native Germans who you otherwise wouldn't know. The Wohnheimen are mostly filled with other international students. leisure & culture Leipzig is an absolutely wonderful city. Everyday you can find something to do. The city center is mostly for shopping, but the neighborhoods around it are all very different and very interesting. Leipzig also has a great night life, varying from a lot of "Kneipen" on the Karl‐Liebknecht‐Straße to techno/electro parties in (among others) Ost‐Apotheke, Distillery and Institut für Zukunft. suggestions/tips Try to find a room in a WG. The neighborhoods I recommend to live in are: Reudnitz, Südvorstadt, Plagwitz. With an organisation called "Hochschulsport Leipzig" students can sport for really cheap. I decided to take a sailing course on one of Leipzig's lakes (Cospudener See).

CONCLUSIONS would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain Yes, Leipzig is a really interesting city considering it's history in the GDR. It has a big alternative scene and a lot of young people live here. The university also offers interesting courses and gives you a lot of freedom and choice as an erasmus student. do you have any additional advice or comments? no

page 2 of 2 ERASMUS+ STUDIES UU Report 2014‐2015 faculty/college law level bachelor’s master’s PhD name study programme Rechtsgeleerdheid destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name university abroad Universität Leipzig start date 08 / 09 / 2014 (dd/mm/yyyy) end date 31 / 08 / 2015 (dd/mm/yyyy)

PREPARATION exchange application process The application was not a difficult procedure. You get the necessary documents signed and upload them in Osiris. counselling & support at Utrecht University

The support was good. They were generally very quick in responding and very helpful. academic preparation

No preparation necessary. language preparation I followed a german course at the Goethe Institut because it had been a while since I last spoke German. That was helpful but not necessary. You can also take courses in Leipzig at the Uni or at an independent language school. Even not taking any courses whatsoever is oke, you can survive in Germany on English as well. finances

Leipzig is a lot cheaper than Utrecht. That helps.

STUDY ABROAD PERIOD study programme (content and organisational issues) In the first semester I followed 3 modules of 10 ECTS each. You can also do singe courses of 5 ECTS each. I did courses in Afrikanistik, Politikwissenschaft and English literature. But that last was just for hobby purposes. academic quality of education activities The quality of the courses was really good as far as I was able to judge. I can't do the best comparison because I don't do a social study in Utrecht. You need to keep up with the course load by yourself. Your teachers won't scold you if you don't, but you'll know it at exam day if you slacked. counselling & support at receiving university abroad

page 1 of 2 My teachers and counsellors were all very nice, helpful and quick in answering emails. Absolutely no complains whatsoever. transfer of credits It's a generally annoying thing that requires a lot of painstakingly detailed work. It is bound to go wrong somewhere. It 's been made more annoying because you constantly have to talk to all diffirent offices to get approval etc. I found it an extremely annoying and bothersome part of the experience but a necessary part nevertheless.

STUDENT LIFE welcome & orientation programme Was very good. They organise a lot and genuinly try to make everybody feel at home. There are activities during the whole of the semester so it’s not like you're on your own after the intrduction week. Although I didn't really participate in the Erasmus activities, I nevertheless appreciate the efforte they tak and I definitely recommend it for everybody coming to Leipzig. accommodation I wanted to avoid student accomodation from the Studentenwerk at any cost and I did, succesfully. I found super nice WG's (Wohngemeinschaft) with German roommates. If you want to socialise with locals more, do that. And they can be very cheap as well. Studentenwerk flats can also be fun if you like the whole international community type of scene. But they are generally further away from the center and if you really have bad luck you end up in the most far away locatiotions and they are really VERY far away. leisure & culture You will sooner die of exhaustion than of boredom.. If that's any indication. In Leipzig, you can enjoy haute culture to the same extend as lowbrow boozing and partying. There is a lot of both. I also funny recommend doing both. suggestions/tips There is so much to do.. You just need to find your own scene, with the people you are comfortable with and then everything will fall into place.

