Advices from returned exchange students by countries and host institutions Below advices from returned exchange students are their individual ...
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Advices from returned exchange students by countries and host institutions
Below advices from returned exchange students are their individual opinions and do not
represent the views of the Department of Public Policy and City University of Hong Kong
(updated on 26/2/2021).
Australia
Griffith University, Australia, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. When you buy a go card, remember to apply for the concession.
2. Remember to update your Australia address on myGriffith once you arrive there.
3. You can visit websites like ‘flatmate’ to look for apartment or visit student guild in the campus.
4. Keep an eye on the ‘Student Guild’ facebook page to look for some activities.
5. Push yourself to be more vocal and active as early as possible.
Griffith University, Australia, 2019‐2020 Sem A
1. Be aware of the orientation day and club registration day.
2. Don’t be shy, try to talk with the local and international students.
3. Explore the local events like the market day, job fair.
4. Keep contact with the classmates, friends as well as staff at uni. You may need help from them in the
future.
5. Be more involved and active in class discussion no matter in lectures or workshops, a way easier to
remember the things learnt.
La Trobe University, Australia, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Join student clubs to meet local students and people from different countries.
2. Do not miss all the orientation activities, especially amazing race and all the free events.
3. Make good use of the freebies (free lunch, dinner gatherings provided by Student Union and clubs) to
save money.
4. PHI1PR1 Philosophical Problems is a great course with reasonable workload and interesting topics in
philosophy.
5. Be active in class and do not hesitate to ask questions because professors there are all nice and friendly.
Murdoch University, Australia, 2015‐2016 Sem A
1. Leave one or two weeks earlier for the exchange study so that you would have enough time to settle up.
2. Check the weather patterns and take care of yourself not to get sick.
3. It is not safe enough to go out late if you are alone because the Murdoch University campus is very big
but there are very few people, especially in the late evening.
4. POL246 Public Policy Analysis is a very interesting unit. The explanations by unit coordinator, Prof.
Yvonne Haigh; relating the theories with present policies make to see how the theories work in the
practical world.
5. Join both North West trip and South West trip arranged by the Murdoch University for exchange and
study abroad students (You might not have a chance to go there by yourself because Australia is so big and
need car to travel around). They are really worth to join to enjoy the beauty of Western Australia and build
the international network by making friends from different countries. If not, you would regret like me for
merely joining South West trip.
Murdoch University, Australia, 2015‐2016 Sem A
1. Don’t live in the student village unless you have a lot of money to do so
2. Do get a driver license before you get there
3. Do be brave to search for a part time job
4. Do make good use of the study break to travel around Australia
5. Do join the Facebook group for exchange students so as to get the most up dated information
Murdoch University, Australia, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do be brave to seek a part‐time job.
2. Do not live on campus, although it is extremely expensive, but you can meet a lot of friends there.
3. Must join the North West trip and South West trip which organized by school, it is much cheaper than
you go by yourself.
14. Do not register the unit Environmental Policy and Law if you are not law student.
5. Coles and Woolworth will change their price tag every Wednesday. You can save money when you catch
the half price goods which suit you.
Murdoch University, Australia, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do not choose a difficult course in order to fulfill credit transfer.
2. Learn how to cook before exchange as the restaurants in the campus close before 5:00pm.
3. Do not hesitate to talk to strangers because it is very common in Aussie and help you to make more
friends.
4. Do not study at the library only but outdoor.
5. Going out at midnight is not recommended since there are many dangerous drunk people.
Murdoch University, Australia, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Be active and passionate to discover new things in the host country.
2. Try to make new friends, don’t be too shy.
3. Raise questions whenever you have problem in the class.
4. Mutual sharing of ideas in class can enhance a good discussion.
5. Try to join more activities to broaden your horizon.
Murdoch University, Australia, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Keep eye on the unit‐registration. It is because the unit arrangement will also change, like the time and
the date of the unit.
2. Learn the slang from the local people. In Australia, they have many slangs that have different meanings.
3. Start up the function of international roaming. You may use such kinds of function in some situation,
such as credit card transaction, phone validation and emergency phone call.
4. Check the import limitation of Australia before departure. Somethings and products cannot be imported
to Australia.
5. Keep contacting the staff in host university. Some uncertainties will occur after arriving at host country
and university. If necessary, you need to seek the helps from staff of host university.
University of Technology Sydney, Australia, 2016‐2017 Sem A
1. Do step out of your comfort zone and try things that you are scared of trying.
2. Do make the best out of every single day during your exchange. Don’t be lazy and stay indoors. Go out
and explore.
3. Even though you are on exchange, do pay attention in class and put in effort in your coursework. Don’t
forget that you are on exchange to learn new stuff too.
4. Do not be afraid to approach people / to make friends during exchange. It may seem scary but one hello
can change a lot for you.
5. Do try to take courses that are new to you so as to discover your potential interests.
Belgium
Ghent University, Belgium, 2017‐2018 Sem A
1. Transport (bicycle): People in Gent heavily rely on a bicycle. Roughly counted, there is over 80% of
students use a bicycle in the university. So there are a lot of bicycle parking insides the campus. Please be
cautious when you across the bicycle tracks. You should let the bicycle go first when passing the track.
Please DO NOT walk on the bicycle tracks and it is very dangerous for both the bicycle users and
pedestrians. When you are riding a bike, just be careful when you across the track of the tram. As The
wheels of the bike are easily trapped into the tracks, so just ride away from the tracks and try to ride aside
of the roads. Most of the roads are welcomed to use, not only the bicycle tracks. Beware of the pedestrians
when riding, just ring a bell will help. 99% of vehicles, trams will let the bicycles users pass first, so it is not
necessary to stop when you see a coming vehicle (of course, it depends on the situation).
