Mobility specification

Country:Germany

Institution:University Potsdam

City:Potsdam

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2022/2023

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Law

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓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?none

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Most of the courses were in the form of lectures only, not seminars. So if you didn't understand something, you usually had to study it yourself at home, because there wasn't much room for questions.

Germany is also famous for its clauses, which did not pass me by. What surprised me the most was the impossibility of labeling the Credit and having to bring your own paper to the exam with precisely lined edges that had to fit to millimeters.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?The university offered a 14-day language course in which you were divided into groups according to your German level and for 2 weeks there was very intensive teaching (from about 9 to 14 hours). This included a tour of Potsdam and Berlin.
There was also an ESN in Potsdam, but it wasn't very active (definitely not several events a week). I did go to a couple of quizzes though.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?The entrance costs were quite high, whether it was the deposit for the dormitory (560 euros), the fee for one semester at the university (which included a ticket around Berlin and Brandenburg) of about 400 euros and the payment for the introductory language course (about 300 euros).

Do you have any tips on how to save money?There are student discounts everywhere, and even special under-21 discounts in some places. I'd definitely recommend going on weekly shopping sprees and watching for discounts so you don't spend unnecessarily. However, food was generally cheaper in Potsdam than in the Czech Republic.

🗺 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?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?There are 2 transport apps in Berlin and Brandenburg, I used the red Bus&Bahn. I didn't have to buy a ticket because I had a semester-long one from the university directly on my student card. But if someone came to visit, I bought normal printed tickets from a machine at the station where you had to click them as well.

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?Definitely the parks, which are full of castles, palaces, castles and ruins (a kind of Lednicko-valtický areál). My favorite place, though, was Babelsberg Park, where I had the dorms and a little Hluboká right behind them.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Berlin is about 30 min with-mud, so definitely there. I took advantage of my other friends' Erasmus+, so I visited them in Ulm and Regensburg. I also spent a lot of time in northern Germany by the Baltic Sea.

Share your best experience:I can't pick just one moment, but definitely my walks through the neighborhood parks with hot chocolate in hand. And probably the whole autumn, which was very warm and colourful then.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Car

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?The bus station in Berlin is a bit out of the way, so I recommend the Südkreuz stop.

Can you pay by card?neutral

What not to forget when packing?Wipes, travel mug, cutlery (or at least a spoon). I was driving, so I also packed my favorite book, a pillow and a blanket with an air mattress (for visitors). Be sure to bring a few pictures to decorate your room!

🥳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?Germany has moved me a lot, especially personally. Potsdam will always be my little big project, of which I am very proud.