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UU Study Abroad Report Form Faculty/college: Level: Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences bachelor master PhD other Name degree programme: Pedagogical Sciences Destination city & country Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America Name host institution and/or company/organisation University of Oklahoma Purpose of exchange Departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) Return date (dd/mm/yyyy) study/courses work placement field work other 15-08-2015 15-01-2016 Preparation Exchange/placement application process: Before I could apply for the University of Oklahoma, the Study Information Point (STIP) had to approve my study plan After they gave their approval, I uploaded my application letter, study plan and financial plan in Osiris After six weeks, Utrecht University messaged me that I was selected to participate in the exchange programme After the University of Oklahoma officially accepted me as an exchange student, I started preparing for my semester abroad I had to schedule an appointment with the American Embassy in Amsterdam Before I could attend this appointment, I had to make sure that several documents were in order, of which official bank statements were the most important ones I would recommend new exchange students to schedule this appointment as soon as possible, because it might take some time before they send you your visa Also, I would recommend new exchange students to come to the appointment well-prepared, as the employees at the American Embassy can be gruff After I received my visa, I was ready to travel to the United States of America Counselling/support at home university: I didn’t need much counselling at Utrecht University I only attended the pre-departure meeting, during which I met the other exchange students that would attend the University of Oklahoma next semester Also, a few exchange students who were enrolled in the exchange programme at the University of Oklahoma last semester attended this pre-departure meeting This gave me the opportunity to ask specific questions about the University of Oklahoma Therefore, I would recommend new exchange students to attend the pre-departure meeting Academic preparation: As I stated above, before you can apply for any exchange programme, your study plan needs to be approved by the Study Information Point (STIP) The courses in which you will be enrolled during your semester abroad should not overlap with any of the courses that you were already enrolled in at Utrecht University The University of Oklahoma offers a variety of courses, most of which are more specific than the courses taught at Utrecht University This gives you the opportunity to dig deeper in topics that you are interested in The Class Navigator gives you an overview of which courses they offered during prior semesters I would recommend new exchange students to use the Class Navigator to pick courses that would fit interests, but not to pin themselves down on certain courses, as the course offer might slightly differ next semester Language preparation: Students attending Utrecht University are sufficiently skilled in (academic) English to successfully participate in the courses taught at the University of Oklahoma New exchange students not have to make any language preparations Finances: Studying abroad in the United States of America is quite expensive I would recommend new exchange students to start saving up money as early as possible I spent about €11.000,- during my semester at the University of Oklahoma, including several city trips and one month of traveling in California after the semester had ended The housing prices at the campus are comparable with the housing prices in the city centre of Utrecht I paid about €450,- a month for a room in a four-person apartment Study/placement abroad period Study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues): In the first week, before the lessons start, I had to enrol myself in the courses of my choice I would recommend new exchange students to this as early as possible, as certain classes have a registration limit If you need advice or help, Katie Richardson’s door is always open Academic quality of education/placement activities: The education at the University of Oklahoma is of a lower level compared to the education at Utrecht University Also, the education is organised differently New exchange students should prepare themselves for mandatory attendance and lots of homework Counselling/support at host institution/organisation: I didn’t need much counselling at the University of Oklahoma I only made an appointment with Katie Richardson once, when I needed advise on which courses to choose As I stated before, Katie’s door is always open She is the point of call for all exchange students You can come to her with all type of questions and problems Transfer of credits: New exchange students should realise that Utrecht University is aware of the fact that the courses taught at the University of Oklahoma are easier compared to the courses taught at Utrecht University I had four A’s, which were translated into 8’s (Pedagogical Sciences, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences) It took a while before the University of Oklahoma send me the transcript, but it only took the Study Information Point (STIP) to upload my grades in Osiris Student life Welcome/orientation programme: Exchange students have to complete several online courses, in which the University of Oklahoma educates exchange students about the rules on campus, before arrival Also, they have to attend Crimson Connection, which is an orientation programme in the week before the lessons start During this day, University of Oklahoma students will show the exchange students around on campus Accommodation: Exchange students have a few choices concerning housing They can choose for Traditions, which is an apartment complex located just off-campus You will live in an apartment with three roommates You won’t have to share your room with any roommates Exchange students can also choose for Kraetlli, which is an apartment complex located just on-campus You will live in an apartment with several roommates and you will have to share your room with one of them Exchange students can also choose for the Residence Halls, which is an apartment complex located at the centre of the campus You will live in in a dorm room, which you have to share with one (exchange) student I would recommend new exchange students to choose for Traditions, since most exchange students are resided there Leisure/culture: The University of Oklahoma offers exchange students lots of opportunities