2. Transport (Public Transport): If you do not how to use a bicycle or not familiar with a bicycle. It is better
to use public transport instead of a bicycle. As Hong Kong is not a bicycle‐friendly city, it is normal to be not
familiar with bike especially for those who are not living in New Territories. You can take the tram or bus in
Gent. The campus is all over the city town. Most of the campus can be accessible by tram and bus. You can
buy three‐month‐pass (77 euro) for unlimited times to take the tram and bus (The transport company: De
Lijn) or a Lijnkaart for 10 times with 1.5 euro per each journey. For the train to another city, you can take
the train at Sint‐Pieterstation. Or take the overnight bus in Gent‐Dampoort. For the train, it is better to buy
a go pass (under 26 years old, 52 euro for 10 times) so that you can travel around within the country for
25.2 euro each journey. Please remember to write down the date, destination and departure station before
you get on the train. If not, 75 euro will be charged when you are caught. One last small remind, an app
“City Mapper” (same function with google map) is a good app to navigate yourself. Sometimes it is more
useful than Google Map. Please have it in your phone.
3. Accommodation: It would be great if you can stay in the university hall. But it is hard to find a place in
the university hall. For people who are unable to get a place in the hall like me, I recommend you to get a
list from the student residence department. There are some studios near the campus and rented by the
professors in the Ghent University. Please be careful with the terms of the contract when you sign it, or
double check anything. If you are staying out of the hall, please be reminded that Gent has a very strict rule
about garbage classification. You have to buy yellow and blue plastic bag with IVAGO logo (IVAGO is the
garbage‐taking company; around 8 euro/10 bags I cannot remember exactly) for household waste and
recyclable waste (e.g. carton, can, plastic bottle). They are available in the supermarket. The household
garbage is taken once a week and the recyclable is taken twice a week. So please do well in the
classification and reduction in waste as best as you can so that you do not need to spend much time with
much garbage. For people who wish to stay in the university halls, you can choose the halls in the student
residence on the website of Ghent University. Most of them are single rooms with private bathroom. Only
kitchens are shared with the flatmates. You have to buy your own wifi router and it is available in Fnac (an
electrical produces’ shop) in the Korenmarkt ( the center of Gent). Please be alerted when you go back to
hall late, there are a lot of drunk people. Just try to avoid talking with them or making eye contact.
4. Spending: Belgium is a relatively high‐income region among Europe. Living cost here is definitely higher
than in Hong Kong. Especially for food, eating out is expensive. The best way to solve your hunger is
cooking by yourself. It is a good chance for you to practice your cooking skills. But there are some
supermarkets do not take “Master/Visa” credit card, they only accept “Bankcontact mister cash” or
“maestro”. These type of credit cards can be issued by the local banks in Belgium. However, applying these
cards requires a lot of documents and takes time. Besides credit cards or debit cards, you can also pay
cash. Please be noticed that not all the ATM cards can be used in Belgium. The only card you can apply in
Hong Kong is an ATM card with “PLUS” logo. Other like “UnionPay”, “Visa” or “Circus” etc. are very
uncommon in Gent. Unless you will travel to Brussels, otherwise it is hard to take cash from ATM by using
the cards you used to use in Hong Kong. “PLUS” card can be applied in Citibank. It is not advisable to bring
all the cash with you for the exchange period.
5. Others: It is important to join the welcome day of your own faculty. You can get all the information you
need for the exchange program. A handout will be given in that day. Many booths will be set up during the
welcome day. It is possible to get a part‐time job during your exchange period. More information can be
found that day. Also, you should look around a booth called “ENS” and join it, some discounts will be given
in particular shops. ENS also organizes a lot of activities for international students. Besides, you can also
get all the bicycle information from the bike booth. The most important thing is, you can make new friends
during the welcome day. Good friends are just like your family when you are in the foreign country.
Ghent University, Belgium, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Please study hard and attend all the lectures because the exams there are not easy!
2. You must join the Light Festival there, it is so beautiful.
3. Do take the Comparative and Public Administration and Management course because you will learn so
much about the European politics.
4. Do revise and study the context of the EU and the European integration because it will help you
understand the courses and learn the materials easier.
5. Do rent a bike with gear as soon as possible because they are rented out so fast. If you don’t have one, it
will be harsh for you because the campuses are quite far away.
Ghent University, Belgium, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Try to register the courses which include group project rather than only assessed by examination.
2. Try to register bachelor courses rather than master course.
3. Remember to engage in buddy program.
4. Can borrow all the books you need in the library.
5. Learn how to cycling.
Ghent University, Belgium, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. The price of having a meal in restaurant is really expensive, therefore student should know how to cook
before they depart.
32. Please try to avoid choosing master courses as they’re more complicated and they have more work to do
compared with bachelor courses.
3. There are lots of things that need to be studied in a course. Therefore, student should start to prepare
their exam at least one month before the exam starts in order to avoid dissatisfactory results.
4. Try to get in touch with international students actively. They are passionate and will become your
friends. You can learn a lot more than you think from them through your daily conversation during the
whole semester.
5. There are lots of bars and clubs in Ghent. You definitely will enjoy in there if you go there with your
friends and have a joyful and fun night together.
6. Travel during the exchange period is highly encouraged. Belgium is almost located in the central part of
Europe. It will be easy for you to go to different countries by a short flight or even by bus and train! The
traveling cost is really cheap especially if you buy your ticket and plan your journey earlier, like at least 1.5
months ago.
7. Chocolate is the most famous thing in Belgium. There are lots of chocolate shops in the whole country
and you should try them and bring them back to Hong Kong as a gift to your family and friends.
Ghent University, Belgium, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. Do participate the ESN buddy programme and the buddy programme provided by the university as soon
as possible when you arrived. They are super friendly and it helps a lot!!!!
