Mobility specification

Country:Canada

Institution:University of Saskatchewan

City:Saskatoon

Program:Partner universities

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2023/2024

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Arts

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?I had courses for 3 credits there, which we converted to 9 ECTS (so x3).

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?In my experience, the courses were more about reading and then discussing, writing essays and doing assignments throughout the semester. I didn't have exams like we have here, just final deadlines for essays that I could work on all semester.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, there is a rather large centre for international students at the university - The International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC). I highly recommend it, their advisors do a great job. They also organize various events, some faculties have their own events for international students, various buddy programs, etc. There is an opportunity to get involved in local student societies. I recommend going to the very first meeting for international students during orientation week - I made friends there that I stayed with all semester :)

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)
I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:35000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?I stayed with a host family through the Canada Homestay Network - I don't recommend it. I recommend it as a possible last resort. Families often live further away from the university, which is not a good combination given the unreliable transportation. There is also a certain sense of isolation from other students. In general, I recommend not oversleeping your application to the dorms (which is what happened to me) - because you need to apply before you know you've been accepted. You can get a private room on fb for example, but what about friends living like this, they rather regretted not being with others on campus and it's often quite far away.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I overpaid a lot for the host family accommodation and then I paid for Uber almost every day because the buses didn't run anymore or weren't safe in the evening.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Walmart or No Frills is the best for groceries and everything else. If you live on campus, you usually get credit that you can use at the campus dining halls - I recommend using that or cooking at home.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

How does public transport work in the city?neutral

And what about transport outside the city?terrible

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Buses and trains in Canada don't work the way they do in Europe - everyone uses cars. For longer distances, fly (cheap like WestJet) or rent a car.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Broadway Street, Remai Modern Gallery and Wanuskewin Heritage Park.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?A few hours drive to Alberta - Banff, Rockies, Calgary, Edmonton, Lake Louise, ...
While you're in Canada, you can fly to Toronto and make a stop at Niagara (that's what I did) or Vancouver (that's where my friends were).

Share your best experience:Definitely a road trip to Alberta.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?It's not worth buying tickets with overnight connections. I wanted to save money and I still remember the horrible night in the Montreal airport. Better to pay extra for a quicker and easier trip.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Bring what you are used to using and don't expect that they have more options in Canada than in the Czech Republic. I didn't bring some things because I thought I would get them there. I then had trouble finding things like linerless notebooks or natural cosmetics. Of course, these are small things, but everyone can apply it to their own preferences. If you're going for the spring semester, I recommend bringing good quality warm clothes. If for fall, you can buy relatively "cheap" quality winter clothes there.

🥳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?An experience that opens doors to opportunities you can hardly imagine today.