CONCLUSIONS would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain I'd definitely recommend Leipzig to enyone interested. Super good University with an extremely varied programme. And very accessable (if you speak german). It's cheap, artistic, relaxed and politically and socially engaged. It's vegan and vegetarian heaven. The people are nice. There are a ton of parks to chill in and there are the lakes to swim in during summer. It is far enough from the Netherlands to feel like you're reallly gone but close enough for those less eager to conquer the globe. And come on, who wouldn't want to be an ozzie for a semester or two?! do you have any additional advice or comments?

Just do it. It'll be worth it.

page 2 of 2 ERASMUS+ STUDIES UU Report 2014‐2015 e‐mail address faculty/college Humanities level bachelor’s master’s PhD name study programme Comparative Literary Studies destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name university abroad Universität Leipzig start date 01 / 10 / 2014 (dd/mm/yyyy) end date 31 / 03 / 2015 (dd/mm/yyyy)

PREPARATION exchange application process The application process went smoothly. The only issue I had was that of language competence. Though it was my intention to only take English courses in Leipzig, it was still necessary to complete a language assessment form for German. Thankfully I found a very helpful faculty member who aided me in the completion of the process. In the end it also made sense; I ended up taking a number of courses in German. counselling & support at Utrecht University Though it has taken a little time until I received replies to my e‐mails, support has always been helpful and to the point. academic preparation There was little to no academic preparation necessary, as I would be taking courses in Leipzig the same way I would in Utrecht. language preparation I grossly misunderestimated how much I would have to use German. My choice for Leipzig was a last resort, so to speak; the university I initially selected was in the UK. I also expected the life of an international student to be defined by a lot of English use. In Germany this is apparently not the case. If I had known in advance that German would be such a necessity ‐ and I am talking about in an academic context, not just for life outside of the university ‐ I may have prepared a little more. At the same time, the university of Leipzig provides a crash course German before the start of the semester, and after that, I found it considerably easy to 'fit in'. finances I have little to say about this. I did a little research, and I ended up paying as much as I thought. Do your homework and you will not run into any surprises. The only thing I want to stress is the fact that, even though as a UU student you will pay your semester fees to Utrecht University, the university of Leipzig demands a "Semestergebühr", which comes down to about EUR 200,‐ per semester.

page 1 of 3 STUDY ABROAD PERIOD study programme (content and organisational issues) What I found surprising is that many courses I selected before going abroad ended up not being taught because of a lack of students. For instance, I applied to do a course in the department of Komparistik (Comparative Literature in German), but the department did not exist anymore when I arrived. I also applied for a number of courses in an MA programme of Indologie (Indian Cultural Studies), but this MA was not taught because I was the only applicant. As such I would suggest always preparing a number of 'plan B' courses in big departments (Germanistik, Anglistik, or similar, if you are also from humanities). academic quality of education activities The academic quality was sometimes diverse, but as a whole according to expectations. Especially the department of anthropology (Ethnologie) has a very interesting and challenging programme, taught entirely in English. I would not suggest taking language courses as academic courses, seeing as though they provide 3 ECTS each, they are very low level. counselling & support at receiving university abroad The support I had was excellent. I was the only exchange student in the department of Indologie, which means I may have had somewhat of a privilege, but the staff has been extremely helpful and kind. I contacted the department before my departure about the possibilities, and they were kind enough to provide me with all kinds of advice. When upon arrival it turned out that there were not enough applicants to run the entire MA programme, the Erasmus+ coordinator (Dr. Fritzi‐Marie Titzmann) went through a lot of trouble to make sure I could still take enough courses, even organising a personal tutorial at MA level just for me. transfer of credits

This process is still underway. I do not expect any issues however.