2. Do apply for a dorm from Ugent if possible because living in a dorm do expand your social circle during
the exchange programme.
3. In my own experience, bicycle rental is not a must if your campus are not too far from the city centre.
(Please be aware of the location since Ugent campus is all over the city.)
4. Join the trips organized by the university society, you can use affordable price to travel to Paris or
Germany etc. It really helps you to adapt to the new environment, so don’t be shy and open your mindset
for anything new.
5. Debit card is a must when you living in European countries, do try to open a student bank account with a
debit card for daily use.
Ghent University, Belgium, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Get a bank account, a lot of place only accept debit card, supermarket do not take visa card.
2. Get a bike, the most convenient transportation.
3. Spare more time for getting a Belgian student visa, it takes at least two months to process.
4. Learn how to recycle.
5. Learn Dutch.
University of Antwerp, Belgium, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Learn some basic Dutch to communicate.
2. Use bicycle as means of transport.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask.
4. Apply a local bank card.
5. Beware of the campus location.
University of Antwerp, Belgium, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. Do not be afraid to ask questions and answer the questions during lessons.
2. Bicycle is the best transportation in Antwerp.
3. Be open‐minded for everything, cultural shocks are common, but we have to learn how to respect each
other’s cultures.
4. Study hard for the exams, they are way more difficult than those in CityU.
5. Learn some basic Dutch phrases in order to meet new friends.
Canada
Huron U College, University of W. Ontario, Canada, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Join a club at campus.
2. Don’t be shy.
3. Register courses that are not in your study area.
4. See more landscape instead of tourist spots.
5. Don’t rent basement because of the cheap price!
4McGill University, Canada, 2016‐2017 Sem A
1. Fully utilize the comprehensive and helpful services and assistances that McGill provides for
exchange/international students.
2. Enjoy the amazing clubs activities in McGill. Most of them are very different from those in CityU.
3. Don’t hesitate to contact your tutor or professor if you have any problems in your assignments or exams,
they are more than willing to help. Instead of making appointment you can find them in their office hours.
4. Pay attention to the prerequisites and level of different courses during your course registration
5. Unlike the case in Hong Kong, the costs of student residences are even higher than living off‐campus and
the quality isn’t as good as that in CityU. Some are even pretty far from campus. So think twice before you
apply for it. But if still want to give it a try, remember to accept the offer right away because the
competition is VERY intense (McGill has A LOT of international students), once you give up/miss your offer,
it is very unlikely for you to get another one.
McGill University, Canada, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do think of the purpose of your exchange.
2. Don’t stick with Hong Kong people too much, try to step out of your comfort zone.
3. Do try to live alone.
4. Do have more communications with local people.
5. Do search for meaning of your exchange experience.
McGill University, Canada, 2017‐2018 Sem A
1. Do preparation before class. Jot notes frequently during class.
2. Try to learn some French phrases.
3. Plan your schedule wisely.
4. Join activities organized for exchange students by the host university.
5. Be prepared for the cold weather.
Simon Fraser University, Canada, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Get yourself prepared by do more readings in CityU, as you will face tremendous amount of readings in
SFU.
2. Do not take courses over 12 credits and do consider of taking 9 credits only if you are looking for a rather
balanced exchange life.
3. Try to join the GPS buddy program and do not be sad if your buddy does not contact you as some of
them may be passive. Feel free to join the activities hosted by other buddies of your mates.
4. Do not expect there will be a lot of activities waiting for you, do take the initiative to explore the city and
the country. There are more exciting events hosted in the city like the Restaurant week, Richmond night
market.
5. There were just a few activities held in the residence throughout the semester, so if you want to meet
people from other countries, DO NOT skip the mandatory floor meeting two weeks after your move in.
Simon Fraser University, Canada, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Don’t be scared to talk to others in English. You can speak fluent English if you always talk to others.
2. Canadian Political Parties is a very good course for us to understand the Canadian’s political situations
3. Canada is a very good place for exchange students of Hong Kong. It is easy to adapt to the culture
because there are many Asian foods for you to choose. Moreover, it has a safe environment and an
inclusive culture. You will not feel being excluded.
4. Don’t be scared to answer the questions in class. The ability of Hong Kong students is very good even
when compared with other students from different countries.
5. Enjoy the nature in Vancouver, it is very beautiful. If you have time, you can also spend some time in
Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. You can go to the parliament of the British Columbia and
experience the British style of debate.
Simon Fraser University, Canada, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Good time management on your work because the average workload for each course in SFU is heavier
than CityUHK.
2. Be well‐prepared before each class because the content for the lectures in each class is the discussion
based on the reading.
3. Find the course reading online before you buy the textbook because SFU provides multi ways for
students to find the reading online. Buying the textbook is expensive as exchange students.
54. Don’t take the course that related to local perspectives. It is because the course leader supposed
students who chose to take the course are familiar with Canada.
5. Have more research about Canada once you would like to choose the course that related to Canada local
perspectives.
6. Be careful about the place for having the lesson on each course. Some courses are not taken in Main
campus (Burnaby Mountain) but in Vancouver Downtown or Surrey. It is inconvenient for students who
lived in SFU residence that costs about more than one hour.
7. Be careful about the weather. In winter, the main campus of SFU is colder than Vancouver downtown
because it is in Burnaby Mountain.
University of Manitoba, Canada, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Better exchange in Spring and summer, more outdoor activities available than winner. As winner is
freezing, you would rather stay inside.
2. University of Manitoba is an international university; their students vary from countries. A good
opportunity to meet people around the world.
3. The sunshine there is too reflective, do have enough protection for skin and eyes.
4. Most places (e.g. supermarket, downtown) are accessible by bus, but if you want to visit countryside or
national park, a vehicle or friend with a vehicle is necessary.
