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Juniata College

USA 2022/2023 Partner universities

Personal data
Mobility type:
study

Faculty at MU:
Faculty of Education

Field of study:
Lower Secondary School English Language Teacher Training / Lower Secondary School English Language Teacher Training

Level of study during period of placement:
Master

Language used:
English

Summer/winter school?:
no

Period of studies:
spring 2023

Period of placement (from-to):
2023-01-11 - 2023-05-13

Number of months:
5

Activities before my departure abroad
Where can information be found about courses taught at the foreign school?:
https://www.juniata.edu/academics/areas-of-study.php

Which documents were needed for acceptance at the foreign university?:
Transcript
Letter of motivation or statement of purpose
ID
Passport picture

How far ahead did you have to organise your acceptance?:
Far in advance. About 2-3 months in advance.

Did you need a visa?:
yes

Documents and materials needed for a visa:
Acceptance letter from host institution
DS-2019 Eligibility Form
Passport
Financial documents, such as a bank statement
Confirmation scholarship document from Masaryk
Confirmation of studies from home institution

Length of wait for visa:
One week

Fee for the visa:
160 US Dollars

Studies
Did you have a Learning Agreement signed before your departure?:
yes

If not, why not?:

Before your departure did you know how your courses would be recognised by your home faculty?:
Yes

During your stay did you change your Learning Agreement?:
Yes. A few times.

When and how did course registration take place? Are there any restrictions? Possibilities of making changes?:
Course registration took place on Juniata student management system. There are possibilities of making changes to courses; usually changes can be made within one week after the start of the semester.

Did you take any examinations at the foreign school?:
Yes.

Does the school use the ECTS system?:
- choose option -

If not then explain how the credits there were recalculated into ECTS:
1 US credit is equivalent to 2 ECTS.

Describe the teaching methods (theory, practical and projects) and assessment of students:
The teaching method in Juniata is a combination of both theory and practice. There is also project-based teaching. This is true for the department of Education.

Quality of teaching in comparison with home school:
I think the quality of teaching at Juniata College compared to Masaryk University is very much the same. However, the workload is much intense in Juniata College.

How did you receive study materials?:
I was given study materials based on the courses I registered. You can either pick them up at the bookstore located at the ground floor or Ellis or can be shipped to you. But I prefer pick up.

Can you recommend an interesting course/subject/teacher?:
The most interesting course and teacher that I had the privilege to take and know, respectively, is Secondary Education Field Trip with Dr Jones. This was an interesting course because I worked with other students to develop projects on alternative sources of Energy for high school students in the county. I enjoyed the interaction with some of the kids. Some of them taught that I was American until they hear my accent

How well is the school library equipped?:
Very well equipped.

Availability of computers, internet access, level of software needed, requirements on notebook:
Not that I know of.

Options from printing and copying:
Printers are mounted in each hall of residence and other buildings on campus. Students have their “Gold Cards” credited with $10 each months for printing.

Does the foreign school/student organisation arrange special events for exchange students?:
yes

If yes then what?:
Global village, Walmart trips, trips to major cities like New York City, Philadelphia, Maryland, etc.

How would you assess your integration with the local students (evaluation like in school from 1 to 5 with 1 as highest):
1

or describe in your own words:
It is very easy to get along with American students. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Perhaps, the most striking of all is the respect among the students.

Practical questions on your placement
Where did you live?:
I lived in campus hall.

Cost of accommodation - monthly:
1 USD

Additional comments to the price of accommodation (as to what the price includes):
I did not pay for accommodation as an Exchange student, but the price includes food at the canteen.

Describe the equipment. Tips for future students – what should they bring with them?:
There is everything you will need as a student in Juniata. The only thing that I will recommend you carry with you is a universal wall adapter to be able to charge your phone with. The European type won’t fit into their wall socket.

How and how far ahead should accommodation be organised?:
Usually, the school will communicate anything regarding accommodation and making a preference. There is no need to worry about it.

What are the catering options?:
The school has meal plans that anyone can sign up for for the whole semester. There are varieties of meal available but personally, I prefer to cook my own meal, which is what I did throughout the semester.