STUDENT LIFE welcome & orientation programme The welcome was more than warm. What I really appreciated was the amount of effort invested into the acquisition of German for Erasmus+ students. Speaking for myself, I have never considered German as much of a 'world language' (though it has enormous relevance in Europe), so I would have expected an attitude similar to that of the Dutch universities: just do everything in English. In Leipzig, everything was done in German ‐ but with the highest regard for the (often limited) abilities of foreign students. As such I never felt uncomfortable. accommodation I was lucky in this respect, because a good friend of mine lived in Leipzig and I was able to move in with her. What I can say about Leipzig is this: there is always a good place to live! Avoid at all costs the 'official' accomodation services, because they are 1) overpriced and 2) very far away from the university and the city centre. Instead, look for a WG (Wohngemeinschaft), which is a shared flat usually with other students. Prices are often excellent, and living with German housemates greatly enhances the possibility of cultural exchange and language practice! leisure & culture Leipzig is an amazing city with lots and lots of things to offer. What I particularly enjoyed was the number of grassroots initiatives. Some old industrial parts of the city are now empty because of the declining economy in the 80s and 90s, and the lack of heavy industry in the contemporary years. These empty factories are now used for art exhibitions, techno parties, concerts, and much more. If you are a bit of an artist or a musician, there are opportunities abound to exhibit your work or play in bars. There is also a large amount of young people in Leipzig, which makes it a very vibrant city. Also, if you are vegetarian like me, Leipzig is close to paradise ‐ I

page 2 of 3 never thought vegetarian currywurst or döner kebab could be so good. suggestions/tips Like I said before, go look for a nice WG and live with Germans! They know where the fun happens, and you'll live much cheaper. I would recommend looking in Reudnitz, because it is a very 'happening' neighbourhood ‐ it is still very cheap, but more and more people are moving in and cool initiatives are all over the place (look up the Ostapotheke, for instance ‐ a youth hostel/club/community project).

CONCLUSIONS would you recommend this university/destination abroad to others? please explain YES. The university is up to scratch when it comes to academic quality, and is very welcoming and accomodating towards foreign students. The city itself has a rich cultural history and a brimming art/music scene which makes it an unforgettable experience. do you have any additional advice or comments?

Go for as long as possible. 6 months is not enough.

page 3 of 3 UU Report form ‐ Erasmus 2013‐2014 e‐mail address faculty/college Humanities (University of Humanistic Studies Utrecht) level bachelor master PhD name degree programme Humanities destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name host institution and/or Universität Leipzig company/organization purpose Erasmus grant courses research work placement departure date 01 / 04 / 2014 (dd/mm/yyyy) return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 01 / 08 / 2014

preparation exchange/placement application process

The exchange application process takes a lot of time and you have to fill out a lot of paperwork. Don't let it scare you! Yes, it is exhausting sometimes, because all the signatures have to come from somewhere else. But it is worth it. As soon as you are at your exchange University, you will experience that. Just keep a good eye on all the deadlines (don't miss them!). So be organised, that is one thing that helps you trough this process. But again don't let it scare you. counselling/support at home university

For me it all was a bit different, because I study at the University of Humanistic Studies. But because we are such a small university; the exchange programms go by Utrecht University. At the beginning, the counselling was a bit hard, because I didn't know where to find the counselling and the faculty where I applied, didn't know what to do with me… As soon as I applied at the central office, it got easier. The exchange coordinator there helped me with my questions. academic preparation

It is important that you think about the courses you would like to take during your time abroad. Maybe some courses are the specific reason you want or need to go abroud, because they don't offer those courses in the Netherlands. But for me, the courses were not the most important thing; it was more about the experience of living somewhere else. But then, still, it is good that you think about the courses and at which level you can take

page 1 of 4 them. Studying in another language takes more time than in your native language. Keep that in mind. But… a lot of times you enter your host university and then they change the courses they offer that semester; so be flexibel. That is something that is good no matter what. language preparation

I did one German‐course on the University in Utrecht before my departure. I wanted to practice my grammatical skills and I found it really helpful to speak and write German for a few weeks before I went. The University of Leipzig offered a language and orientation course in March that took 3 weeks. By doing those both things, I felt enough prepared to enter the university of Leipzig. All my courses and literature are in German, so that is something you need to think about before applying. Reading German papers or hearing German radio, was also a way for me to prepare. finances