to get involved in campus life, as well as life in Oklahoma For instance, the OU Cousins programme gave exchange students the opportunity to meet American students and the Host Family programme gave exchange students the opportunity to meet American families living in Norman Suggestions/tips: Sign up for both the OU Cousins and the Host Family programme This way, you will get an actual insight into the lives of Americans Conclusions Would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? Please explain: I definitely would recommend the University of Oklahoma to new exchange students The offer of courses is very diverse, the exchange counselling is well-organised and the campus is a beautiful place to live Do you have any additional advice or comments? I would recommend new exchange students to buy a car Public transportation is poorly organised UU Study Abroad Report Form Faculty/college: University of Utrecht Level: x bachelor Name degree programme: Communication- and Information Science Destination city & country Oklahoma City, United States Name host institution and/or company/organisation University of Oklahoma Purpose of exchange x study/courses Departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 15/08/2015 Return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 04/01/2016 master work placement PhD field work other other Preparation Exchange/placement application process: My first choice was the University of Oklahoma so I was very happy that I was accepted Then the application process starts and you have to arrange a lot of things before you can go to the United States But with help from the University of Utrecht and University of Oklahoma the application process went smoothly First, you have to a lot of paperwork but it is all worth it and not that difficult Counselling/support at home university: Ingrid Dijkstra is the mentor for the exchange program of North America You can always e-mail her for questions Three months before you will leave to the United States there will be a meeting organised by UU You can ask everything, also about the VISA application process Furthermore, I thought it was great that there were students that already have been to the University of Oklahoma They shared their experiences and I could ask them everything about the student life at the University of Oklahoma Academic preparation: None Language preparation: None Finances: Going on an exchange is expensive but you can make it as cheap/expensive as you want Especially the tickets for travelling during and after the semester were really expensive I have travelled to Texas, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago and New York It was expensive but it was worth it Before I went on exchange I saved up a lot of moneys Also I got a donation of my parents In the end the living in Oklahoma is not more expensive than here It is the travelling that is so expensive Study/placement abroad period Study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues): Before I was leaving to the United States I had chosen courses that I wanted to take When you visit the website, there are a lot of courses! First, I didn’t know where to start, but take your time for choosing courses and it will be fine When I arrived in Oklahoma I heard that I was enrolled It went all very smoothly Eventually I had dropped course after one week It is mandatory to take courses Academic quality of education/placement activities: The academic level is lower at the University of Oklahoma than the University of Utrecht Though, the amount of homework, essays and assingments was much higher than you are used to It is not difficult, but you have to spend (a lot of) time studying The teachers are really nice and interested in the students Most of the teachers are happy to have an exchange student in their classes Counselling/support at host institution/organisation: The international office at the University of Oklahoma is really kind and helpful Katie was sending us a lot of e-mails with information and she helped us with every step that we needed to take to study there When you had a question about anything you could go to the international office and they will help you Transfer of credits: I took courses When I was back in the Netherlands I received a transcript of my grades at the University of Oklahoma I have sent this grade transcript and the syllabi of each course to the ‘Studiepunt Geesteswetenschappen’ It may take up to weeks to transfer your credits Student life Welcome/orientation programme: You will arrive at the University of Oklahoma a week before the classes will start In this orientation week there are several activities to get to know the campus and the other exchange students Some of the activities are mandatory There are also arranged shuttles to take you to Walmart because you have to buy everything for your apartment Accommodation: I have stayed at Traditions I think it is the best place to stay for exchange students There is a Traditions East and West I have stayed in Traditions West and I had three other roommates You have your own bedroom and your own sink You will share the bathroom with one other person and you are sharing the living room and the kitchen with three other persons The apartment is really nice You have also a dishwasher, washing machine and a dryer The swimming pool and hot tub are really great!! I loved staying at traditions Leisure/culture: I have travelled a lot in the weekends With a group we often rented a car so we could see more of the States When you don’t have or rent a car you can’t go anywhere In the weekends we have made trips to Atlanta, Wichita Mountains, Dallas and Oklahoma City When you stay at the campus for a weekend it is not boring at all On Saturdays there are Football games The whole ambiance in the stadium is really amazing! There are fireworks, airplanes and bands It is fantastic! In the evenings you can go to Campus Corner for a drink or something to eat A lot of students are going there to party or just to chill Suggestions/tips: My tip is to get a bike You will need it to go to classes Also if you have the money or you can share it with other persons buy a car! Eventually it will be cheaper than rent a car every weekend You really need a car in Oklahoma, otherwise you can’t go anywhere You can also apply for a host family and an OU cousin You should apply for them both You host family will help you with grocery shopping or they will take you to Oklahoma City and see more of the city An OU cousin is an American student at OU that is going to be your buddy You can choose your own buddy at a meeting They will organize a lot of events to with your OU Cousin Conclusions