Field of study in Wageningen: Biotechnology
Study period exchange: 06/09/2022 – 03/02/2023
Country (exchange): Frankrijk
City (exchange): Paris
University (exchange): Institut Sup’Biotech de Paris
Faculty (exchange): Biotechnology
2. Motivation for exchange
Why did you choose to go on study exchange?
I wanted to experience how it is to live outside of The Netherlands. I think it is a great way to broaden you look upon the world. Due to the fact that during my exchange I met a lot of people from different cultures.
What is the reason you chose for this country/university?
Mainly due to the fact that the university was located in Paris. I have always admired the city Paris and wanted to experience how it is to study and live there. Moreover, I wanted to live in a big city to see if it would be a good place for me to live during my work.
3. Accessibility to reach destination
Do you have any tips to reach your exchange destination?
Train is the best way to reach Paris, within four hours you can reach the city.
4. University and studying
Could you provide some general information about the followed courses?
How is the study formalized?
The examinations are mostly big projects and presentations. Only a few courses will have written exams. The workload is okay.
What is the culture of the university?
You have to be present during almost all the lectures. The local students organised some activities for us at the beginning, but afterwards we had to approach them ourselves most of the time. Moreover, you have all your courses during the same time and at the end of the semester the examinations of all courses take place. Lastly, the university is mostly focussed on the labor market instead of the academic world.
What does the university offer the student additionally?
Not very much. There is an option to go to the gym, however it was pretty vague how to get access to it. The catering is okay of the university, but it is pretty expensive and not many seats.
5. Housing-travelling-living
What are the possibilities for housing?
You can sign up via the university on Studapart. Here rooms are offered to which you can apply. The university first stated that they would find a room for us. However, in the end they did not manage to get us a room, so we had to find one ourselves. They recently build some new buildings with rooms, so at the moment the availability is okay. Lastly, the rent rate if between 600 – 1000 euros per month.
What is the culture of the country like?
For me the culture was comparable to the Dutch culture I am used to. Only thing is that in general not many people speak English and assume everyone speaks French. This can make it harder to make yourself clear. Also, because Paris is very big, people in the city are hard to approach and more self focussed.
Could you give a general price indication of the place of residence compared to living in Wageningen?
I would say it is 1.5 to 2 times more expensive in Paris than in Wageningen.
Could you give some information about public transport infrastructure?
The infrastructure is good. A lot of different metro lines, which goes every 5 to 10 minutes. For 85 euros per month you can buy a Navigo monthly pass, which enables you to travel unlimited during the month. Taxi prices are pretty expensive, but if you share the taxi with friends it can save a lot of money. I myself lived ten minutes walk to the university, so I always went by food. There are two metro stations close the university and moreover you can take a bus to get there.
6. Free time
What are must-sees in the area?
I stayed in Paris all the time. The city has so much to offer that exploring the city kept me busy whole my Erasmus. However, if you would like to travel a lot France offers some beautiful places, like Normandie, Strasbourg etc. Moreover, Paris has a very fast train connection with London and some other big cities.
What does not appear in the travel guide, but is worth a visit?
I did not make use of the travel guide, so I won’t know the answer to this question.
Do you have general tips and tricks about leisure time?
At the beginning join activities of ESN Paris. They organise a lot of walks through the city. Moreover, in Paris a lot of museums are free for students, so I went to visit all of them. Duplex and Café Oz organise a lot of parties for international students.
7. Challenges & best moment abroad
What was a challenge you have experienced?
I arrived a week before the start of university. During this time it was hard to meet people which made me feel lonely during the first week. However, when university started I met a lot of people and this solved the problem.
What was your best memory abroad?
Organizing an international diner with my friend group. We all made some typical dishes from our home countries, so we could share our own culture with our international friends.
8. Contact details
Would you like to ask Tim more questions about his exchange?
Send him a mail: tim.rammelaere@wur.nl