The Erasmusfunding helped me to finance my stay. Germany is not so far away from Holland, so I didn’t have to spend on a expensive flight. And the living here is cheaper as it is in Holland. But of course, it depends on the country where you go to. Of course, I spent more money here on trips. But I also believe that you have to do those things when you are abroad. It is a 'once in a lifetime' experience; you have to enjoy that.

study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues)

I took courses at the faculty of Pedagogy (''Erziehungswissenschaften''). It wanted to learn some more about children, so I do one course in Development Psychology. The other two are more about teaching children. Although I don't think I will be a teacher, I still find it really interessting to learn some more about this profession. The thing is that it wasn't easy to find the courses on the internet. So I came in contact with the faculty coordinator, she helped me out to find the courses and to organise my tests. academic quality of education/placement activities

I think the quality is about the same as at my University. I would say: pretty good. The teachers expect a lot from you and the amount of literature is high. Most students are motivated. counselling/support at host institution/organisation

I think the counselling is really good. There are a lot of Erasmus Students at the University of Leipzig, so they are familiair with everything that comes with it. Sometimes you have to wait pretty long at the international office (because of the amounth of exchange students), but the employees are really friendly and willing to help you out with all your questions. transfer of credits

I get credits for the courses I take. But I still have to write my exams, so I can not say a lot about how fast this goes.

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The language and orientation course was really good and fun! From 10 till 13 there always was language course. And in the afternoon the teachers organised citytours, visiting in museums and way more. I really felt welcome here and I can only advise you to take part in such a orientation programm. You meet so many people and get to know the city really fast. That is great! accommodation

The living in Leipzig is cheap. There are a lot of student housing from ''Studentenwerk Leipzig''. You can apply on the internet and then they offer you a living space. I pay 170 euro p. Month. The rooms are with furniture, so you don't have to buy these. The only part of Leipzig that I can not recommend for living is 'Grunau', that is really far outside the city. leisure/culture

There is always something to do in Leipzig! It is a big city, but not too big. And there many bars, cafes, clubs and more. The parks are also a place where a lot happens during the summer. WILMA (an organisation for exchange students) organise trips almost every weekend. And drinks and going out are also cheaper as in Holland, so you don't have to get bored. suggestions/tips

The trips of WILMA: really great to meet new people! German people are also really friendly, so I didn't find it hard to meet the locals as well. Buy yourself a bike! Leipzig is a really great city to ride a bike and escpecially during the summer it is great to have on. Leipzig has 3 lakes where you can swim nearby.

conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain

Yes!! Without a doubt! The university of Leipzig is big, so for everyone there is a course that fits your interessents. Because it is so big, it offers great things, such as beautiful libraries, alt buildings, a MENSA where you can eat warm every day for about 2,80 euro. The people are friendly and the city is amazing. It is not so huge as Berlin, but there is so much to do and it has this alternative feeling. It is a grean city with many many parks. I really can't say anything other then: come to Leipzig. It is an amazing place to live for one semester or more. do you have any additional advice or comments?

Just stay relaxed while planning the whole thing. As said: it is a lot of work, but it is so worth it. I wouldn't have want to miss it..

page 3 of 4 UU Study Abroad Report Form

faculty/college University College Utrecht level x bachelor master PhD other name degree programme Liberal Arts & Sciences destination city & country Leipzig, Germany name host institution and/or Universität Leipzig company/organization purpose of exchange x study/courses work placement field work other departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 01 / 04 / 2013 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 31 / 07 / 2013

