Sydney is calling: An Unforgettable Semester Abroad

Jannik Auer, a student in the bachelor's program of Medical, Health & Sports Engineering, spent his fifth semester in Sydney. Read about his experiences abroad, his favourite memories, and his recommendations for students who also want to spend a semester abroad in Sydney.

What was your impression of the university and the courses they offer?

Jannik: UTS is a modern and innovative university located in the center of Sydney. In addition to local students, there are countless international and exchange students, so UTS offers excellent services and many activities explicitly designed for international students.

Especially in the first few weeks, these events are a great way to get to know people in Sydney and meet new friends. In my case, everyday university life was also less stressful than at the MCI, as the final grade mainly comprised assignments, small quizzes, and presentations. That means you are quite busy throughout the semester, while the stress during the examination phase at the end of the semester is quite little.

Which courses did you like best?

Jannik: I liked the course "Introduction to Data Analytics" the most. In this course, the grade resulted from three small quizzes and two assignments. I particularly liked the last assignment, in which you had to solve a classification problem. The assessment was based on a report and, among other things, the ranking in a Kaggle Competition. That allowed the students to compete with each other, and it was an additional incentive for everyone to achieve a good result.

What did you do in your free time?

Jannik: Sydney offers a standard of living like no other city. World-class beaches for surfing, many beautiful parks to relax in, several nearby walks with great views, and a stunning city centre with many interesting buildings. So, there are a lot of different activities for everyone. As there is a limit of eight Australian Dollars for public transport on weekends, Saturday and Sunday were perfect for day trips. The nightlife in Sydney is also great, even if it is a little expensive. There are other cities in Australia worth seeing that can be visited as part of a week's trip. For example, I spent a whole week exploring the city of Melbourne, took a surf course at Nine Mile Beach and flew to Cairns to experience the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.

What tips would you give other students who want to spend their semester abroad in Sydney?

Jannik: Sydney is a popular destination for exchange and international students. Therefore, the accommodation prices are quite high compared to other cities. Although it is possible to save money by looking for privately rented accommodation, I would still recommend a student residence as it makes it much easier to meet new people.
It is also important to choose courses that you are interested in. You should not hesitate to change the selected courses after the first week if they do not meet your expectations. In addition, please do not hesitate to choose courses because there is an exam at the end. In my experience, the exams felt easier than those at MCI did, and in most cases, you should have already achieved the 50% required to pass the course through assignments and presentations before the exam anyway.

How would you describe your semester abroad in two sentences?

Jannik: My semester abroad in Sydney was an unforgettable experience I would recommend to anyone who can afford it. The variety of contacts and the relaxed way of life in Sydney made it an incredible time.