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University of Toronto

Kanada 2018/2019 Partnerské univerzity

Osobní data
Typ mobility:
studium

Fakulta na MU:
Přírodovědecká fakulta

Obor studia:
Physics

Úroveň studia v době pobytu v zahraničí:
Bakalářská

Používaný jazyk:
angličtina

Letní/zimní škola?:
ne

Doba studia:
podzim 2018

Doba pobytu (od-do):
2018-09-04 - 2018-12-21

Počet měsíců:
4

Aktivita před výjezdem do zahraničí
Kde je možné získat informace o kurzech vyučovaných na zahraniční škole?:
All of the courses including further information are listed at http://coursefinder.utoronto.ca . A list of recommended courses for each programmme can be usually found at the departmental website.

Které dokumenty jsou potřebné k přijetí na zahraniční vysokou školu?:
Apart from documents also required by CZS MUNI, I needed to hand in a list of courses attended prior to the exchange for purposes of courses selection (you cannot choose a course without satisfying its prerequisites).
A TOEFL certificate of English proficiency is required by UofT (CPE was not accepted).
Student visa is required for stays longer than 6 months, or if you are going to do on-campus work (research included).

Jak dlouho dopředu je třeba přijetí vyřizovat?:
I needed to get the English certificate and hand in the list of attended courses roughly 6 months before the beginning of the exchange.
Approximately 2 months before, I had to formally accept the exchange offer and select my courses.

Bylo potřeba vízum?:
- vyberte možnost -

Potřebné podklady a doklady pro udělení víza:

Délka čekání na vízum:

Výše poplatku za udělení víza:

Studium
Měl/a jste před odjezdem podepsanou studijní dohodu (Learning Agreement)?:
ano

Pokud ne, v čem byl problém?:

Věděl/a jste před odjezdem, jak Vám kurzy budou na domovské fakultě uznány?:
Yes, I agreed on the recognition with my programme coordinator as a part of signing the Learning Agreement.

Měnil/a jste během pobytu studijní smlouvu?:
Yes, without any complication (UofT staff is OK with it).

Kdy a jak probíhá registrace do kurzů? Jsou nějaká omezení? Možnost změny?:
Course registration starts approximately 2 months prior to the stay and ends a month after the beginning of the semester. In general, the sooner you will register the course, the higher the chance you will get in. There are some courses forbidden for exchange students (the full list is available on the website). Also, every course has got a list of prerequisites which need to be met. Exchange students can register up to 5 courses per semester.

Courses can be dropped roughly a month and a half before the end of the semester (usually after the midterms; you can drop a course if the midterm did not go well).

Skládal/a jste na zahraniční škole zkoušky?:
Yes, some of the courses had an ordinary written midterm + final exam. Some courses required a final project.

Používá škola systém ECTS?:
- vyberte možnost -

Pokud ne, uveďte, jakým způsobem byly tamní kredity na ECTS přepočítány:
Courses recognized by my home faculty had the same credit valuation as the corresponding courses at my home faculty. I agreed on the credit valuation for the rest of my courses with my programme coordinator.

Popište způsob výuky (teorie, praxe, projekty) a hodnocení studentů:
Teaching methods are quite different depending on the course. In general though, there is a lot of homework or projects due every week in every field of study. Number of students in courses also varied greatly, but the professors were adequately prepared. Courses with practical work had a limited capacity.
In every course, students are graded in terms of percents for every homework, exam, etc. The university has got a common scale to convert percents to grades after the semester ends.
Course assessment was different in the fact that the final exams usually accounted for less than 50 % of the final grade. Quality of homework has got a big influence on the final grade.

Kvalita výuky ve srovnání s domácí školou:
I only took Physics courses, so I do not speak for other courses. I was surprised that the quality of teaching at University of Toronto and Masaryk University is quite comparable. I spotted a difference in the fact that professors at the UofT do not adjust the course difficulty according to students' needs. Students are expected to learn everything the course covers on their own, no matter the difficulty.

