Essential Tips for a Study Exchange Application

If you want to take on an exciting journey and spend a semester or a year abroad, then Wageningen University (WUR) has just the thing for you – an exchange possibility! Travelling, learning about different academic topics, and experiencing another culture first-hand are all things that happen when going on an exchange.🧳

Exchange 101 – the basics

Simply put, when you choose to participate in an exchange program, you are studying abroad for a semester or a whole year. The exchange can be done in your Bachelor’s and/or during your Master’s! You can either follow various courses or do your thesis at the partner university. The courses that you can take depend on the chosen university and what it offers for incoming students. It is great, because just like WUR’s electives, the courses that you’ll be taking don’t necessarily have to be connected to your major. This is the time to explore different areas or take on that personal interest you’ve had from a more professional, in-depth perspective. Think of it as a self-development possibility.

 

Terminology

• Host University – This is the university that you’re coming from. Thus, WUR.
• Partner University (PU) – The university you’re going to spend your exchange in.
• Visiting/Incoming Students – Often used by the partner university when talking about students coming(in) to their university, sent by another(host) university.
• Outgoing Students – You may come across this term being used by WUR to describe people leaving(out) WUR and going abroad.
• Exchange coordinator – You’re not alone in this! For all of the destinations, there are corresponding exchange coordinators. They ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible and help you with the application documents. Think of them as the connection bridge between you and the partner university. While the coordinators are always open to assisting you, that doesn’t mean they do all the work for you. You are the one responsible for filling out the documents and submitting them on time. Of course, if something is unclear, you can reach out to them. 🙂

Important: Visit WUR’s interactive infographic of the steps, which will lead you through the process with every detail that you need to know. Click on each one to navigate straight to it.

 

Orientation

WUR is partnered with 45 universities, offering you the possibility to choose from 6 continents. I was very pleasantly surprised when I found out how many Partner Universities there are! In the Excel sheet on the PU‘s page, you can find out which universities and departments are suitable for your programme. Green cells mean that there is less competition, so it is more likely for you to be chosen. Orange stands for higher competition, usually due to fewer spots and/or big interest.

 

Preparation

After picking out your favourites, check out their requirements as well as the courses that they offer. An important note to keep in mind is that if you want to apply outside the EU, you need a GPA≥7. If you are a Bachelor’s, you also need to have obtained a certain number of credits – at least 60 ECTS.

The courses that you can take are PU-specific and depend on the agreement that they have with WUR. So make sure to check their compatibility in the bilateral agreements. Moreover, it is advisable to talk with a study advisor and discuss the outline of your academic year plan and how the exchange will fit in. They can also guide you if you have any other questions regarding academics.

Pro-tip: Upon their return, students participate in a survey about their exchange experience. Those surveys and opinions are super useful! They cover things like accommodation, difficulties and recommendations, courses rating, comparison to WUR, cost of living and many more. Make sure to take a look at them! Some students also left their contact information, so you can connect and ask for advice on some things here and there. Another cool thing is the Study Abroad Instagram page, where you can take a sneak peek at different exchange destinations! Students share their journey and study abroad story in pictures.

 

Application rounds & Results

You have to narrow down your choices to 3 and apply to them, making a top 3 list. Some documents that you have to prepare, such as a motivation letter, are needed for your top 1 PU choice. It is important to keep up with the deadlines (Jan 31st) and email information that you’ll be receiving for this process. Check the Infographic Steps Map linked above to find all the application steps!
After the first application round has passed, you will find out if you have been chosen to study abroad in one of your top 3 university wishes.

But what if you weren’t admitted to any of them? Good news! There are more rounds where you can enroll into universities that have free spots left.

 

Application at PU & WUR approval

Congrats, you’ve been nominated! What’s next? After you have been chosen, you have to apply to the PU. They will contact you through email and your coordinator and will explain the necessary documentation. Wageningen’s Examining Board also has to approve the courses you’ll be taking at the PU. To do that, you have to fill out a motivation form and register your courses in Osiris (WUR’s Student Portal). The courses have to give you enough credits to cover the minimum ECTS requirements when going on exchange (depending on the duration).

 

Pro-tip: To be sure that your courses are going to be approved by the Examining Board, speak with a study adviser first and then submit your proposal. And again, be mindful of the deadlines and don’t wait until the last moment! Try to do the work as early as possible. It will save you future worries in case something unexpectedly pops up later. 🙂

 

Personal experience with the application process

My honest opinion is that it is indeed a lot – it’s a process. But is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! There is always a lot of documentation when going through such procedures, but for this one, all of the effort you’ve put in is worth it by any means!

 

Pro-tip: As mentioned above, the coordinators play a big role. I greatly appreciate my coordinator and all the help they have provided me with along the way. If you don’t know something, ask twice or even three times until you fully understand everything. Don’t be shy about asking for help, you’re not alone!

 

Now, it’s time to unravel the secret – my exchange destination!

 

I am writing this part while on the plane to… JAPAN!! I’m landing in Tokyo in a couple of hours (well, maybe a bit more haha) and I am super excited! Keep following the future blogs, where I will yet update you on how my exchange goes! Aand of course, give you sneak peeks of Tokyo life and student communities there. 😀

Are you hyped up about going on an exchange after this blog? I hope so hihi:) Find the official WUR information on studying abroad here with all of its specifics and details.

Once again, don’t forget to visit the following and get inspired:

• Surveys of previous exchange students
• WUR’s Exchange Instagram page

Ready for an adventure?

Zlatoslava✈️