5. The events held by international center of the University are worth to go.
Western University, Canada, 2018‐2019 Sem A
1. Definitely go to watch the football and ice hockey games of the home team (when they give out free
tickets for important games), you can feel the spirit of Canadian towards sports events
2. Do not wait until the end if you want to travel around nearby cities, the workload will be much heavier
after reading week that you have to pay more time on schoolwork.
3. Prepare yourself to be more attentive and focus in lectures since they cover a lot of contents and it is
hard to catch up right the way in the beginning of the semester.
4. Do go to the “Global Cafe” or other events organized by IESC of the host institution, it’s the chance to
make friends who are also exchange students.
5. There is actually not much entertainment in the city where the school is located, most exchange
students from European countries and locals would just hold drinking parties. If you are not very
comfortable with these activities, you should do more travel plans ahead.
China
Fudan University, PRC, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Join the orientation carnival (百團大戰) for more information of the student societies : Follow the public
account of the societies so as to get the information of the coming activities.
2. Ask to join the internship group for Taiwan students if you want to get more chances for Shanghai
internship. The wechat group is supposed for Taiwan students, but you can join if you ask the group
administrator.
3. Suggest courses to take: 發展中國家與對外關係、發展政治學. The professors are nice and
responsible. Students can know more about the international relationship.
4. Join the “Ofo bike” scheme rather than buying a new/ second hand bicycle. It would be cheaper and
more convenient.
5. Special events not to be missed: 十大歌手. It is the largest and important event (semester B only) in
Fudan University.
Fudan University, PRC, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do not expect too much: environment and equipment may not be in very good condition.
2. Do not look down on anything in China: China is even doing better than Hong Kong in many areas.
3. To be ready that course workload is a bit heavier and more difficult than Hong Kong.
4. Go to as many cities as possible, the differences between cities (especially in rural vs urban areas) are
quite huge, it is definitely worth to go to different places.
5. Travel around in China by train is a good choice but you have to pay absolute attention to the rules and
requirements when buying tickets and going to the station (i.e. there are always more than three stations
in one cities so you have to know the exact right station you are going to).
Fudan University, PRC, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do not complain the quality of the student residence. Adapt to it.
62. Do participate more in group projects to learn local students’ study habits.
3. Do participate in more interest groups.
4. Do remember to download VPN software before you come. It is important for you to go online.
5. Do not afraid to talk even you are not confident with your Putonghua. People around are always happy
to help.
Peking University, PRC, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Try to get in touch with local students instead of staying with Hong Kong exchange students.
2. Try to join as much clubs and Societies that you are interested which can widen your horizon.
3. Engage in wechat group that each course created. Professors are prompt to answer your questions in
wechat instead of email.
4. Always go out, don’t just stay in campus which cannot get in touch with citizens in Beijing.
5. Apart from going to tourist spot, go to place where people living can make you know more social aspect
of the place.
Peking University, PRC, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Prepare VPNs, at least two methods.
2. Prepare e‐wallet or mobile payment, such as Alipay and WeChat, because they are common in Mainland
China.
3. Download Baidu Map, you can find your destination with suggested routes, even in the PKU.
4. Prepare mobile power, it is not as easy as in CityU to charge your electrical devices.
5. Prepare Anti‐PM 2.5 masks.
Peking University, PRC, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Don’t skip the courses for trips cause you will regret it, I have learnt much more than I expected.
2. Don't hesitate to answer the questions raised by professors as you will have the chance of having
afternoon tea in café with them (like me!)
3. Do join the school societies.
4. Say yes to all orientations, I have met many inspiring people there.
5. Don't stay in your room and watch entertainment shows, go out!
Wuhan University, PRC, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. To openly communicate with people around you.
2. Try to ask more people when you need help.
3. Report to the teacher as soon as possible when you can’t follow the classes.
4. Don’t be afraid to go out alone.
5. Be proactive to meet people as they may be more passive than you.
Czech Republic
Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Do register for the buddy program which could really help you finding a good local guide on everything,
including academic stuffs and social life.
2. Do explore the events organized by the international club (IC) in Charles University since it really
organize awesome and meaningful events like sharing culture of exchange students’ home community
with children in kindergarten.
3. Do not register a few subjects with many ECLT at the same time. It is hard to manage that amount of
workload at once.
4. Do try exploring the host country or travelling by yourself, especially there are many students who were
afraid of travelling alone. It is a great chance to give yourself the room to think for yourself.
5. Do try to change the mode of learning in host university. In a new environment with nobody knows you,
it is the chance to try not to be embarrassed on the lesson, making effort to answer or ask questions during
lesson.
Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Do sufficient research before departure, e.g. location of city centre.
2. Better communication with host institution.
3. Prepare enough money.
4. Develop a reasonable budget planning.
5. Do not hesitate to ask for help when you feel in need.
7Charles University, Czech Republic, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Do not skip the first lesson of any courses because groups will be allocated at the first week
2. Remember to check the venue of school because different faculties have different venues locating in
many parts of Prague.
3. If you think the student dormitory is unacceptable, you can send email to the person who contacts one
to change the dormitory.
4. Try to keep a good relationship with professor. In case you touchwood in your exam, you can send email
to ebg for his/her mercy.
5. Remember to make a half year Student transportation card, then you can be free to take the bus, tram
and the metro. It is cheaper.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2016‐2017 Sem A
1. Take part in the Tandem program held by the school
2. Get a buddy before departure
3. Participate in the events held by the International Club
4. Learn some Czech
5. The Signal Festival held in October every year in Prague
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Preparation is important especially the credit transfer section.
2. It is good to find a study partner.
3. Be aware of the local news also the news in Hong Kong.
4. Be open‐minded.
5. Do exercise regularly.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Reach out to other circles so that you make friends with people from different places.