Would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? Please explain: I would definitely recommend the University of Oklahoma It is in the middle of America and there aren’t a lot of tourists The campus is really beautiful and typical American Do you have any additional advice or comments?: If you have to chance to study abroad, you should it! It will be the best time of your life UU Study Abroad Report Form Faculty/college: Humanities Level: X bachelor Name degree programme: Media and Culture studies Destination city & country Oklahoma, United States Name host institution and/or company/organisation University of Oklahoma Purpose of exchange X study/courses Departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 12/01/2016 Return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 10/06/2016 master work placement PhD field work other other Preparation Exchange/placement application process: First a lot of research where you want to go I knew I wanted to go to the United States so I looked into every partner university located in the United States and mainly the coursed they offered After that I made a selection and wrote a motivation letter specific for my first choice and because I already looked into the courses they offered it was easier to write After you arranged all the official documents the waiting starts… Just keep in mind that arranging all the official documents can take time so start early! Counselling/support at home university: The presentations and get together before you leave are very helpful in to prepare for your leave but the research and application responsibilities are all yours Academic preparation: Like I said look into the courses you want to follow and how they will become part in your degree Language preparation: Because University Utrecht has a lot of research material in academic English for me it wasn’t really necessary to prepare Finances: Make sure you have enough money to get around but you can make your exchange period as expensive as you want Don’t forget to ask for OV-vergoeding! Study/placement abroad period Study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues): I had approvement from my examencommisie for several courses to count as minor But when I arrived it appeared I couldn’t follow all those courses But the advisor at the University of Oklahoma was very helpful in finding new courses and I already had some backup courses which was nice SO again, your research before you leave It will take some time but it saves a lot of time and stress when you are already abroad Academic quality of education/placement activities: Everyone has trouble with the placement in courses but Katie Richardson is really nice and will help you She also really busy so have patience, just go to all the courses you are interested in and talk to the teachers as well I loved the courses I followed To be honest I was a little tired of writing research papers all the time and this was a great opportunity to learn more about the practice in combination with theory for my degree The courses weren’t as hard as at Utrecht University but there is a lot of homework They have great equipment and everything is accessible for you if you ask the right people Tip: Use it! Counselling/support at host institution/organisation: Katie Richardson is super nice and really helps everyone with everything the best she can! Transfer of credits: Still in the process Student life Welcome/orientation programme: The program is sufficient for information about the school etc but to get to know some people you have to put some effort in it yourself All the people you meet are new and want to meet new people so that isn’t a real problem but there is not a lot of time that the University gives you to talk with each other during the program Accommodation: I stayed in the cheapest apartments Kraettli but it was really nice I shared a room with a Turikish girl and in the other room a Colombian girl stayed I was lucky with my roommates we became good friends If you have troubles with your roommates talk about it and make a schedule if necessary for cleaning We didn’t need it but I knew a lot of people who did The building was a little old but everything you need is there and working Our fridge broke but we called maintenance and in hours we had a new fridge Leisure/culture: There are a lot of opportunities to get to know American people There is FIS where you get a host family and OU cousins where you get an American buddy I joined all these programs and this made my experience awesome There are a lot of activities on campus and around Norman Free movie showings, free food, laser gaming, camel riding etc Make sure you read the announcements written with chalk on the sidewalks at campus and the flyers! You can be as busy as you want every night there is something to or you can meet with others at campus corner Wednesday dollar burger at O’Connell’s and karaoke There are saferides for Thursday till Saturday so you can call a taxi for free to get around at night, every student gets a week! Suggestions/tips: Say yes! Every invitation and activity is worth going! Conclusions Would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? Please explain: OU is a great University the courses, facilities and professors are really nice and awesome There are a lot of activities Norman isn’t that big but the people who live there and the campus life can really make you feel at home Oklahoma City is close so when you really want more clubbing you can always go there but campus corner is great as well! Do you have any additional advice or comments?: Just it! If it’s here or somewhere else, just go! I had a great experience I feel like a Sooner and they say once a Sooner always a Sooner! and 50% go to ‘west’, which is only a minute walk apart The apartments are pretty neat and you have a washing machine/dryer/microwave/oven/fridge/freezer/tv Each Traditions has his own swimming pool, gym and a Jacuzzi You will have other roommates (exchange) but apartments next to you can be occupied by Americans From traditions to campus: walking distance is approx 20 minutes, but there is a bus going every 30 minutes Make sure to make friends with maintenance, if so, they will repair everything for free (we noticed a huge hole in the wall after a Saturday night If you are nice to other people, they will be nice to you They repaired it without any charges) leisure/culture There are tons of things to You will make so many friends, and you will party with them a lot Near campus are bars where you will be during the weekends During the first semester the OU team plays college football, which basically means 80.000 people are going to campus