Year abroad in Budapest - an experience full of diversity

The varied and diverse range of courses on offer and the relative proximity to home persuaded Melanie to spend her year abroad in Budapest. The choice was not difficult for her, as the testimonials from other students were positive. “I also wanted to avoid the lottery of other partner universities,” she said with a smile. The Kufstein University has more than 225 partner universities worldwide, but not all higher education institutions have unlimited places available for a year abroad. If there is particularly high demand from individual universities, there is therefore a lottery procedure.

EXPERIENCES AND EVERYDAY UNIVERSITY LIFE

The year abroad in Budapest offered Melanie the opportunity to live in a foreign city, make new contacts and take courses that are not on the timetable at the Kufstein University. “The experience of living in a foreign city, meeting new people and the opportunity to take different courses was excellent,” she emphasized. ”Budapest is also a very beautiful city.” The short university days allowed Melanie to enjoy a lot of free time and experience certain courses more intensively. “A day at IBS usually consisted of two to four hours of lessons,” she said. ”We usually spent our breaks and lunch breaks in the cafés on campus.”

ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

The degree program abroad not only helped Melanie develop professionally, but also personally. “It was enriching to be on my own,” she said. ”I was also able to attend specialist courses that are not available at the Kufstein University.” Despite occasional challenges, such as the language barrier and adapting to a new environment, Melanie always found support. The student lived with her boyfriend in a large, modern apartment. The apartment was very centrally located, which she highly recommended, but 40 minutes away from the university. Her assessment of Budapest is consistently positive. “The university offers a diverse range of courses,” she said. ”The professors are competent and Budapest is an interesting and beautiful city. The older generation hardly speaks any English and is therefore less open to foreign students than their peers. But that's the only point of criticism I can make.”

Conclusio

For the student, the key to a successful degree program abroad is to be open to new experiences. “Budapest is not number one on the list of places for students to spend a semester abroad. But even in less attractive cities/countries, you can have great experiences and correct your prejudices. A good range of courses is crucial and outweighs everything else when choosing a partner university. Being open to new experiences and approaching this special stage of your life with an open mind is a huge boost to your personal development.” 

Links:

• International Business Studies
• International Business School Budapest