Would you like to try your hand abroad, but are still hesitating? Find out in this article, the different testimonies of our students currently on mobility or leaving during the 2024-2025 academic year:
Jeanne, a final-year engineering student at Télécom Saint-Étienne, tells us about her experience at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau in Germany.
Why did you want to go abroad? Which country did you choose and why?
Jeanne: ” I wanted to go abroad to travel and meet new places and people. I went to Germany, to Wildau to be precise. I chose this country because, even though I’d already been there, I wanted to discover a new region. “
How did your arrival go (culture shock, language, work environment, anecdotes to tell)?
Jeanne: “My arrival went very well. This is also due to the fact that people coming from abroad arrive a week before the start of the school year. So we were able to have meetings and a tour of the city to familiarize ourselves with the environment. I didn’t really experience any culture shock, although despite what people say, German trains really don’t run on time. As for the classes, I was very well received by both students and teachers. “
What advice would you give future students wishing to study abroad (financing their stay, choice of destination, choice of university…)?
Jeanne: “I’d advise you to plan your budget carefully, find out what the cost of living is in the country and what scholarships you’re entitled to. As for the destination, choose a country/city in which there’s a master’s degree that interests you, and if you’re hesitating between two, take the one whose city appeals to you most. “
Enzo, a final-year engineering student at Télécom Saint-Étienne, tells us about his experience at theUniversité de Moncton in Canada.
Why did you want to do an internship abroad? Which country did you choose and why?
Enzo: “ I chose an exchange placement abroad to discover new landscapes and cultures. I’m at the Université de Moncton in Canada. I chose Canada because I wanted to discover life in North America. “
How did your arrival go (culture shock, language, work environment, anecdotes to tell)?
Enzo: “ I was very well received by the students at the university, so I was able to find my way around the campus quickly and take care of all the formalities. New Brunswick is a bilingual province where English and French are spoken, and the university offers its courses in French, so there are no language problems. “
What advice would you give future students wishing to study abroad (financing their stay, choice of destination, choice of university…)?
Enzo: “Beforehand, you need to find out as much as you can about the courses offered by the institution you’ll be attending. For example, at the Université de Moncton, some courses are given every other year, or may be given in different semesters depending on the year. This can influence your choice of destinations.
For financing, start putting money aside as soon as possible so that you’re comfortable when you leave. “
Yassine, a second-year engineering student at Télécom Saint-Étienne, tells us about his experience at the Hochschule Darmstadt in Germany.
Why did you want to do an exchange abroad? Which country did you choose and why?
Yassine: “ Travelling is one of my most important passions, and an academic exchange gave me such an opportunity. What’s more, studying abroad, in a different language, forges communication skills, as well as forcing us to realize the plurality of teaching methods, breaking the single vision we’ve known, especially in a course as rigorous and institutionalized as ours (preparatory class). Germany was chosen for its role in research on a European scale, as well as its proximity to France, and the predominance of the German language in several European countries makes this exchange all the more interesting. ”
How did your arrival go (culture shock, language, work environment, anecdotes to tell)?
Yassine: “ The culture shock turned out to be more significant than one might imagine, even though the two countries are neighbors, especially with the habits of the locals, as well as their behavior, in addition to the rules, which are predominant in German society. As the semester began, this shock became more pronounced, revealing differences in education. As for the language, it’s still an obstacle, even a month after my arrival, as it’s so different from our own, and proves complicated to learn.
However, the host university offers language courses to facilitate our integration into the country. As for the working environment, the university expects students to behave autonomously, whether in their choice of courses (totally up to them, managing possible course collisions and credits), or in the organization of their work (TDs and TPs must be prepared in advance and TPs handed in), as well as the obligation to register for exams themselves. Punctuality is also important, with students expected to arrive at the classroom 10 minutes before class starts, and teachers often arriving much earlier. The experience with the Deutschbahn (the equivalent of the SNCF) is unique, as trains are often late (in total contrast to the rigorous punctuality of the Germans), and often cancelled, most people being in possession of the Deutschlandticket (a ticket which costs 59 euros per month and allows the use of almost all means of transport nationwide). I even once had to take 3 different trains to get to Heidelberg (a town that normally requires just one train to get there, due to its proximity to Darmstadt), which took three hours instead of just one. “
What advice would you give future students wishing to study abroad (financing their stay, choice of destination, choice of university…)?
Yassine: “ The choice of destination is certainly the most important, as living in a country that’s out of sync with our own can cause a great deal of discomfort, and also for the language, learning it before arriving is a priority, not mastering it on arrival is already a major regret for me. As for financing your stay, scholarships can’t cover everything, so you have to be prepared in advance. The choice of university is important, especially for the courses you want to take, or even if you want to discover a different kind of teaching. I also think that finding accommodation is a priority, as it’s more difficult to do this without more help from your local university, especially as it’s often possible to be refused dormitories provided by the university, which was my case. Finding out about education and how the university works before you arrive can help avoid any complications, and in particular prepare you to choose your courses again, as the courses offered at the university sites are sometimes unavailable once you’ve arrived. “