2. English is not common among the local people.
3. Be patient with the unorganized system, especially of the dormitory.
4. Process the VISA as soon as possible.
5. Remember to activate the overseas ATM service beforehand.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Do enough research on the local culture before you go like where the supermarket is to buy all the daily
necessities, how the transportation works, way to seek help once there is an emergency wtc.
2. Personal safety is always the priority. Take care of your personal belongings and never go out and back
to the dorm so late since you will never know what is going to happen next therefore, you need to
minimize the risks.
3. Be brave enough to step out of the comfort zone. You need to deal with the differences and loneliness.
But its okay, because it is worthwhile to do so and you will know everything will be fine at the end.
4. Be self‐disciplined. There are lots of temptation during exchange like drug taking, smoking etc. So you
need to be self‐disciplined and decide what you should do and what you shouldn't do.
5. Keep contact with your family members. They must be so worried when they cannot see you for several
months so you need to keep contact with your family and let them know how you are going on.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. I lived in the University hall of residence called Kolej Otava, the experience in there was not nice because
the management in Otava’s office was really bad! First, please do check the dorm and declare everything
damage before moving in. My friend moved in a dorm for only 7 days because of room changing, he had to
paid CZK 200 for the reason of putting a mirror on the wall when he checked out, even that damage was
not made by him. For me, I cannot get all of my deposit when I checked out… So do keep the receipts of
accommodation fee and count it clearly.
2. Do take the course Political Economy of Communication, you will get a rich knowledge in this course.
3. If you want to take the best picture in Prague, the best place is inside the Starbucks near by the Castle,
you will get the whole view of Prague without obstacle.
4. The best shopping mall is Chodov, don’t miss it.
5. Don’t miss trying the Kozlovna U Paukerta restaurant near by Hollar campus.
8Charles University, Czech Republic, 2018‐2019 Sem A
1. Join as many orientation programme and welcoming parties as you can as it’d be difficult to meet new
friends during classes.
2. Take local language course to better your understanding of host country.
3. Explore outside Prague centre to feel like a real local person.
4. Plan an exam schedule with your lecturers to ensure you have enough time to travel during breaks.
5. Be open‐minded and hold a casual attitude toward any cultural difference and misunderstandings.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. Register the courses carefully (be careful about the course required level).
2. Join the events organized by ESN Prague.
3. Keep in touch with the Department of Exchange, Charles University.
4. ISIC Card and ESN Card are necessary to take.
5. Before you leave, finish the visa application as soon as possible.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2019‐2020 Sem A
1. Try everything new, you won’t regret what you did but what you didn’t do.
2. Respect the differences.
3. See things from different angles.
4. Be active to speak, no one care about the grammatical mistakes.
5. Capture every moment, seize the days.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Learn some basic Czech language, like “Hello”, “Thank you”, the local will act nicer to you after hearing
that.
2. To join the local events, you can follow “praguetoday” on Instagram to know more information.
3. Be active in the orientation week, it is a great opportunity to meet new friends from other countries.
4. The bathroom in school accommodation is shared with the opposite sex, you can prepare to rent an
apartment before your arrival if you think it is unacceptable.
5. Remember to register an “ISIC” student card after your arrival, you can take a lot of student discount
from it.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Don’t be afraid to talk with foreign students and people.
2. Travel as much as possible.
3. Make a good time arrangement between study, travel, house works and gathering with friends.
4. Have a good preparation before departure (e.g. transport details/the arrangement of dormitory).
5. Join the events held by school or local community.
Charles University, Czech Republic, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Apply the visa immediately once you get all the needed documents, it takes 60‐90 days
2. The best exchange rate in Prague is at “eXchange” (Kaprova 14/13, 110 00 Josefov) avoid other
exchange stores
3. The environment of the student housing is not the best, and staff there don’t know English, be patient
when communicate with them.
4. Follow “prague_mapy” on Instagram, it is page run by a group of Taiwanese who live in Czech Republic,
you can find activities in Prague there. Don’t hesitate to contact them if you have questions about the city.
5. Accept the local culture, explore more about the city, I am sure you will have a wonderful experience in
Prague.
Denmark
Aarhus University, Denmark, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. “Great power and politics” is worth to be taken as the professor inspire students a lot by using different
current issues and theories.
2. Well preparation before lessons. There are lots of readings for each lesson and the final exam. If you just
don’t read them, you will feel hard and painful during the examination period.
3. Oral exam is very common here, but it takes much easier than written examination. As long as you are
confident to present your ideas and show what you learn, you can easily get pass grade
4. There is a large school event about boat race in May. Lots of people will drink and have fun here. Also,
9some of them will be naked to swim.
5. There are Friday bars in every department. When you want to have social life, you can join it.
Aarhus University, Denmark, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Determination.
2. A good planning before departure.
3. Striking balance between having fun and studying.
4. Be active.
5. Never hesitate in talking with others.
Finland
University of Helsinki, Finland, 2016‐2017 Sem A
1. Try Sauna in Finland, especially the wooden one.
2. Not a necessary to pay 50 euros to register as a HYY (student union) member. The membership may not
benefit at all.
3. Don’t miss the celebration activities of the 100th anniversary of Finland as an independent state during
2017.
4. Do taste how to speak Finnish and take opportunity to learn if it is available.
5. Explore the northern Finland, see Aurora in winter or endless days in summer.
University of Helsinki, Finland, 2016‐2017 Sem A
1. Observe and respect the Finnish rules and try to get used to it (e.g. not to look at people’s eyes)
2. Take philosophy courses because they show the difference in thinking between them and us
3. Natural landscapes are great around Helsinki and other cities nearby
4. Use saunas
5. Talk to people from around the world and listen to their stories, they can be very inspiring
University of Helsinki, Finland, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Seek help from classmates or professors if you have any difficulties in school (such as exam, homework
and grades). They are willing to offer help in making things right again. May also ask the personal tutor for
general inquiries.
