I decided very spontaneously to do a semester abroad. About 1 ½ months beforehand. Nevertheless, everything still worked out fine.
University:
I chose the Smu for several reasons. Since my turn was very spontaneous, I first had to look at which universities one could still apply to. In addition, I did not have a TOFLE test or other English tests and that you do not need a visa if you are staying in Canada for less than 6 months.
The “Robbie-High”, as the Smu is apparently also like to be called, is relatively small. You feel like you’re back in high school, which wasn’t a bad time. And the university even has its own pub where the “legendary” Openmic Night takes place once a week.
In addition, the university has a very good sports program, where almost everything is included.
Since I am studying medicine and there is no semester abroad planned, the initial search for the right university with the right courses was the most time-consuming. Your website helped me a lot here, as they contacted the university directly for me and were soon able to guarantee that I would get the courses safely.
I had taken two biology courses. The classes were quite small, from 12 to about 30 students. The professors were very helpful and approachable at any time. Since there were only two courses, the time required was limited. However, there would be clearly more exams in the semester, so I had 3 exams per course and an additional 5 tests for one of them, and homework. But definitely manageable. Check mcat-test-centers to see more reviews from current students.
Credit:
Since the professors have to recognize my work abroad directly, I presented the courses to my professor beforehand and thus got a guarantee that I would get certified as equivalent
Flat:
I wanted to live off-campus. So a week before the start of the semester I went to Halifax on good luck and found a bed for the first few nights via couch surfing and then, by chance, a room in a shared apartment. However, I’ve heard from many that they weren’t so lucky when they were looking for a place to live. Of course it was very nice to live off-campus and to automatically be among Canadian students, but in retrospect I think the residents are not that bad either. The food in the cafeteria there wasn’t bad and on rainy days, which often happen in Halifax, you don’t even have to leave the house to go to lectures.
Costs:
All in all, I got away cheaper than I thought. Since I was only a part-time student, I “only” had to pay for the two courses. I had health insurance through the ADAC. So I paid something around 1000 euros to the university. Here in Germany you pay almost every semester. Another $ 450 was added for the apartment. Groceries and everything around were cheaper, except for cheese and alcohol.
City:
Halifax is really a very beautiful city. Surrounded by water and with a very large artistic scene. There are always festivals and events where people like to drink a lot. Of course there are also clubs and bars where there is a lot going on on the weekend. And really nice coffees, which are sometimes quite hidden.
Traveling around:
Because I only had two courses, I usually had the weekend too. In contrast to Germany, however, it is usually that you have a lot to do with papers and exams during the semester. In Nova Scotia it is unfortunately not that easy to get around by bus and train.
I talked to my professors and moved the final exams to the front so that I finished at the beginning of December and then traveled around. Most of the professors are really nice and meet you very well.
Care, support:
It was really very good. At the beginning of the semester, the university offers an introductory week only for international students. Here you get to know many other Germans and other international students. At the same time, they show you the city and the university. During the semester, too, there are always special offers and activities for the internationals. There is a contact person for everything. And unlike my experience, the professors are also very understanding and helpful.