Jak jste získával/a studijní materiál?:
Some of the professors provide their presentations or literature online, but most of the courses work with one or two books you need to buy.

Můžete doporučit nějaký zajímavý kurz/předmět/vyučujícího?:
I really liked Computational Physics course with Nicolas Grisouard. Every week, I learned about a new useful numeric computation technique and I used it to solve a mandatory weekly project.

Jaká je vybavenost školní knihovny?:
The University of Toronto has got one the biggest book collection and well-equipped libraries. However, I have no information about the availability of the Physics books I needed for the courses.

Dostupnost počítačů, přístup na internet, úroveň potřebného softwaru, potřeba vlastního notebooku:
UofT has got an eduroam Wi-Fi coverage over the whole campus. University online services are web-based, so no additional software is needed. Computers for public access are available in the libraries.

Možnosti tisku a kopírování:
Scanning is available free of charge in most libraries. Funds on your TCard are needed for printing and copying (15 cents for a black-and-white page).

Pořádá zahraniční škola/studentská organizace speciální akce pro výměnné studenty?:
ano

Jestliže ano, jaké?:
There is a welcome and farewell event with some practical/administrative information. There are also some exchange students' meetings couple of times per semester.

Jak byste zhodnotil/a svoji integraci mezi místní studenty (hodnocení jako ve škole 1-5):
4

případně doplňte vlastními slovy:

Praktické otázky pobytu
Kde jste bydlel/a?:
I had a bedroom in a house shared with 3 other international students. The house had a good kitchen (important, since eating out is expensive in Toronto). My commute to school took roughly 30 minutes.

Cena ubytování – měsíčně:
400 EUR

Další poznámky k ceně ubytování (ohledně toho, co cena obsahuje):
The price included a bedroom in a heated house and a Wi-Fi internet connection.
Toronto housing market is crazy for past few years. Rent is skyrocketing and there is usually a tough competition between students for vacant rooms, so be prepared.
There is a significant chance you will get a place in university dorms if you apply for it. Do not expect anything, but if you are interested, give it a go.

Popište vybavenost. Tipy pro další studenty – co by si měli sebou přivézt?:
The most essential item is the adapter for Canadian power outlets (European chargers are worthless in Canada without it). Otherwise, pretty much everything else (incl. clothes) can be bought there.

Jak a s jakým předstihem je třeba si zařídit ubytování?:
I booked an AirBnB a week before my departure and looked for more permanent accommodation after I arrived. Arranging housing before you come is pretty difficult, since the landlords usually want to see you in person and they usually have many other people asking for the apartment/room.

Jaké jsou možnosti stravování?:
There are some on-campus options, but I do not have any experience with them (usually just bufets and shops with packaged stuff). Eating out in Toronto can be very expensive, but fast-food prices are only slightly higher than in CZ. Most of the time, I cooked myself. Grocery stores in Toronto offer a really wide variety of groceries, so you have the resources to cook almost anything there.

Jaké jsou orientační ceny potravin (porovnejte s cenami v ČR):
Groceries are a little more expensive (~1.5x) than in the Czech Republic. However, prices are very different depending on the store. Big chain supermarkets like Freshco and NoFrills are probably the cheapest (some stuff like processed food is sometimes even cheaper than here) and have a wide variety of food. If you are into Asian cuisine, there are lots of Asian supermarkets in Toronto with very cheap prices.

Doprava do místa pobytu:
I flew from Prague to London, Stansted and then straight to Toronto (same way from Toronto to Prague). There is plenty of other options.

Orientační cena dopravy:
I paid roughly 10 000 CZK for the trip to Toronto. Since I flew back 2 days before Christmas Eve, the prices were a little higher (~ 14 000 CZK), but the worst thing was the amount of people travelling. Airports do not really manage so many people flying and there are huge waiting lines everywhere. If you can, just do not travel before Christmas.

Tipy pro zakoupení výhodné letenky/jízdenky/další doporučení:
I checked the prices on kiwi.com and then bought the tickets directly on the airlines' websites.