2. Make sure you have the student certificate or student card with you all the time if you go to the Unicafe
(Canteen for University students). Otherwise, you will be asked to pay a more expensive prize (€2.60 for
students; €8~12 for visitors).
3. Make sure that your Hong Kong local bank accounts are activated and eligible to withdraw money
overseas. Otherwise, may also apply for a new bank account in Finland once you received the student
certificate in Welcome Fair. (I personally recommend OP Bank, since it is the most common Bank for
exchange students to apply a new bank account). Make sure you have your student certificate and other
required documents with you when you go to the bank. Student certificate is SUPER important, please
keep it in your wallet or pocket all the time.
4. Be talkative and active in class/ seminar. Don’t be shy. Be punctual and don’t skip class frequently.
5. Make sure there is no overlaps in lecture schedule. The school system allows students to overlap their
classes, but I do not recommend overlapping your lectures.
6. Students will have all the information they need in the Welcome Fair, so please DO NOT SKIP this
important day. Better to arrive Helsinki before the Welcome Fair.
7. Better to apply the residence permit as soon as possible.
University of Helsinki, Finland, 2017‐2018 Sem A
1. Do take Finnish beginners’ course. Learning Finnish is not a must, but why bother when you can meet
other international students and apply simple Finnish in daily settings such as shopping and dining that
might save the day though. Besides, the Finnish teacher is hilarious.
2. Do relax and slow down your pace to experience, enjoy and explore the European lifestyle, nothing to
hurry and rush though.
3. Do learn cooking for your own sake. You probably don’t hope ending up with bankruptcy by eating out
every day.
4. Do not shop during black Friday. Do expect an epic sale in Christmas which blows you up.
5. Do not expect efficiency in European countries. All you have to do is to be patient.
University of Helsinki, Finland, 2017‐2018 Sem A
101. Go to Christmas market and ice‐skating next to the Central Railway Station. It is probably the most fun
and exciting festival of the year, Helsinki is used to be a boring city and this is a festival that you can finally
see crowds and people on the street. most importantly, outdoor ice‐skating and visiting the Christmas
market are good things to do in December, which you can enjoy the Christmas atmosphere.
2. Do seize the chance to join a ESN trip to Lapland! The trip to Lapland was the most remarkable
memories in my exchange. I would say nothing is better than this trip, which you can have some crazy
experiences with other exchange students. A trip that you can try the Finish style of sauna, see the
northern lights, ride reindeer and husky sledges, and stay in a wooden cottage, in other words, it is a trip
that you can try to live in a traditional Finish style.
3. Take ‘Nordic Societies and Cultures’. It is an interesting course which enhances my knowledge on the
Nordic countries, I knew more about why and how these 5 Nordic countries stand out and are different
from other EU countries, besides, you may find something interesting that the Nordic administration
impacts the societies.
4. Take Finish course! Finish is difficult to learn as it is a language that does not based on any other
language, unlike German or Swedish. You can immediately apply your knowledge in Finland as they don’t
have English description in any shops or signs, However, it is definitely a fun course to take as you can
practice and interact with other exchange students during the lesson.
5. Do not expect your planned learning agreement can 100% work, and expect to take all courses in master
level for credit transfer. You can take a look for the course catalogue in advance before departure. You
have no choice but to take all master level courses (because bachelor level only contains 5 credits each)
but do not expect it will be your final version as you are not eligible to be enrolled in many of the master
level courses (and this status can only be known once you have your user ID on the orientation day and
registered the course online. Don’t panic if you have such situation, try to register other courses or wait for
the second teaching period.
University of Turku, Finland, 2015‐2016 Sem A
1. Remember to bring a mini rice cooker to Turku, as you will be soon missing Hong Kong food after your
arrival. The university will rent the starting package for exchange student but no rice cooker is included
either in the starting package or furnished in the student hall.
2. I would highly recommend you to take the course POLH 1034 Politics in European Union; it is an
interesting course with various teaching methods like discussion, simulation and debate. Moreover, the
lecturer has introduced the EU in different approaches, which are quite useful for our future studies in City
University.
3. Do not go home after 12am when you’re in Turku, it is a city unlike Hong Kong that they don’t offer
overnight buses and they often change the bus schedule therefore you may not be able to catch any buses
during night time. Buses and taxi are the only public transportations that you can find within Turku. If you
insist, you could take taxi with few more people together as most of the buses are for 8 people.
4. Remember to join the Erasmus Student Network membership, as they would offer many discounts for
entertaining and even restaurants discounts. You only have to pay 5 euros to get more than 5 euros
discounts.
5. When you want to travel around, always find 4 people together including yourself as the European
transportations always offer 4 people discounts like the ferry would only offer 4 people room for 100
euros.
University of Turku, Finland, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1.must try Sauna and ice swimming
2. please treasure the time in here, be open‐minded to meet new people as there are many activities for
exchange students
3. keep curious for the surrounding as Nordic is like a heaven in the world, you would know why they can
become the happiest countries among the world
4. enjoy the wonderful nature and lifestyle in here
5. you should seize every single moment in Nordic because it’s the only chance you can live and study with
the people you meet, after exchange period everyone would back to their own country and have their own
life back.
University of Turku, Finland, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do not just stay in your room and not communicate with the floormates, they may become your
classmates, friends and family.
2. Take more courses since 6 ECTS equal to 3 Credits, often use of electronic examination system can have
11better time management.
3. Live in student village in Yo‐Kyla. It is more expensive but you have more opportunities to meet people
as most of the exchange student live there.
4. Join more Facebook group as all events are announced there.
5. Do not afraid of speaking English or else you will know no one.
University of Turku, Finland, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do try everything because exchange program is a good chance for you to explore the world.