to see the game and drink a lot To go from Traditions to the bars, you can get free taxi’s, a thing called safe ride Get your vouchers on campus and you can use them Thursday/Friday/Saturday night to go to the bar and to get picked up Only think you need to is call them and tell them where you are There is enough time to travel during the semester I went to Illinois/Kansas/Texas and a lot of other states suggestions/tips Make sure you try to everything on time I didn’t and it still worked out pretty well, but it is more time consuming conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I would definitely recommend the University of Oklahoma to everyone My first choice was Toronto and my second choice was Oklahoma If I knew that I would experience all this, I would definitely put Oklahoma on the first place You will meet so many people which you will be in contact with for your whole life Americans/exchange students are open minded and there is always a group that you would like Try to go the first semester, seeing that there is college football which is really good If you go the second semester you can see all the basketball games (Thunder Oklahoma City) Oklahoma doesn’t sound really attractive at first, but I had the best time of my life Especially during your spare time, you will experience a lot of crazy things you have any additional advice or comments? There are a lot of house parties and typical American Pie activities, so you can not sit home during the weekends But beside all the partying make sure your grades are good You can go to OU just to party, but it is easy to get good grades and party as well, just be smart and plan your stuff Contact details: A.prins1@students.uu.nl Student Services / International Office Postal address: P.O Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 F: +31-(0)30-253 2627 page of UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Geo science level x name degree programme Natuurwetenschap & Innovatiemanagement destination city & country Oklahoma, USA name host institution and/or University of Oklahoma x bachelor master PhD other field work other company/organization purpose of exchange x departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 13 / 08 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) study/courses 14 work placement / 2012 / 01 / 2013 You are requested to write on the following topics Text boxes will expand automatically while typing preparation exchange/placement application process In the end the amount of work you need to put in is infinitesimally small compared to what you get back It is sometimes a bit of a hassle to get the right stamp at the right office at the right opening hours, but in the end you don’t remember anything of that counselling/support at home university Ingrid Dijkstra was the mentor for the exchange program and you can always mail her for questions There was a meeting organised by UU and they tell you everything you have to know and which websites you have to visit to make sure everything is well arranged academic preparation Before I went to OU, I had to choose several courses, in the end I didn’t took any of my first preferences so you have to take that into account language preparation My English improved during my exchange period I didn’t have to prepare extra before I went, since most of my courses are already in English at UU Toefl test were not needed and if you passed your English on a VWO exam you will fine finances Before I left I worked at a call centre to earn some money Beside that I had the OV compensation 0f 90 euro’s a month, some savings, my parents who would donate something and of course I put my DUO Loan to a maximum of 500 € a month extra, just in case In the end the living is not really more expensive than here It’s just the ticket which Is a lot and the travelling what makes it more expensive After the semester I travelled to the west coast by car for one month and that was where I spend most money During the semester we made several trips to NY, Texas and New mexico You are not allowed to work during your exchange program at OU study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) In the first weeks at OU you can still switch courses You have to visit Tina so she can enrol you It is a good system since you can attend classes to see what is like Don’t pay attention to the perquisites of each course You can bluff easily that you have some knowledge on the field you want to take a course in In the end the level is not as hard as UU, so don’t let a strict syllabus of a course influence your choice page of academic quality of education/placement activities Overall the level of the courses at OU was lower However, you had to more than I was used to Handing in homework and attend most classes was needed There is also more interaction between students and professor, which is very usefull I scored B’s at OU which is okay, I think it will be 8’s on my Dutch transcripts counselling/support at host institution/organisation Tina Henderson is the exchange mentor at OU and she is really kind and helpful Besides her, you can always email your professors transfer of credits I think my transcripts will arrive soon I had to mail my professors several times to make sure they give also include the numerical score to my transcripts, since they give A’s B’s and C’s over there student life welcome/orientation programme OU has a really intensive welcome program They organise all kinds of meetings, to meet both the international as the American students I just applied for everything, Host family, Fraternity, OU cousin In the end I did most with my fraternity Most internationals you will meet anyway on the house parties accommodation You can choose to live in the dorms or traditions, I chose traditions, which was about $500 a month Dorms are cheaper, but in the dorms you share your room with another person, you only live with freshman, no alcohol is allowed, and you have to purchase a meal plan, which is expensive Most internationals live in traditions, you have an apartment with people and its quite luxury (dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, cooking stuff and a Pools for several buildings!) leisure/culture Travel as much as possible! Host families often take you to places, and plan as much trips as possible I went to NY for thanksgiving and after the semester to the west coast Also Visit the OU-Texas game This is one of the biggest American College Football games of the year, and Dallas is one big party city loaded with students suggestions/tips Buy a bike on craiglist buy your books on amazon instead of the study store Go to Brother on thirsty Thursday Be open to meet more/new