University of Borås

Andre Schrimpf '10

University:

University of Borås

Study Period:

Spring 2010 (11th Jan 2010 - 6th Jun 2010)

I spent half a year studying at the University of Borås in Borås, Sweden. What I mostly remember from that period are the many overwhelming, positive impressions I have gained from experiencing the Swedish culture and the Swedish way of learning and teaching as well as from getting to know many fellow foreign students coming from India, Indonesia, Mexiko, China, France, the Netherlands or elsewhere, and learning about their culture. By experiencing the different cultures from learning and living together with students from that many different countries I really exceeded my “common” environment and way of life. I have become more outgoing and open towards new and different people and things. And I surely have become more independent, because standing on your own two feet in a foreign country is an indescribable, encouraging feeling.

A little bit of fear and uncertainty is also a part of a semester abroad. Is my English good enough? Will I get along with the people there? Can I handle things like banking or accommodation on my own? But these fears vanish quickly. Especially as in Sweden the people are very helpful to everyone.

Thus, I can only recommend taking this probably once-in-lifetime opportunity offered by IS-Link to spend a semester abroad, as you will make many unique and useful experiences , learn from new cultures and meet and stay in contact with nice people.

Organisation and planning

IS-Link took over many parts of the organisation and administrative issues. Looking for a student apartment is also very easy, as their as is a web page where all the apartments that are available for the next semester are listed, with the listing starting on a certain day. You can then rent one of the free apartments over this web page in a first come, first served way. The remaining issues are directly handled via e-mail communication with the organisation renting the apartment to you, which was very helpful, too.
Furthermore, financing a semester abroad may sometimes be difficult, but there are enough possibilities and organisations offering financial support, e.g. in Germany there are scholarships, “AuslandsBAföG” and bank loans.

Accommodation

I lived in an apartment with two other students, one coming from Iran, the other coming from Iraq. We shared a bathroom with a shower, a separated toilet, an open kitchen and a living room. In the living room we always met for meals or just to talk. Everybody had their own room with a bed, a closet, a desk, two chairs and a small table. Internet access, electricity and water were also comprised in the rent. The apartment was located in a three-story building dedicated for student apartments. Overall, there were two such buildings. The center of the city could be reached in 15 minutes by bus. The bus to the university took 20 minutes. The buses departed every 5 minutes during the day, and every 15 to 30 minutes at the weekends and even at late-night. 

The university

In the forefront of my semester abroad I was interested in how education and studying works in Sweden, as the Scandinavian countries enjoy a very good reputation in this area. Now I can tell a few things about Swedish education based on my experiences at the University of Borås:
Just like in Germany, the lectures take place between 8 o’clock in the morning and 8 o’clock in the evening. A semester is separated into two parts of about 2 and a half months. At the end of each part you have to take 3 or 4 exams. In some courses, you have to write a paper instead of an exam. Furthermore, the professors are very helpful and always available at least via e-mail. Most lectures are held in Swedish, but there are also some lectures in English for foreign students.
In general, you are welcomed very kindly at the university and help is offered to you whenever you need it.
The university itself consists of three buildings. Two of them are directly opposing each other. The third one is located within 10 walking minutes. The buildings are clearly arranged. 

Living in Borås and spare time

Apart from the university, I usually spent my spare time with fellow international students. I really enjoyed playing cards, cooking together, going out or just talking and laughing with them. Parties in one of the student apartments were happening quite often as well. We also did some trips to Stockholm, Göteborg or the Nordkapp (North Cape). In addition, the university has created a nice offer for international students in which you can participate. You see that there is always something happening and it was never boring!

The city of Borås

Borås is a rather small city with about 60.000 inhabitants. Nevertheless, there are many things you can turn to in your free time, e.g. a zoo, discos and clubs, bars, restaurants, sport centers, a football stadium and, of course, an ice hockey stadium. You can also travel by bus to Göteborg in 50 minutes and to Stockholm in about 5 hours. In general, the bus and train network are very well developed in Sweden.