University: California State University Fullerton
City: Fullerton
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: industrial engineering
Study type: semester abroad
College selection:
I decided to spend a semester at California State University Fullerton because this college was recommended to me by the counseling center at my German university. There I was also suggested to contact MicroEdu. I then no longer clarified all the following questions about my university, since MicroEdu, in contrast to the advice center, knew a lot more about it. See educationvv for Hawaii Pacific University Exchange Program. Also, it told me to visit California which is one of the prosperous and warm states in America.
I took the so-called DAAD test at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences free of charge, which was an advantage, since language certificates are often required for a fee.
I also wanted to improve my English skills during the semester abroad, which is why California was the perfect choice.
I sent the application and all the important documents to MicroEdu and I had the confirmation just a few weeks later. The support from MicroEdu was great and always helpful!
Another advantage of the California State University Fullerton are the tuition fees, which you have to pay in advance, but get back from the BaföG office if you get promised foreign student loans. If you also receive funding in Germany, you will certainly get Auslandsbafög. In the end, with the purchase of a car and a not exactly frugal lifestyle (I also did a road trip with a domestic flight over 10 days), I came up with a total cost of around 7000 euros.
Unfortunately, the books I had to buy for my studies were very expensive.
California State University Fullerton:
With 37,000 students, the university is one of the largest universities in California. The Business College has a very good reputation. The learning effort was correspondingly large. The principle of the university is very schooled compared to our universities in Germany. Things like compulsory attendance, tests (“midterms” or “quizzes”) and homework are the order of the day. Personally, I liked that because the final grade doesn’t just depend on a test covering the entire material at the end of the semester.
At the beginning you can indicate your desired subjects, which are also taken into account by the International Office of the university. One is then enrolled in open courses that are not fully occupied by permanent students. You have to attend other courses and ask the professors if they will still accept you. The professors are very nice and considerate of your language skills. This process is called class crashing.
To be enrolled in a course you need a signature from the respective professor and a signature from the respective department. The International Office will then register you for the course. This process takes place over the first two weeks of the course.
The communication between professors, university and students takes place over the Internet via Titanium or other Internet platforms. The subjects at CSUF are divided into different levels of difficulty, which can be identified by the number in front of the course. The higher the number in front of the respective course, the more difficult or the more effort the course can entail.
Accomodation:
There are many ways to organize accommodation. You can either do it directly from Germany or on site.
Personally, I have successfully applied to the University Village (UV). The application was also made via MicroEdu. Costs range from around $800-$1300 a month warm. The only thing you might have to do is book the internet yourself, although this is not a problem with 2 other roommates, since the internet offered is always busy and very slow. However, you have to keep in mind that you get 2 meals every day during the week, which saves a lot of time and money. Therefore, the expensive price is a little more tolerable.
UV life was crazy. There is always something going on there, you meet a lot of people and there are a lot of parties. I would go back to the UV anytime.
Tip on the side: There was a furniture giveaway. That was the action of an evangelical church. The intention was to welcome international students to Fullerton. Many volunteers helped with their pick-up trucks to bring the furniture to its destination. This gave my apartment a personal touch. I got the flyer at the introductory event at the university.
Leisure and life:
Los Angeles offers many beaches and also has something to offer with Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
Las Vegas is also about a four-hour drive away and a must-have. San Francisco is about a 7 hour drive from Los Angeles and well worth a visit. In my opinion, groceries are generally more expensive than in Germany. Clothing and petrol are sometimes very cheap. I personally recommend a road trip from Seattle down the coast to San Diego!
Have fun with a sunny semester abroad!