preparation exchange/placement application process Leipzig, Germany was my choice of destination because I wanted the experience of studying in German. Before starting my study in Utrecht I also contemplated studying in Germany. This semester abroad was a good opportunity for me to see how I would enjoy studying there. Application wise, there were no real difficulties. counselling/support at home university As mentioned, this was all very well organized. Especially with some deadlines far ahead, it is easy to forgot some things that need to be taken care off, but the supervision in such cases was excellent. academic preparation The Leipzig University provided a list of courses on their website. Once I arrived though, I was told that this version was outdated, and that none of the courses I had actually chosen were available this semester. Luckily the courses that were available were also courses I was very interested in, but I must say this seemed rather amateuristic. language preparation A couple of years ago, I’ve taken a German C1 exam at the Goethe-Instut, which allows me to officially study in German. Seen as language was my foremost reason to choose Leipzig, I was confident that my basic level would be high enough to understand lectures and be able to do the work. As preparation I made sure to read some books in German and watch television in German. finances Leipzig, compared to Utrecht, is a very cheap place to leave. With the Erasmus grant and the DUO grant combined, it is no problem to live a rich student life. Accommodation is widely available (starting as low as 150

page 1 of 3 euros a month), the different Mensa’s (cafetaria’s) offer complete meals for around 2 or 3 euros, and at the start of the semester you can buy a public transport ticket for the city for 90 euro’s offering you unlimited travelling within the city boundaries study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) As mentioned, I was not pleasantly surprised when I saw the courses I had chosen beforehand were not available. Luckily, when I arrived, I was soon offered an extensive program booklet for the faculty I was interested in (Politics). Registering for courses did not entail anything else really, other than mentioning to the lecturer that you would like to attend the class. I chose three modules, which are worth 10 ECTS apiece. Each module then consists of 1 lecture and 1 seminar a week. academic quality of education/placement activities I would say the academic quality is decent. In my opinion however, it is not completely fair for me to compare my experiences in Leipzig with my academic experience at University College. At University College, I am used to small classes and lot of interaction, especially with professors. Classes in Leipzig are much larger, which of course means les personal attention by the professor. Also, I am not used to the big lectures with sometimes as much as 100 students in one room. It just takes some time getting used to. Other than that, I was happy with the quality of teaching provided. One thing that I was less keen on was the division of workload. During the first months there are almost no assignments to be made (just reading). This automatically means that all the workload was crammed into the last month which caused quite some stress. counselling/support at host institution/organisation Everything, apart from the difficulties regarding my courses, was organized very efficiently. Registering went very smoothly and any help I needed was given to me right away. transfer of credits No experience with, as at the moment of writing this I have not finished my semester abroad yet. student life welcome/orientation programme There is a welcoming program, however not very extensive. Of what I heard, a big part of the welcoming already happens during the pre-language course, which I did not attend myself. So because I arrived relatively late, I did not actively in all things that where organized during the week. accommodation As mentioned before, accommodation is very cheap. Basically, when coming to Leipzig you have two options. Option 1 is that you find your room through ‘Studentenwerk’. They own a large number of (mainly) flats. It is very easy to arrange everything with them online. Be sure to find an accommodation that is not too far away from the centre (the flat that is the furthest away could mean you have to travel more than 30 min. to get to campus). I chose to rent a little apartment with my own kitchen area and bathroom, but various other room types are available as well. The second option is to find a ‘WG’ (wohngemeinschaft), ideal if you look to integrate into German study life as soon as possible. It can be done beforehand as well through various websites (no personal experience) but also on arrival you will see a lot of people advertising their room. Bluntly said, some people say that you will have the best studying experience in a Studentenwerkflat and the best party experience in a WG, but it can all be easily combined. leisure/culture Leipzig is called the cultural capital of eastern Germany and not without reason. There is a variety of things to do in town. Leipzig has its own zoo, various musea, shopping centers, lots of pubs and bars etc. An organization called Wilma arranges a lot of things for international students during the weekend. I’ve only done a couple

page 2 of 3 because I have often been in Germany and seen most of the things they visit, but from other people I’ve heard it is a very nice way to discover Germany. Leipzig is close to other interesting places (which Wilma organizes day/weekend-trips to) such as Berlin, Prague, Weimar etc. suggestions/tips Other than to be sure what courses are available, I can just tell people to enjoy the city and the university. conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain When interested in improving your German, Leipzig is definitely an excellent choice. It is a very vibrant city with a young student crowd, with never a dull moment. do you have any additional advice or comments? -

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