Studying abroad: worthwhile or waste of time?

Hi, I’m Lucy and I'm in my second year of BSc (Hons) Marketing.

Weighing up my options

Before coming to university, I always imagined that I would spend a year in France between my second and third year. However, I concluded that a placement year in industry would be more beneficial when obtaining a graduate job.

While this decision meant I would no longer be spending a year studying in a foreign country, I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity altogether. This led me to attend an appointment with the Career and Employability Services. During this appointment, I discovered that there was the option to study different topics at universities overseas.

I found the perfect course and quickly found myself on a four-week study placement in Germany in June!

To skip to the point, the experience was incredible and worthwhile.

I studied at WHU (Otto Beisheim School of Management) which is in the quaint village of Vallendar in West Germany. WHU is the Harvard Business School of Germany so the opportunity to study there was unmatched.

The course

During my time in Germany, I studied international business with a focus on the European scene. It was a very interesting subject to study and I learnt a lot. This opportunity gave me the chance to experience the culture and business market in the country, and I also got to network with like-minded individuals from across the globe.

I chose an international business course because it was a topic I really enjoyed studying in my first year and I knew it was unlikely that I would get the chance to study it again in the remaining years of my undergraduate degree. This topic fits into my degree but isn’t directly related. This summer programme gave me the opportunity to expand my knowledge in an area that I was interested in.

The sessions I attended covered the economic environment in Germany and Europe, German beer culture, the importance of family run businesses in Germany and so much more. The topics were expertly designed to give a rounded but in-depth insight. I did find that some of the subjects were challenging but I really enjoyed them and learnt a lot that I can apply in the future.

During the initial three weeks, I took part in cultural experiences like visiting some incredible castles and historical landmarks, along with intensive workshops on a range of topics. The three-week period ended with an exam and feedback was given to the University of Bradford about how I got on with the course. Just the fact that I studied the European market in Europe will help me in my future career because I will be much more of a flexible asset for businesses.

As I am a UK student, I qualified for the funding to study for an extra week. In the extra week, I was given an assignment to complete. I finished this quickly with the flexibility to do it on the go whilst experiencing other things in Germany.

The wider experience

My fellow participants and I got a good insight into the German way of life and immersed ourselves in the culture. Most mornings on the way to class, we would visit the bakery for our breakfast. The weekends were fantastic as we got free time to travel far and wide across the country.

Whilst some of my classmates visited neighbouring countries, I loved going into town to get the most amazing ice cream and explore what was right on my doorstep. Alongside this, we spent some of the evenings playing cards and hosting dinner parties to get to know each other.

Sightseeing

In my extra week, I decided to travel to some of the biggest cities in West Germany. It made it even better as the Euros were being hosted in Germany - it was buzzing with life everywhere I went!

The University provided us with a regional train pass so I was able to travel for free. It made this experience so affordable and most of the time I didn't have to spend anything on my trips. I was able to visit Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Cologne that week and saw some really incredible landmarks like Cologne Cathedral, Lindt chocolate museum, German Football Museum in Dortmund and so much more.

Since leaving Germany, I've stayed in contact with many of the people I met there and that has been nice.

Personal impact

I learnt a lot about myself during this trip. I met new people, travelled alone, lived on my own, and survived in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language. I feel like it has given me so much confidence and has empowered me for the future. I can't wait to do similar experiences and try new activities.

I made new friends and more importantly, added people from across the globe to my network. This is so valuable for my future and who knows how we can help each other in the future.

I would really recommend applying to study abroad. It seems like the obvious choice to me as you can get a grant to study in a foreign country and gain some experience that you might find challenging to get after you've graduated.

Interested in studying abroad?

Discover more about the Summer Experience programme and the opportunities available to you.