University: California State University Fullerton

City: Fullerton

Country: United States

Continent: North America

Field of study: Economics, Economics

Study type: semester abroad

I would like to report on my semester abroad at CSU Fullerton.

I have decided to study in the 2019 semester. My German course is economics, which is why I decided to choose the subjects MATH 120, ACCT 201B, ECON 201 and FIN 320, which I could also have credited at my home university. Check existingcountries.com to see San Jose State University Review.

I would recommend all subjects, except for ACCT 201B. In my opinion, you had to do far too much homework and sit exams here, which had a huge impact on how I spend my free time. You also learn about the American accounting system here, which can be very confusing compared to the German system. Another minus point, as far as the subjects are concerned, is the cost that comes with it. I had to pay $40 for an online book for ECON 201 and about $100 each for online books and online access for all other subjects. However, there are also many subjects where you do not have to buy anything. I would definitely do some research beforehand!

University

The university itself is really highly recommended. The CSUF campus is big and beautiful. There are countless palm trees on the university campus and you feel very comfortable in the Californian flair. A number of leisure activities are also offered. There is a large fitness center on campus, as well as several sports fields. There are regular stands where various initiatives and associations advertise. It should also be mentioned that many other Germans from different cities completed a semester abroad at CSUF with me. I also spent a lot of time with Germans, which just happened.

Location

Fullerton is about half an hour’s drive from Los Angeles and there are also many popular beaches in the area, such as Huntington Beach and Laguna Beach. In addition, San Diego is only a two-hour drive away, Las Vegas around four hours and San Francisco around six hours.

I also took the opportunity to travel to Hawaii and Mexico, since the flights there from LA are much cheaper than from Germany. I would recommend everyone to travel and do a lot of activities in the first few weeks, because during the semester you have to write mid-terms and finals and do homework, which was sometimes very time-consuming!

Accommodation

I chose to live in the Oxford North residence, which I really enjoyed. The price, on the other hand, was overpriced in my opinion. I’ve also met people who lived in private rooms with Americans and paid significantly less. If you intend to move into a dormitory, you should definitely find out about the rental agreement beforehand. I had a contract for 2 semesters and had to look for a new tenant in November. Oxford North helps a lot with that though. With other housings it was much more difficult for many to find a new tenant because there are sometimes a lot of bugs like cockroaches and word gets around.

Mobility

Many say that you can’t get along without a car. I can not confirm. I didn’t have a car and neither did my boyfriend, who I spent most of my time with. Nevertheless, we always got from A to B. Either by Uber, bus or long-distance bus, as well as the train that goes directly from Fullerton to LA. There is also Flix-Bus in California, with which we actually did almost all long-distance trips.

Costs and financing

Unfortunately, I can’t say exactly how much money I spent. The amount should be somewhere between 18,000 and 19,000 euros. However, I traveled a lot, went shopping from time to time and almost never cooked at home. However, I find the prescribed $15,000 that you should have a little too tight. After all, you want to experience something when you are in California! Try to apply for foreign BAföG or a scholarship in good time . If that doesn’t work, don’t stick your head in the sand! Try to get a mini job at CSUF where you can earn some extra money or start saving early enough. It really is a very large amount to spend in such a short amount of time, but it was worth every penny.

Conclusion

All in all I can say that I had the best time of my life at CSUF ! I would recommend everyone to be away from home for a longer period of time! It is not only an investment in your education, but also an investment in your personal development. You will definitely not regret it!