Leisure and travel

If one thing definitely didn’t come up in my semester abroad, then it’s boredom. In addition to what the university has to offer, the Gold Coast area also has a lot to offer. In addition to great beaches, rainforest about 40 minutes away, surfers paradise with many clubs and bars, there is something for everyone.

Australia has a lot to offer, so travel as much as possible !! Byron Bay, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Noosa, Fraser Island, the Whitsunday Islands and the tropics around Cairns are definitely worth seeing on the east coast. The cosmopolitan cities of Sydney and Melbourne should of course not be missed out on a semester abroad in Australia. If you have more time and money, you can make a detour to the outback or the west coast. I traveled over extended weekends within the semester (if you’re lucky, you can take the courses yourself at a reasonable price) and later three weeks after the end of the semester. I definitely recommend this if this is to be set up. The visa is usually valid for one month after the end of the semester.

Costs

Anyone doing a semester abroad in Australia should be aware that not only are the tuition fees high, but also the cost of living (food, rent, etc.) in general. What is comparatively cheap are domestic flights and gasoline. But I can only say that the expenses are worth it, the experiences are unique.

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

Take home

I am very happy to have chosen Bond University and Australia. I gained a lot of valuable, great experiences, got to know people from all over the world, fell in love with the Australian mentality and landscape and had one of the best 4.5 months of my life, which I will look back on again and again. Now all that remains for me to say is: No worries, mate! – even if the organization beforehand and the stay itself are of course a challenge. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!

Study Abroad at Bond University (4)

As a freemover, I studied business administration from 09/2010 to 12/2010 at Bond University Robina in Australia in my 5th semester. Bond University is a private university in Queensland on the Gold Coast with approximately 3,200 students, half of whom are international students. At the beginning of the semester there is an orientation week, there are introductory events, motto parties, help with the final choice of course, campus tours,… The university campus is very large, with a lake in the middle. There is a large library with numerous computers and a multimedia learning center as well as computer labs that are open 24 hours a day.

MicroEDU helped me with everything and was always available – perfect service. I booked my flight through Sta Travel, they have special student rates. A tip: book a return flight at the same time, rebooking costs little. The visa can apply on the Internet if you have received the certificate of registration, within hours to obtain the electronic visa. This applies for the duration of the study plus for an additional month.

There are many housing options. I decided on the Varsity Shores, which I can also recommend. There you live 3-5 in one house. The residential complex also has a pool, jacuzzi, BBQ. 90% of the students live there. The cost is around AUD 200 per week. It is a 3-minute walk to the university. The University Place is cheaper, there is also On Campus (but you have to take the food from the cafeteria), Varsity Towers, Varsity Lakes. In the picture on the left you are the Varsity Shores facility.

The cost of living is quite high, food and the like are relatively expensive, especially cosmetics and alcohol. You should expect 2000 AUD per month. I haven’t set up a bank account, you can pay with credit card everywhere without any problems, but if you still want one, you can apply for one free of charge during Orientation Week.

Robina, in the place where the university is located, is not very big, there is a big shopping center and that is actually it. However, buses run regularly to the beach or to Surfers Paradise. The weekends are ideal for trips to Sydney, Fraser Island, Melbourne or Cairns. Cheap flight offers (100AUD) are available on tigerairways, jetstar or virginblue. You should bring an international driver’s license with you in order to rent a car.

Getting to know people is very quick, there were numerous events during Orientation Week. There was a toga party, tight & bright party, dinner, a hypnosis show, BBQ, pub crawl… in my semester there were also a lot of German speakers, which doesn’t really encourage learning English. Generally the whole world is represented.

Now to the study itself. The semester, which is actually called a trimester, since there are 3 semesters in a year, lasts 14 weeks. I took the macroeconomics, finance and consumer behavior courses. You can take a maximum of 4 courses. The books are very expensive, but there are second hand sales, or chapters can be copied or borrowed. The class size was around 20 students per course and 8 students in the exercises. You can always ask questions and the professors take time for you in office hours. The process is a little different than at the HSG, so there are numerous assignments, quizzes, or group work that must be submitted during the semester. There are lectures, exercises and seminars, depending on the course. In the 7th week there are mid terms, which are intermediate exams in each subject. Oral participation and attendance are important as they add to the final grade. You have a lecture until week 12 and the final exams are in week 14. The English wasn’t a problem although the Australian accent is sometimes difficult to understand, but the professors are careful and speak more slowly if requested. The workload was medium, which depends a lot on the courses. You have to give something away all the time. The learning phase at the end is only 1 week, when you have a lot to do. Of course you also want to travel around. But that can be easily agreed.

The university does a lot in the area of ​​social life, so there are parties on Thursdays, a fitness studio, numerous courses such as Pilates, boxing and co, sailing tours, etc. The Student Support Center is available for foreign students to help with proofreading or similar. There is a free BBQ on Wednesdays.

Unfortunately, the weather was often rainy, warm clothes shouldn’t be forgotten, and the rooms are strongly air-conditioned. In summary, the semester abroad was unforgettable. You get to know friends for life and have numerous new experiences. At the beginning you are on your own. You don’t even want to go home at the end.

GO GO GO- Aussie Aussie Aussie

If you decide for the Bond, you are welcome to contact me!

It was a really great experience and it was difficult to say goodbye. The best time of my life.