University: University of California San Diego
City: San Diego
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: business administration
Study type: semester abroad
Application process:
The application process was quick and uncomplicated. UCSD accepts the DAAD language test, which I was able to take directly at my home university free of charge. Otherwise, I quickly had the necessary documents such as the certificate of grades, letter of recommendation and letter of motivation together. After submitting the application, the confirmation came a short time later. See liuxers for AUT Study Abroad.
Accomodation:
After constantly reading “Pacific Beach – Place to be” in the reviews, I looked for a place to stay in PB. I can only warmly recommend this to you – because PB is the place to be. The bus service is very good by American standards. It takes about 40 minutes to drive to the university, which is not far in San Diego. But you have everything outside of the university within walking distance. Most students go out in PB, so it’s handy if you live locally. The beach in PB offers optimal surfing conditions. PB is a very laid back place, you can tell you are in California.
I found my place to stay through Airbnb. Since clean accommodation was very important to me, I thought Airbnb would give me the best chance. The accommodation was ideal. Very well located and very clean. Rental prices in San Diego are very high. However, before you find something that seems cheap, you should always check the location carefully before you live off the beaten track. That’s what happened to some students, who always had to travel very far to get there.
Study conditions:
The first three weeks were very stressful. At UCSD, full-time students have priority in course selection and have three weeks to make their choice. Only then do you get the final confirmation for the desired courses. That means that in the first three weeks I attended a number of courses and had a lot of homework to do. Fortunately, I ended up getting the courses I wanted.
The courses I took were absolutely great. I was totally amazed by the lecturers. I can particularly recommend Professor Bergmann and Professor Mary McKay if you have the chance to attend one of their courses. The quality at UCSD is outstanding. You have the choice between extension courses, which are only taken by international students, and the regular courses.
It was important for me that I could attend the regular courses, which is possible at UCSD. If you value high quality, UCSD is a great choice. But it also takes a lot of time if you want to get good grades. If free time is the top priority for you during your semester abroad, I would recommend the SDSU, because I know from other students that the students there have a much lower workload.
The campus at UCSD is beautiful and just a few feet from the beach. There are numerous cafes and restaurants on campus including, of course, Starbucks.
Leisure:
San Diego is a dream city. It’s beautifully sunny and warm every day. Learning to surf was high on the list for me. In the first week I bought a surfboard. (Costco is great for this, they have beginner boards for $90)
I quickly made friends from San Diego who taught me how to surf. Here I can only advise you: Learning by doing
San Diego has a great many business opportunities. Start doing a lot early, otherwise you won’t be able to see everything in one semester. Hiking in the mountains, going to the zoo, going to the Food Truck Festival or going downtown to the Farmers Market – San Diego has it all
California has numerous other beautiful corners. The distances may be long, but the journeys are always worthwhile for a long weekend. There is also a rail service (Amtrak) that takes you to many towns in the area. I didn’t have a car. I used to ride the bus or bike a lot. I even had one to clip my surfboard onto which was perfect. Since you can rely on the weather every day, you can do just about any sport in San Diego. Many sports are offered by the university. In Pacific Beach, yoga takes place directly on the beach on Saturdays and Sundaysinstead, you can simply participate. Otherwise, California is known for hot yoga. I had a lot of fun with it, I can only recommend trying it out.