people, more than you would be in Holland If you travel after the semester, make sure Ingrid fills in your date of return on the DUO form, and not the end date of the semester, otherwise you will miss one month of Uitwonendestudiebeurs, which happened to me conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain For sure! OU is a great University, since most students live on/ near campus you have an enormous student community of almost 30.000 students there Moreover, it is easy to travel through several different states from Oklahoma, since it is located in the middle of the US Besides, the people are really kind and the weather makes it possible to sit in the Jacuzzi in December you have any additional advice or comments? Travel a lot, and try to experience every second of the semester, since it will be over before you know and then your back in Holland again Also: Make friends with Americans! After a month you will realize you know most of the internationals, which is great since they are all in the mood to make most out of their exchange program However, the best parties, nicest places, greatest weekends etc you will experience when you hang out with Americans They take you to the page of things you wouldn’t know as an international student Besides, they all have cars, which is a must to get around in the US Contact details: Student Services / International Office Postal address: P.O Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 F: +31-(0)30-253 2627 E: exchange@qdesk.uu.nl (information) verslagen.internationaloffice@uu.nl (report) I: www.uu.nl/students/exchange page of UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Utrecht University level x bachelor name degree programme Dutch language and culture destination city & country Norman, USA name host institution and/or University of Oklahoma master PhD other field work other company/organization purpose of exchange X study/courses departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 12 / 08 / 2012 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) 19 / 12 / 2012 work placement You are requested to write on the following topics Text boxes will expand automatically while typing preparation exchange/placement application process You have to arrange a lot of things before you can apply for an exchange programme But you get all the help you need It helped for me to make a list with the things I had to and when I received an email, I did immediately what they asked me to do, so that I wouldn’t forget counselling/support at home university The support over here is really good Just send all you questions to Ingrid and she responses as fast as she can I had a lot of questions, but she could always explain things to me academic preparation I didn’t prepare a lot in the Netherlands, because all the courses that I wanted to take were for the ‘profilering’, so it didn’t matter that much language preparation Because I was from the Netherlands, I didn’t have to take any languagetest We learn English really good over here, so that wasn’t a problem at all When you go to the the USA, you will notice that Dutch people speak English really well! We get a lot of compliments;) finances I started saving money about a year before I went to the States I also got the money my parents saved for me, and I didn’t even spend everything And you also get an ‘uitwonende beurs’ and you get money for the ‘ov’ that you’re not using I didn’t get a scholarship, because there is none for the States study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) Because it didn’t matter that much what kind of courses I took, I just took the courses that sounded interesting to me Normally, if you’re in your third year, you take 3000 courses I took one 1000, one 3000 and one 4000 course and it wasn’t that hard You only get a lot of homework academic quality of education/placement activities The level of education is different in the USA I thought it was easier than in the Netherlands, and you get high grades easily There are also a lot of things you can to get extra credit The teachers also really like it if you go by their office to talk to them They are really interested and friendly counselling/support at host institution/organisation page of There was one person you could email always, that was Tina Henderson She always responds right away and you can ask her anything She knows everything that you need to arrange things, so that’s really helpful transfer of credits I haven’t transfer my credits yet, so I can’t say exactly how you have to that student life welcome/orientation programme The orientation was awesome There is a whole programme the first week with presentations, parties and free food I went for the fall semester, so also all the freshmen were new The presentations are really helpful and there are a lot of people who love to help you You also get to know the other exchange students, because you see them at the pool and the parties;) accommodation I really loved my apartment I lived in Traditions with three other girls The girls were from Italy, Colombia and China, so it was also interesting to learn something about their culture There also was a pool, Jacuzzi, gym and a club house Because most exchange students are living there, you get to know them really well and you won’t be bored! The apartment was pretty big, we had two bathrooms and everybody had their own sink There was also a washing machine, a dryer and a dishwasher! leisure/culture In my spare time, I did a lot with my host family I was really lucky to have them, because they were really nice and enthusiastic So most holidays I spend with them But if you want to go out by yourself, you need a car You can go with the bus to the mall and Oklahoma city, but the transportation is not that good So find some American friends with a car or buy or rent one yourself I had a bike, so I could get off campus, but I couldn’t go that far away because of the highway suggestions/tips If you’re preparing your trip, make lists! Buy a car if you can;) conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain Yes I would, because they everything to make you feel at home and they help you anyway they can The campus is really pretty and so big! And the footballgames are great, even if you don’t like sports;) you have any additional advice or comments? Have fun! Do everything that is offered to you so that you won’t regret anything And try to make friends with Americans, they are awesome! Contact details: Student Services / International Office Postal address: P.O Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 F: +31-(0)30-253 2627 E: exchange@qdesk.uu.nl (information) verslagen.internationaloffice@uu.nl (report) I: