I am studying psychology as a bachelor at the WWU in Münster and have spent my fifth semester at Bond University in Australia. I always wanted to do a semester abroad. Since there were no possible collaborations with non-European universities for my department, but I was drawn to overseas, I organized my semester abroad as a freemover with the help of MicroEDU.

Preparations

I started the first research for my semester abroad about a year in advance. I came across MicroEDU and attended their briefings. The most difficult step in the entire application process is to choose one from all the possible international universities. I chose Bond University in Australia for two main reasons. First of all, I really wanted to go to Australia because of the language, the diverse landscape, the open and relaxed mentality and above all because of the climate. Where better to spend your winter semester than in the southern hemisphere and swap the gray, wet German winter weather for pleasant, warm beach weather. The other decisive reason why I specifically chose Bond University as my Australian university was the semester times that were very compatible with my home university. Although many other universities there already start in July (I had exams until August), the Bond autumn trimester does not start until the beginning of September and still amounts to 14 university weeks. It is also important for the university to decide whether courses are offered there that focus on appropriate credit for the home university.

In order to apply for Bond University, you need some documents, such as letters of motivation and letters of recommendation. Above all, however, it is important to get a C1 level language certificate in good time. I got the DAAD language certificate from the language center in Münster.

I submitted all of my application documents to MicroEDU in early April 2016, which made me one of the later applicants. But everything worked perfectly and I got my approval after about three weeks. The support from MicroEDU was great.

After I was accepted, I took care of my visa and housing. You can of course do the latter on site, but I wanted to arrive in Australia and know that I have a safe place to stay.

• Australia is a major country in Oceania continent. For information about Oceania, please visit ehealthfacts.

Living

There are options to live off- and on-campus. Most advise against on-campus accommodation, as very young students often live here and you have to pay for a so-called fixed meal plan. Off-campus there are a number of residential complexes within walking distance of the university. I lived in the Varsity Shores myself, a residential complex with around a hundred houses in which between three and five people always lived, 2 pools and a small fitness room. The management was unfortunately not always reliable in terms of repairs and it depends in part on the houses how exactly the furnishings look, but it is good to live there for a semester. If you are planning your stay for a longer period of time, I would recommend a different type of accommodation. The Cape, the Retreat and the Reserve are similar facilities, a little more luxurious but also more expensive than the Varsity Shores. These are definitely recommended because you can get in touch with other international students very quickly. Regardless of which type of accommodation the decision is made, you should take care of the application as early as possible,

University

Bond University is a small Australian private university with a very good reputation and a large proportion of international students. The campus has a lot to offer in terms of both appearance and equipment. There are some well-equipped workplaces, a very modern large fitness studio with various other sports facilities, as well as other social clubs that you can become a member of. In addition, the Don’s should be mentioned, in which you can seal every little university success with a beer, but also in which some university parties take place throughout the semester.

I took three courses at Bond. Two psychology courses “Drugs & Behavior” and “Psychopathology” and a business course “Principles of Economics”. I was very satisfied with all of the courses. It should be noted that there is no final exam at the end, as is usually the case at home, but that the overall grade is different can be composed of essays, presentations, intermediate exams and the final exams. So you already have plenty to do during the semester, which is why you shouldn’t take more than three courses in order to have enough time for other things. In my opinion, the university level itself was not higher than at my home university, but at first it was a change to write some English papers during the semester – but don’t worry, you can get in there too and there is a very friendly student learning support, who is available to answer any questions.