Jaké jsou možnosti místní dopravy (MHD, kolo, pěšky, orientační ceny):
Toronto has got a great infrastructure for commute on bike. You can buy a bikesharing card for a year very cheaply and cycle to the uni when it's warm. Public transportation can be a little crowded, but otherwise it is quite good. However, it is quite expensive (~ 115 CAD/month). Locals use Uber a lot (~ 10 CAD/ride).

Jaké formality je třeba vyřídit po příjezdu, např. povolení k pobytu?:
If you plan to stay for more than 6 months, you need a student visa. Otherwise, eTA will suffice (easily done online).

Jakého jste použil/a zdravotního pojištění? (orientační cena, výhody, nevýhody, je nutno na univerzitě pořídit jiné než domácí (české) pojištění?):
I had a mandatory university health plan, which covers almost everything apart from dental and optometrist. UofT automatically deducted 150 CAD per semester from my university account.

Měl/a jste zkušenosti s lékařským ošetřením v zahraničí?:
No.

Pracoval/a jste během studia?:
No. Working outside campus is illegal without proper work visa.

Jaké jsou podmínky pro práci/brigádu pro studenty z MU?:
On-campus work can be done with a student visa/permit (easy to get). Otherwise, you will need a work visa (do not know about availability of those).

Tipy na využití volného času:
Toronto is a really great city with tons of sightseeing options plus opportunity to try food from all around the world. There is a lot of stuff to do outside of Toronto, too (mainly nature).
Specific tips: Niagara Falls, Royal Ontario Museum (huge, free on Tuesdays), a trip to nearby cities (Montreal, NYC, Boston, ...)

Finanční podpora a náklady
Celkový grant od Centra zahraniční spolupráce:
45500 CZK

Měsíční stipendium v Kč:
13000 CZK

Počet podpořených měsíců:
3.5

Celkový počet měsíců:
3.5

Jakých dalších zdrojů jste využil/a k financování pobytu?:
I received Ladislav and Maria Kroupa scholarship - 3000 CAD (~ 50000 CZK)

Pokud jste obdržel/a další stipendium, uveďte jaké a jeho výši v Kč:

 
Poplatky spojené s nástupem na univerzitu:
150 CAD

a/ výše vstupního poplatku:
0 CAD

b/ výše školného:
0 CAD

c/ výše ostatních poplatků (jakých):
150 CAD

 
Jaké byly Vaše průměrné měsíční výdaje?:
1100 CAD

a/ z toho ubytování:
600 CAD

b/ z toho stravování:
300 CAD

c/ cestování a volný čas:
200 CAD

Jakékoli komentáře k průměrným měsíčním výdajům:

Uznání zahraničního studia domácí fakultou
Kolik jste během studia získal kreditů (v systému zahraniční školy)?:
2

Kolik ETCS kreditů bylo uznáno na MU?:
20

Věděl/a jste předem, které kurzy Vám budou domácí fakultou uznány?:
Yes

Jakým problémům jste musel/a v souvislosti s uznáním čelit?:
None. I did not need many credits, only needed 20 to comply with the rules.

Celkové hodnocení
Posouzení osobního přínosu (1 = výborný):
1

Posouzení akademického přínosu (1 = výborný):
2

Ohodnoťte informace a podporu poskytnuté zahraniční školou (1 = výborný):
1

Setkal/a jste se s nějakými závažnými problémy během pobytu:
No.

Co doporučujete vzít si s sebou:
European-North American power outlet adapter.

Co Vás nejvíce překvapilo na partnerské univerzitě pozitivně:
Very friendly, but also motivated and excited people. Lots of events and societies for people interested in virtually any topic. In general, the university is a great place when you want to work hard on improving yourself.

Co Vás nejvíce překvapilo na partnerské univerzitě negativně:
I got the chance to see the dark side of a top North-American university: some students have got an extreme workload and have to study all the time, which has got a negative effect on mental health (although Physics courses were fine and I did not struggle).

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