www.uu.nl/students/exchange page of UU Study Abroad Report Form faculty/college Geowetenschappen level x bachelor name degree programme Science & Innovation Management destination city & country Oklahoma, United States name host institution and/or University of Oklahoma master PhD other field work other company/organization purpose of exchange x study/courses departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 13 / 08 / 2011 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) / 01 / 2012 work placement You are requested to write on the following topics Text boxes will expand automatically while typing preparation exchange/placement application process Tip: start early with your application process Often things change or you want to change something and if you start too late that is not possible anymore My first choice was University of Florida, but there were only two spots so I was selected for my second choice: University of Oklahoma counselling/support at home university The support is good at the University of Utrecht There is always someone you can go to for questions Even though there always is someone you can go to for questions, there is a lot of work you need to yourself Looking up a place to live and courses you’d like to follow can take ages academic preparation I wanted to follow courses in Economics because I want to accomplish a minor Economics Getting courses in economics at OU is a little complicated You have to take a math test (which is not hard at all), but the thing is, is that you can only that once you get there So by the time you passed your math test, all the courses are already full Then you have to go to all the professors to ask if you can follow their courses language preparation You not need to an English test finances The life in Oklahoma is very cheap I slept in the cheap international students apartments Kraettli, I did my own page of groceries and cooked almost every day The price in bars and clubs is normal The good thing of a cheap living at OU is that you can save more money to travel and see the rest of the US! study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) What I found very difficult was to find the courses online which you would like to follow, but in the end everything changes when you get there As previously mentioned, getting courses in economics is a little complicated so not think that the courses you picked online are the ones you are going to follow academic quality of education/placement activities Academic quality is good You have to study a lot, but then you also learn a lot! The way of teaching is a little different than in Holland, but that is like that in general in the US A lot of homework, tests and mandatory attendance counselling/support at host institution/organisation The contact with OU is really good They contact you a lot, even before you get there transfer of credits I have not received the letter with my grades yet student life welcome/orientation programme The first week they organize an introduction week, which is very useful You meet all the other internationals and learn a lot about the university This is a week before all the courses start so you have some time to find your way around accommodation Kraettli, also called Crappy Kraettli or China Town, because it is very cheap and a lot of Asian people live there To live there was a really good choice for me Almost all international students live there, so you have a lot of house parties near by Because it is cheap you get to save more money to travel! leisure/culture Everybody is realllly nice Lovely people in Norman Very big football culture! suggestions/tips Get a bike or a car I didn’t want to get one because of money reasons, but you cannot anything without a bike or car Do not only hang out with internationals! It is easier to hang out with internationals, but to really get a taste of the American culture is also fun! The OU cousin program is really cool You are matched to an American I went to LA with my OU cousin! conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I had a great time, but there isn’t really a lot to in Norman accept campus life I would not go there for a whole year, but a semester is great It is definitely something different and you really get the chance to see some of the real American culture!! Also positive: Norman is in the middle of the States, good to travel! you have any additional advice or comments? Good luck with the application and have fun studying abroad!! Contact details: Student Services / International Office Postal address: P.O Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 page of UU Study Abroad Report Form Every UU student going abroad is expected to submit a report, as stated in the conditions of the UU Study Abroad Contract Please send it as an e-mail attachment to verslagen.internationaloffice@uu.nl Please state your destination country (e.g Costa Rica) as subject The deadline to return this report is July 1, 2012, even if you are still abroad at that time! Your report will be made available to UU students preparing an exchange, placement or research period abroad We will take out your name and student number Not all of them are Dutch-speaking, therefore we prefer to receive reports written in English Thank you in advance! Please use Tab to go to the next (text) box family name Dechesne first name Quirine student number 3496651 faculty/college Geowetenschappen level x bachelor name degree programme Science & Innovation Management destination city & country Oklahoma, United States name host institution and/or University of Oklahoma master PhD other field work other company/organization purpose of exchange x study/courses departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) 13 / 08 / 2011 return date (dd/mm/yyyy) / 01 / 2012 work placement You are requested to write on the following topics Text boxes will expand automatically while typing preparation exchange/placement application process Tip: start early with your application process Often things change or you want to change something and if you start too late that is not possible anymore My first choice was University of Florida, but there were only two spots so I was selected for my second choice: University of Oklahoma counselling/support at home university The support is good at the University of Utrecht There is always someone you can go to for questions Even though there always is someone you can go to for questions, there is a lot of work you need to yourself Looking up a place to live and courses you’d like to follow can take ages academic preparation I wanted to follow courses in Economics because I want to accomplish a minor Economics