Field of study in Wageningen: Msc Food Technology
Study period exchange: 08/01/2024 – 08/05/2024
Country (exchange): Iceland
City (exchange): Reyjavik
University (exchange): University of Iceland
Faculty (exchange): Faculty of Heath Sciences
2. Motivation for exchange
Why did you choose to go on study exchange?
Mainly to experience living abroad.
What is the reason you chose for this country?
I’ve always been drawn to the Scandinavian (colder) countries, and when I saw that I could study food science in Iceland, it felt meant to be :).
What is the reason you chose for this university?
This university got a food science department 😊.
3. Accessibility to reach destination
I travelled by plane, which is the most common way of reaching Iceland. There is also a boat from Denmark, which could be a nice addition to your travel plans if you have the time and money.
4. University and studying
Could you provide some general information about the followed courses?
I had sufficient possibilities to select suitable courses that were taught in English: YES, there are a lot of courses taught in English.
I had sufficient possibilities to select suitable courses in my field of interest: YES, there are not a lot of courses in Food Science to choose from at this university, but still enough to fill a semester with!
I am satisfied with the level of the courses that I followed: YES, the courses were easier than the WUR courses, but I still learned a lot of new things. It was nice to not have to focus as much on my studies during my exchange and therefore I had a lot of time to explore the city and country with friends.
I am satisfied, in the end, with the selection of courses I followed: YES, I changed some courses in the beginning of the semester, this was very easy to arrange.
What is it like to study there?
The workload was way less compared to WUR, but I heard local students complain a lot about the high workload. The courses have more graded assignments (essays, presentations) during the semester, so less focus on a big exam at the end of the semester. 2 out of 4 courses I followed did not even have an exam.
What is the culture of the university?
The classes are very small, often only 10 students following a course. This makes the teacher-student contact more personal and the class atmosphere more intimate. You know all your classmates by name very soon and it was a nice way of getting to know some local students.
What does the university offer the student additionally?
You can access the sport facilities for only 40 euros per semester!! They have awesome yoga and pilates classes as well which you can join. The gym is not big but you have everything you need and is not often crowded. You can also rent the big gym hall with friends as well. There are not many sport associations that you can join. In my building, we had one big laundry room which was very convenient.
5. Housing-travelling-living
What are the possibilities for housing?
I got my room via university student housing (FS). You can get wait-listed and they offer you a room which you can accept or not. I got my housing arranged a few months in advance. I had a room with a private bathroom and a big (new) kitchen with a large living room. We were with 14 in a corridor.
What is the culture like?
Icelanders love swimming! Going to a local pool with friends was one of my favorite things to do 😊. They are very laid back, the saying “þetta reddast” is completely true to how they live life ;). Typical cuisine is mainly fish and meat, which as a vegetarian I did not taste. They also LOVE ice cream, so try out some ice cream shops!
Could you give some information about public transport infrastructure?
You can get a monthly bus pass with a student discount. They have no trains, only busses. You can use the app KLAPPID for it. At the end of the semester I knew where all the bus lines where going haha, busses only drive in the capital area.
6. Expenses
Can you give an indication of your expenses for/during your exchange?
The price levels were in general [higher; lower; equal] in comparison to in the Netherlands:
HIGHER, it is an expensive country, but it is SO WORTH IT! Just be mindful of how you spend your money. For example, you could drink 7 beers on a Friday night (+-70 euro) or rent a car for 2 days with friends and go explore the country (also +-70 euro pp).
Additional remarks regarding expenses?
You can get a lot of student discounts, so use them! There are often events in the student cellar where you can win great prices haha (for example a free whale watching tour).
7. Free time
What are must-sees in the area?
Everything in Iceland is a must-see haha. I went around the island twice, my favourite parts are the westfjords, Akureyri, Eastfjords, and Westman Islands. We often rented a car during the weekend with friends to explore a new part of Iceland. Use the code ‘bluereturn’ for 10% discount at Blue Car Rental ;).
What does not appear in a travel guide, but is definitely worth seeing/doing?
There is a waterfall called ‘Nauthúsafoss’ near the very popular Seljalandsfoss, where you have to go though a small canyon and climb next to a small waterfall to see it. It is not touristic at all and one of my favs! For more incredible spots, you can always contact me!
7. Challenges & best moment abroad
What challenges did you encounter and how did you overcome them?
—
What is your best memory of your time abroad?
Too many best memories haha, I loved going on small adventures with friends 😊.
8. Contact Details
Would you like to ask Sanne more questions about her exchange?
Send her a mail: sanne.doornbos@wur.nl