University: Brock University

City: St Catherines

Country: Canada

Continent: North America

Field of study: Business

Study type: semester abroad

I want to start with how I chose Brock University. It was a rather spontaneous affair that I wouldn’t want to miss at all. Of course, the field reports were my first port of call, as I didn’t know anyone who had previously decided on this university. Since the university seemed very good to me, I filled out the forms and can only praise MicroEdu. It was easy and well explained. Check ehuacom.com to see vocational training in Slovenia.

A few weeks later, mail came from Brock University. The further process was also uncomplicated, after finding my way on the university’s website, I chose courses that I wanted to take.
When it came to accommodation, I first wanted to decide on the spot and booked myself into a hostel for a week. Later it turned out for me that one could not say in principle what is/was the right thing. If you have the opportunity to rent reliable accommodation from Germany, use it. If you are unsure, you should do as I did and look for something suitable there, as Canadians often have a different understanding of “quality of life”. I knew fellow students who had bad luck, but also those who had rented really good houses in advance. The search was exhausting at first, but don’t let that discourage you. My fourth visit was successful and I accepted the offer.

The first week at Brock was primarily intended as an introduction for the young freshmen. It was ok, but maybe not comparable to the orientation weeks at German universities. Events were also offered with the aim of promoting the many opportunities at the Brock. In the first few weeks in particular, you should attend most of the events provided by the International Office. You got to know many other international students.

After the lectures began, people settled into the town of St. Catharines. It’s a simple city. For many, downtown was the place to go when partying in the evening. For shopping, the decision was made to go to the Pen Center, which is located between the university and downtown. The city’s location is ideal for visiting the metropolises of the east coast. New York, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, Quebec or Montreal. Everything is possible and worth it! A visit to the national park should not be missed either.
The locomotion has been divided between taxi and bus. The distances are quite extensive and the bus network is very thin and unreliable on weekends and in the evening. You get used to it and quickly discard German punctuality.

The Brock is very well equipped and the relationship with the professors is completely different than at German universities. They are not so distant and see themselves as service providers. It is not a problem for most people to postpone an exam if you want to go on a city trip over the weekend. The level of the material and the lectures were mostly lower than in Germany and very pleasant for a semester abroad. It can be said that quantity came before quality. Throughout the semester there were always tasks that had to be done, such as essays or assignments. But these were also placed and evaluated very fairly.

Above average I would rate the sports facilities. A gym was also part of the campus, as was a swimming pool. Tournaments were also offered by the university, but these were not taken too seriously by students or by Brock. A major point of criticism was the lack of a canteen. Something that is taken for granted in Germany, you learn to appreciate again at the Brock. You could buy food at many different stands, but this becomes extremely expensive in the long run.

I come to a point that is also important for many: the price level. Canada is significantly more expensive for many things such as groceries or alcoholic beverages. Plan accordingly. I can really only recommend everyone to apply for BAföG abroad. Even if you don’t get any support in Germany, you can definitely be one of the “subsidized” abroad.
Overall, the time in Canada was one of the best of my life and I don’t want to miss a second. If you choose the Brock, you’re bound to have a great time. I got to know a lot of people with whom I do and will do a lot together in Germany.

It is important that you do not see the semester primarily as part of your studies, but rather travel around and party a lot.