2. Do join the activities organized by the student union.
3. Not to be missed the Finnish big festive like Vappu as they are really special.
4. Must take the POLH1025 Europe and the Other because they invited some famous politician in Europe
to have a guess lecture.
5. Don’t waste your time on party although it would help you to expand your social circle.
University of Turku, Finland, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Be active.
2. Be confident.
3. Try to get out of comfort zones.
4. Try not to focus on your phone.
5. Try to get in touch with people of different cultures.
France
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. To learn French in prior, attained French A1 would be the best choice before exchange.
2. Join as much as seminars or conferences in Sciences Po as you can, because school are influential
enough to invite famous people for talk.
3. Attend the Sciences Po Gala is a must, to taste the very authentic French social event.
4. Try to take the sports courses in Sciences Po, they offer courses that is very rare in Hong Kong, such as
horse riding course.
5. Join and make good use of the Buddy program, where you can meet local French students and keep
good company!
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Better learn basic French before exchange in Paris in order to understand French culture and make
friend with French people.
2. Find the accommodation as early as possible because it is quite expensive.
3. It is possible to get allowance for accommodation from French government.
4. 5 credits elective course at Sciences Po is not equal to 3 credits course in CityU.
5. Actively involve in class discussion as it is culture of Sciences Po.
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2017‐2018 Sem A
1. Be patient to the bureaucratic efficiency within European countries.
2. Take advantage of the cities’ free tour to enhance the understanding of a city.
3. Be immersed in the local culture through communicating with the local students.
4. Be available to cook a few Hong Kong style cuisine to exchange with other students.
5. Enjoy the museum student offers by the host country.
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Read all the related academic writings suggested by the professors.
2. Great student society to join (e.g. ESN).
3. Prepare well for the in‐class discussions and debates.
4. Cultural activities in Paris should never be missed.
5. French professors are strict in student academic performance that they have high expectations in
students’ works and exams.
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2018‐2019 Sem A
1. For accommodation, you can contact the logement office of SciencesPo, they will give early bird
discount. Living in Paris is ridiculously expensive, please try to find someone who stayed there before and
ask for their opinions. Sometimes, the online advertisements are spams!
122. Bear in mind that the course registration and banking management in France could be terrible
sometime, unless you are so well‐prepared. What you can do is plan ahead for everything! If you do not
need a bank account in France, it is not necessary to open one. It can take couples of weeks to deal with
the closure of your account (I used BNP but personally I do not recommend you open one with them).
After all, you will feel frustrated to deal with the staff. Perhaps, you can use UnionPay to get money. It is
easy and convenient. Given that CAF (government rent subsidies for students) are not applicable to a
semester‐long stay student (Type D Visa).
3. Do study French in SciencesPo. Life will be easier if you speak French. Honestly, people in France are not
very comfortable in speaking English. But, no worries if you do not speak any French. Paris is a
metropolitan and capital city of France, it is not hard to find someone who speak English with you. More
importantly, SciencesPo is a really really great institution, in which they receive a lot of international
students and professionals. You can ask seek help from them.
4. Please join the welcoming programme if you can! It is really expensive (around HKD$2500) but worth it.
You will meet a lot of new friends every day and they could be your life‐long friend and potential project‐
mates. Also, the French students will act as your group leader and show you all around the beautiful Paris.
5. SciencesPo is an internationally reputable institution, so a lot of talk shows or sharing session spoken by
the world elites are organized. If you are fascinated in world politics and international relation, please do
not miss it!
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2018‐2019 Sem A
1. It would be great if the host university provide a longer online add/drop course period.
2. The lodgment suggestion: “comforts of home” is a very good choice. Reasonable price and safe.
3. SciencesPo provides different kind of political courses, however, the quota available is limited. There are
only 30‐50 seats available for a seminar.
4. Learn French A1 before exchange would be helpful.
5. Mentally prepared is important, studying in SciencesPo can be stressful.
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Email Professor if you have any question regarding the course, they are extremely helpful and friendly.
2. Save the contact of the class representative, you can ask him for information regarding class and exam
arrangement.
3. Bring your student ID and passport all the time, you can have discount for all the museums.
4. Join the buddy programme offer by SciencesPo to meet local student, they offer great help.
5. Try to familiarize the campus and nearby street before the start of the school day, because the
campuses are spread among the city and a bit hard to find on the first day.
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Wine is of the essence.
2. Museum/art gallery is the best place for chilling (especially go to visit those tiny and unpopular ones).
3. Practice your French.
4. Bring your camera everyday.
5. Brace yourself for hard work.
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. Speak more and be active in class, all professors like active student. Your English will not improve if you
don’t speak more.
2. Try to learn some courses beyond your major. I learn some French and sociology course during my
exchange.
3. Take your time in exchange (also in your life), you will not have many times to enjoy things. Go explore
more and don’t stay at your hall too much.
4. Participate in some external activities or join a society together. You will know new friends.
5. Be humble in everything. You will not have parents to take care of you on everything.
Germany
Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen, Germany, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. If you would like to receive the grade earlier (esp. final‐year‐final‐semester student), please alert the
teacher in advance. Otherwise, they would be most likely in holiday and you will not be able to reach the
teacher by email.
2. It is important to take the “advisory course” organized by local students before the start of the
13semester. You will receive many useful information.
3. Never purchase an insurance in any German insurance company. They are much more expensive.
4. Visit the “China Centrum” if you suffer from homesick. You will find lots of friends (potential travel
buddies) there.
5. Please be aware of the office hours of the school departments. The “office hours” change every week so
don’t believe even if there’s an announcement of the office hours.
6. In Tuebingen, holiday is supreme. Don’t assume the teacher or staff to reply emails during their
holidays. They will be very dissatisfied if you cause disturbance in their holidays.