Getting courses in economics at OU is a little complicated You have to take a math test (which is not hard at all), but the thing is, is that you can only that once you get there So by the time you passed your math test, all the courses are already full Then you have to go to all the professors to ask if you can follow their courses language preparation You not need to an English test finances The life in Oklahoma is very cheap I slept in the cheap international students apartments Kraettli, I did my own page of groceries and cooked almost every day The price in bars and clubs is normal The good thing of a cheap living at OU is that you can save more money to travel and see the rest of the US! study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) What I found very difficult was to find the courses online which you would like to follow, but in the end everything changes when you get there As previously mentioned, getting courses in economics is a little complicated so not think that the courses you picked online are the ones you are going to follow academic quality of education/placement activities Academic quality is good You have to study a lot, but then you also learn a lot! The way of teaching is a little different than in Holland, but that is like that in general in the US A lot of homework, tests and mandatory attendance counselling/support at host institution/organisation The contact with OU is really good They contact you a lot, even before you get there transfer of credits I have not received the letter with my grades yet student life welcome/orientation programme The first week they organize an introduction week, which is very useful You meet all the other internationals and learn a lot about the university This is a week before all the courses start so you have some time to find your way around accommodation Kraettli, also called Crappy Kraettli or China Town, because it is very cheap and a lot of Asian people live there To live there was a really good choice for me Almost all international students live there, so you have a lot of house parties near by Because it is cheap you get to save more money to travel! leisure/culture Everybody is realllly nice Lovely people in Norman Very big football culture! suggestions/tips Get a bike or a car I didn’t want to get one because of money reasons, but you cannot anything without a bike or car Do not only hang out with internationals! It is easier to hang out with internationals, but to really get a taste of the American culture is also fun! The OU cousin program is really cool You are matched to an American I went to LA with my OU cousin! conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I had a great time, but there isn’t really a lot to in Norman accept campus life I would not go there for a whole year, but a semester is great It is definitely something different and you really get the chance to see some of the real American culture!! Also positive: Norman is in the middle of the States, good to travel! you have any additional advice or comments? Good luck with the application and have fun studying abroad!! Contact details: Student Services / International Office • Postal address: P.O Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht • Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht • T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 page of faculty/college Geesteswetenschappen level bachelor name degree programme destination city & country name host institution and/or Communication Norman, United States of America Oklahoma University (BOOMER SOONER) company/organization purpose of exchange departure date (dd/mm/yyyy) return date (dd/mm/yyyy) study/courses 07 / 01 / 2012 01 / 06 / 2012 preparation exchange/placement application process Compared to the other students who went to other universities, I had to prepare relatively less First of all, I had to hand in a financial document to prove that I had enough money on my account For this I contacted my bank ING and asked for an English letter of solvability, which was send within a week Later, I had to fill in several forms (I think it was something like six pages) which had to be handed in to OU This form was easy accessible via internet I had to fill in an online form to reserve an apartment Whenever I had questions, Tina Henderson, the exchange adviser, was always quick to respond She is amazing, so don’t worry, you’ll be in good hands! Other non-academic preparations I had to take care of were the following: - Requesting an English letter from my health care provider, ZilverenKruis Achmea, in which was documented what services I was insured for When you hand this in at OU, you don’t have to purchase an additional expensive health care plan - Requesting travel insurance Just type in “student insurances” online - Getting hepatitis B vaccination Get this done at least a month ahead! I didn’t which led to stress You’ll also need documentation to prove you’ve had the MMS vaccinations - Requesting a visa If you can, make an appointment before December, as that is the busiest time of the year Although this is relatively easy to do, it is important you all these preparations in advance to save stress! counselling/support at home university Something like a month before leaving, a departure meeting was arranged in which the final preparations were discussed I found this really helpful, so definitely attend this meeting! Ingrid Dijkstra is really friendly so don’t hesitate to ask her for help academic preparation In my second year I took an additional 3rd course to make sure I have some ECT buffer in case the transfer of the credits didn’t work out (I still have to transfer my credits, so I don’t know how that will work out.) It does take the stress of taking many classes There’s overlap between the Dutch second semester and the OU spring semester, meaning I spent the first weeks of my exchange finishing my Dutch homework (my bachelor thesis!) I wouldn’t recommend this at all as in the first week there are many parties plus you already get lots of homework So plan your courses carefully! language preparation My English was sufficient enough due to my study in Scotland and bilingual high school finances To be honest, I didn’t really work as I had enough on my savings account However, I recommend you to start working and save a lot of money, as you’ll be spending almost the double amount per month than you will in the Netherlands (if you like to enjoy your visit by going to restaurants, travelling, etc.) study/placement abroad period study programme/work plan (concerning content and organisational issues) I took courses The first two are relatively easy and the second two are harder