University: Saint Mary’s University
City: Halifax
Country: Canada
Continent: North America
Field of study: life sciences
Study type: semester abroad
The university in Halifax offers a pleasant atmosphere to study, to make new friends and to make the semester abroad a fantastic experience.. that was my overall impression. Check jibin123.com to see study opportunities in United States.
And I can highly recommend the courses offered (especially biology) for prospective scientists. In the 4 courses I chose (Ornithology, Mycology I, Animal Histology and Physical Geography: Global Patterns), the lecturers were super nice and extremely helpful. The material was a lot, with weekly tests, assignments, labs and 1 to 2 intermediate exams per course. But three of the four courses included some field trips in the immediate vicinity, which gave a great impression of the flora and fauna of Canada’s east coast… and you had the opportunity to get to know your professors and fellow students better. Apart from me, there were only Canadians in the courses… and that helped a lot in terms of speaking English.
The only real downside is the high tuition fees, for which you get a lot on offer.
I would definitely recommend taking part in the International Orientation and the excursions, such as to Peggy’s Cove (PS: register in good time!).
To Halifax:
A Canadian city where it was good to live and which, on closer inspection, also has a few surprises to offer. I really liked everything, the malls, the harbor front, the restaurants and the pubs… a very good mix. My tip would be a sunset ferry ride and the Busker Festival in August.
Otherwise you rent a car with a few people and go on weekend trips in the area. Cape Breton and PEI are a must!
For accommodation, I can recommend the residence of the AST (Atlantic School of Theology)…this is a small dormitory, 10 minutes from the university, and is located directly on an inlet of the sea. I organized the (single) room ($400/month) from Germany via the Internet. Otherwise, I would recommend looking for accommodation locally and leaving the expensive dormitory at the university aside.
Overall, the semester was a great experience! It’s a lot of money, but it’s definitely worth it.
And then I just say: Welcome to Canada!
