Stay abroad in Norway in the 5th semester of the bachelor's program

I spent my fifth semester at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) in Ås as part of the ERASMUS program.

I was motivated to apply by my previous participation in school exchange programs, my interest in other languages and cultures, as well as my particular fascination for Scandinavian countries. From the extensive, English-language course offerings at NMBU, I was able to choose enough modules without great difficulty, which I could have credited to me at home, so that I was able to complete my studies, despite the semester abroad, in standard study time. What I found particularly positive about this university was the relatively small course groups, usually between 5 and 30 students, which led to a much more intensive professional exchange between the students themselves and with the lecturers.

Thanks to the lovingly and elaborately designed introductory program by the university and the student council, the community of international students grew close in a very short time and I got used to the new environment very quickly. For me personally, the cultural exchange with students from all over the world was one of the most valuable experiences I had during my stay and certainly the one that left the most lasting impression on me.

This has resulted in lasting friendships that have developed during numerous excursions to the breathtaking nature of Norway or while exploring the very diverse student life at NMBU. For me, the semester abroad was a crazy, wild, inspiring and motivating time that brought me forward enormously on a personal as well as professional level.

However, there were also many difficult moments in six months in Norway where I had to somehow "bite my way through". For these reasons, I would recommend a semester abroad to anyone who is flexible enough to adapt to a new environment, who has the stamina to face the bureaucratic hassle, and for whom there is nothing better than exploring an unknown country with new friends.

Janina Leinberger