Four courses are enough, you want to have some spare time as well! - Introduction to Women & Gender studies - Introduction to Concert Music - Gender & Communication - International Communication There are many interesting courses at OU! They are quite different than the Dutch courses, so I advise you to thoroughly check everything out! The tests I had were quite easy; they were more about memorizing information rather than applying it to hypothetical cases, like I’m used to in my Dutch courses The teachers are in general more energetic and make more jokes, I guess that’s an American thing academic quality of education/placement activities The American classes I took were relatively easy compared to the Dutch courses The only difference is that you have to read more Although they’re easy, they are interesting! It is important to get to know your professor Like Dutch professors, they value class participation highly: they give you a grade for class participation and your group members get to give you a grade as well Even though you’re shy, make several comments in class so the professor knows you’re trying Introduce yourself at the end of the first lesson as an exchange student (“Hi, I’m X I’m an exchange student from the Netherlands and I’m excited to take your class”), in this way the teacher will know you and will be less strict grading your paper Professors have walk-in hours as well in which you can ask them questions about the class or your paper This is really handy: the professor will scan through your paper and give feedback how to improve it, making it easier for you to get a higher grade! Also, most classes offer opportunities for extracredit These are quite easy and they help your grade and show the professor you’re a dedicated student Now, I may come across as a bit of a nerd, but all this really benefited me in the end: - When professors know you well and know you’re putting effort in the class, they have the tendency to give you a higher grade (I call this the American style) - Also, they’ll be more flexible with your absences I missed more classes than I was allowed to in order to travel, but the professor will excuses you from this Finally, there is a Writing Center at campus where you can go for free (not for free actually, it is already paid for by your tuition) They have professionals which will read your paper through and give you feedback on how to improve it Perfect! counselling/support at host institution/organisation Tina Henderson is amazing, you can always spam her with questions There are also some counselling programs at OU in case you’re experiencing a culture shock and want to talk to someone transfer of credits I yet have to transfer my credits, so I don’t know how that will work out student life welcome/orientation programme During the first week there’ll be lots of activities organized in which you’ll get to meet other students and you’ll receive information about OU First hand advice: when they talk about tornadoes, pay attention! I didn’t really pay attention and did not read the safety folder, with the attitude “I’m sure there won’t be any tornadoes while I’m here.” I was wrong There was one small tornado hopping through Norman in April Although it missed the campus, it would have been far less scary if I knew where to take shelter It is really important to be active the first couple of weeks: there will be lots of parties and activities where you get to know the other exchange students and it is during this period where most friendships are formed that last for the whole semester! accommodation I stayed in Kraettli, which was very cheap but not the most luxurious place to stay These apartments will be torn down after this semester (you get an indication of how old they are ) If you have the option to choose for Traditions East, it! (Traditions West is the same, though a little further away on campus) They might be on the expensive side, but they have a swimming pool, hot tub, BBQ, basketball field, your own laundry room, etc leisure/culture There are many things to do! Check the Union Programming Board website, every week they organize free movies, free food and other activities Check the campus calendar for other interesting activities and free lectures You can go to classical/jazz/Native American concerts for $5 There are additional workshops given, like “How to negotiate your starting salary” and “How to market yourself during a job application”; you don’t get this information during (Dutch) lectures! On the campus there are many things going on with many stands that hand out free food and shirts, etc On the footpaths there are many events written in chalk; all these events have free food (cookies/pizza/soda/fruit/more) Several times when I had no food (oh yeah, you can’t just bike to Walmart!) I went to these free events to have a free meal, listen to a lecture and chat to some Americans Be sure to apply for a host family and an OU cousin! I’m really glad I did, as I had the opportunity to get to know Americans better On campus it’s easy to only hang around with exchange students instead of Americans, so at least I had a way of getting to know the culture from the insiders perspective Also, my host mom was from Native American descent, which was really cool as she took me to traditional pow wows! Having said that, try to get to know some Americans students From a Dutch perspective, some could be considered as “superficial” as they are really friendly at first, and after some time they don’t call you (very American: “I’ll call you!” Not.) Keep trying as there are Americans who are very interested in other cultures suggestions/tips Be active! There is so much to during your stay at OU, but you have to take the initiative yourself Make sure to travel, even though Norman is far away from many cities (visit Austin & Chicago!) Be sure to experience as much as you can, because time flies! conclusions would you recommend this host organisation/destination to others? please explain I really like the campus, I feel really safe here and there are many many things to Although, I must admit that sometimes you want to see other places than the campus, which is hard when you don’t have a car Make sure to make friends with people with who have a car you have any additional advice or comments? Have fun! It’s going to be a memorable experience ☺ Contact details: Student Services / International Office • Postal address: P.O Box 80125, NL-3508 TC Utrecht • Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, Utrecht • T: +31-(0)30-253 7000 • F: +31-(0)30-253 2627 • E: exchange@qdesk.uu.nl (information) verslagen.internationaloffice@uu.nl (report) • I: www.uu.nl/students/exchange