Mobility specification

Country:USA

Institution:New Jersey Institute of Technology

City:Newark, New Jersey

Program:ISEP Exchange

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Informatics

Study level abroad:Master

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?they have tons

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?The courses are credited with US credits here, where 1 US credit translates to 2 MUNI credits.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?3 out of 4 courses I am taking do not have final exam, but there is big emphasis on assignment, projects and continuous work.
The in person lectures are long (3 hours) and surprisingly boring in terms of teaching methods, with vast predominance of frontal education. There are no seminars, no actual work done by students in the lectures.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Not very much, there are some activities but they are more support for full degree international students.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:40000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Dorms part of the program.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?You don't have to spend almost at all if you don't want to.
In NYC, the ultimate budget food is Pizza, Heroes (sandwiches) in small Deli shops are also affordable.
Get free 6 month student Amazon prime membership so you can buy things there and have free delivery.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?I've seen better

And what about transport outside the city?terrible

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?PATH to NYC and NYC metro is tap by credit card, really convenient.
NJ Transit App works, but UX is not great. You can buy trains and buses there, though US number is probably required.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?I've seen better

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?In Newark, go to Ironbound, completely different vibe then the downtown.
Branch Brook Park, especially in April when the trees are blooming is a must see.
Go to Prudential Center to see Devils NHL game. Resell tickets for not so popular matches are quite affordable, you can buy them last minute.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Visit other boroughs than Manhatten in NYC. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is magnificent and the spots in Staten Island as well as Brooklyn which it connects are nice. Take a train along the Hudson river from NYC.

Share your best experience:Walking down the Manhattan after IT meetup with two other guys and talking about different things.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?yes

Where can it be arranged?https://www.ustraveldocs.com/cz/en/nonimmigrant-visa

What is needed?Immense amount of patience while filling the online forms. You need to fill DS160 form; pay SEVIS fee; then schedule an appoitment at US embassy in Prague. When you travel there, it takes about 1 hour, out of which you wait 50 minutes.

How long does it take approximately?I spend ~6 hours filling in the forms (the app crashes all the time), ~10 hours for the trip to Prague.

How did you get to the place?Plane
Other

Transport means - Other:Taxi

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?You can save taxi if you take the local bus (From Airport to NJIT). Don't be afraid, look it up at google maps and have few dollars in cash ready for the ticket. (If you look confused, the driver will probably let you in without a ticket though :D). If taking taxi, best have esim and Lyft / Uber so you save 50 % off the standard taxi price.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Take some cash, all ATMs charge fees even though your bank does not. Extension cord for european plugs. Have some space in your luggage, you will buy stuff here and want to take them back. I packed lightly and even though could use less things.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?I could travel to New York City any time, fly to any US city, and had more opportunities than I could explore.