7. Try not to wave your hand to alert the waiter/waitress in the restaurant. Do so only in urgent situation.
Be patient and they will come to you for your order of food.
Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen, Germany, 2017‐2018 Sem B
1. Start the travel visa application three months before departure.
2. Supermarkets in Germany are closed on Sunday and public holiday.
3. Do not use block account in Deutsche Bank.
4. Meet more friends from different nationality.
5. Enjoy every moment in the exchange program.
Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen, Germany, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. (Do’s) take the language course in the host university (e.g. German).
2. (Do’s) join exchange buddy program to meet local buddy.
3. (Do’s) travel around by train with student discount in Europe.
4. (Don’t) discriminate others who are from different cultural background.
5. (Don’t) neglect any activities for exchange student in University.
Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen, Germany, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. Take courses in different forms, including lecture, seminar, block courses, so as to have different
learning experience.
2. Talk to classmates and dorm‐mates to meet new friends.
3. Join the orientation activities to meet new friends.
4. Ask students who went to the same host university in the past semesters questions for advice, can be
about courses, dormitory etc.
5. Stay alert of safety and pickpocketing when travelling.
Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, 2018‐2019 Sem B
1. Apply N26 for the German bank account.
2. Keep the plastic and glass bottles. You can bring it to the supermarket for recycling it in the machine.
Each of the bottles worth 0.15 ‐ 0.25 euro.
3. Don’t miss the orientation day and event where you can get to know your schoolmates and classmates.
4. There are lots of amazing events and festivals every month. You should check it out in the Internet.
Definitely, you should join those events and festivals.
5. Try not to stay at home and go out more to meet with different people and explore the city.
Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Try not to miss out the orientation day.
2. Do more research of the courses that you intend to take, decide whether it suits you.
3. Must attend the first lecture if you are so eager to take the course.
4. Registered for the buddy program definitely smoothen your life and help you make more friends.
5. Check carefully the exam day, it may overlap with your school days in CityU.
University of Mannheim, Germany, 2016‐2017 Sem B
1. Do apply the scheme of senior tutors. With a senior tutor, you are able to get help and advices.
2. Do join the activities held by the international students’ union. You are able to meet friends easily.
3. Don’t miss any email sent by the University. Most of them are important. Keep checking your mailbox.
4. Do learn to bike.
5. Don’t be shy to speak English.
University of Mannheim, Germany, 2017‐2018 Sem A
141. Don't always group with the Chinese, especially the Hong Kong peers. But try to participate in those
International Student events separately from your buddies, and try to communicate with the foreigners
individually. This could increase the opportunity of making friends with other nationalities.
2. You shouldn't miss the Welcoming Party and Farewell Party held by the International Student
Organization, Visum. Also, there would be party for students every Thursday at the beginning of the
semester which you should go to. It is a valuable chance for you to meet other exchange students.
3. Remember to buy the ESN Card from Visum and pay attention to the selling date. You will get discount
for purchasing flight ticket from Ryan Air with this card which is a low fare airline serving around Europe.
You may take it frequently during your exchange.
4. Do your grocery shopping in the supermarket “Lidi” located at Marktplatz in Mannheim. You will find
everything you want over there with a very reasonable price, comparing to other supermarkets. They
should get the largest variety of daily necessities and foods and beverages.
5. Remember to keep those plastic bottles and beer bottles after use, because you could refund them with
a cash voucher and keep it for your next purchase. Every bottle values for 0.25 Euro in Germany!
University of Mannheim, Germany, 2019‐2020 Sem B
1. DO join the party/dinner.
2. Feel free to walk around the school and the city.
3. Do not stay at the hall all day.
4. Ask for help from teacher if you got any problems.
5. Meet more local friends, they will help you a lot.
Hungary
Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Once you receive your acceptance letter, apply the student hall as soon as possible. For us, the student
residence hall were full one week after we received our acceptance letter.
2. Generally, Budapest is a safe city but you should beware of your personal belongings. My bag was stolen
in last month before I left.
3. Contact you mentor and he/she will give you lots of useful information.
4. Register as more course as you can since some of the courses will be cancelled due to inadequate
registration.
5. Signs used in the public areas, supermarkets, shops and school are written in Hungarian, so learn some
useful Hungarian word before departure.
Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Rent a flat and share it with your exchange partners or other Erasmus students. The dormitory is said to
be not so clean and the facilities are rather old. Living outside university residence is very affordable to
students coming from Hong Kong.
2. Arrive in Budapest earlier than the orientation week because there are many events and activities in the
week. You would find them very helpful that you would not want to miss any one.
3. Eat out often. You can still cook from time to time. But living cost in Budapest is lower than in Hong
Kong. You should go out and try more new things.
4. Join more Erasmus events in the beginning. These are good opportunities to meet new people. Once you
get to make some new friends, you can hang out with them. Later on in the semester, you would probably
be travelling around a lot.
5. Register more courses on the same weekday. If you were able to put all the courses on two or three
weekdays, you would have more time to explore the city and travel to other places.
6. Stay more in Budapest. Exchange students usually spend so much time on travelling. From my
experience, at the end, you would find out that you have missed a lot of good things in Budapest or you
have not tried much there. Budapest is an extremely interesting city. So please stay more there.
Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary, 2015‐2016 Sem B
1. Keep contact with your host mentor, who will help you a lot.
2. Apply the dormitory as soon as possible. The dormitory will be fully reserved, so once you received the
offer letter send it to host university, it enhances the chance to live in dormitory.
3. Register more courses first. Some courses maybe cancelled due to inadequate registration, so if some
courses is cancelled, you still have choice to take the other courses that you have already registered. Also,
if the course is already full, you can ask the professor whether you can take the course or not.
4. Join the activities organized by colleges, you can meet more new friends.
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