What are the rough costs of groceries (compare with Czech prices):
Generally, prices of groceries are quite expensive than in Czechia. Monthly average of groceries should cost you around $100-$150.

Transport to location of placement:
This is the biggest difficulty I faced. There are no public transportation and no Uber option too. If I have to go somewhere, I mostly need to walk or ask a fellow student to assist me with a ride.

Rough prices for transportation:
I paid $50 to get to the nearest major town/city to catch a bus. Unfortunately, Coaches do not come directly to Huntingdon.

Tips for purchasing cheap tickets and other recommendations:
I used Skyscanner for airplane tickets. The cheapest Coaches or Intercity buses and Trains are Greyhound and Amtrak.

What are the local transport options (public transport, cycling, on foot, rough prices):
There were no local public transport in Huntingdon. The school will either organize a Walmart trip or trips to major cities like New York, Maryland, Philadelphia, etc. Locally, there are not options. You have to ask for assistance from a fellow student or speak with the Public Safety on campus if you need to get somewhere

What kind of formalities have to be arranged before arrival, for example residence permit?:
There is no need to apply for a residence permit once you arrive. The Oller Centre will take copies of your passport/visa, DS-2019 Eligibility Form and Health insurance card.

What health insurance did you use? (rough price, advantages, disadvantages, is it necessary to arrange insurance at the university other than your home (Czech) insurance?):
I arranged travel health insurance from a Czech insurance company. It is way cheaper than what you will get in the Host university. I cannot remember the insurance that I organized. I think it something like Vienna Insurance. Not sure.

Did you have any experience with medical treatment abroad?:
Yes. I had a dental treatment but unfortunately my insurance dental coverage wasn’t enough so I ended up paying $500 that visit.

Did you work during your studies?:
No. Campus jobs are quite limited. Personally, I had a lot of academic works to complete so I had no extra time to find on campus work.

What are the conditions for working for MU students?:
Students are allowed on campus work for maximum 17 hours a week. You will have to obtain a Social Security number in order for them to be able to pay you. The school does organize Social Security trips for those who need it.

Tips for free-time activities:
There are lots of on campus activities but I personally attended quite a few because my workload.

Financial support and expenses
Total grant from Centre for International Cooperation:
80000 CZK

Monthly grant in CZK:
20000 CZK

Number of supported months:
4

Total number of months:
5

What other sources did you make use of to finance your placement?:
None

If you received another grant, state which and how much in CZK:
None

 
Total fees associated with enrolment at the university:
983.87 USD

a/ amount of enrolment fee:
540 USD

b/ amount of tuition fees:
0 USD

c/ amount of other fees (which):
443.87 USD

 
What was your average monthly expenditure?:
100 USD

a/ of which for accommodation:
0 USD

b/ of which for catering:
100 USD

c/ travel and recreation:
0 USD

Any comments to the average monthly expenditure:

Recognition of foreign studies at the home faculty
How many credits did you gain during your studies (in the system of the foreign school)?:
11

How many ECTS credits were recognised at MU?:
22

Did you know in advance which of your courses would be recognised by your home faculty?:
Yes

What problems did you have with recognition?:
None

Overall assessment
Assessment of personal benefit (1 = excellent):
2

Assessment of academic benefit (1 = excellent):
1

Evaluate the information and support provided by the foreign school (1 = excellent):
1

Did you encounter any serious problems during your stay:
No

What would you recommend to take with you:
If you are someone who likes to cook like me, I would recommend you take with you some cooking utensils as the ones sold in the US are quite expensive. Also, take with you a universal wall adapter to be able to have your phone charged. The European adapter doesn’t fit into the U.S. wall socket.

What most surprised you at the partner university in a positive way:
The friendliness and respect among students. Everyone was super friendly, helpful and respectful of others.

What most surprised you at the partner university in a negative way:
What surprised me in a negative way is the “All gender restroom”. It didn’t make me comfortable sharing restroom with females. Especially as a Muslim.

Further comments:
Over all, Juniata is a great place. It has a great serene and peaceful environment which is conducive for teaching and learning. The teachers are super supportive and understanding. The community where Juniata is situated, Huntingdon, is a very safe town, the locals are friendly and outgoing.