It is best to start planning a semester abroad 1 year in advance. I quickly chose San Diego because they speak English and I’ve always wanted to live in California. When the decision was made, I took care of all the documents that are needed for the application at the university and for the BAföG. Then I immediately applied for BAföG as it sometimes takes a long time to process. I would also recommend everyone to apply, as you get a lot of support for a stay abroad. This is also necessary because you should plan around $ 15,000 for a semester.
The application to the university went through MicroEDU. That was a huge amount of support, as you are accompanied through the entire process and you can always turn to the staff if you have any questions.
You should also discuss the course selection with the university beforehand. I decided on the business program and only took business administration subjects. This was the credit no problem and was able to give me credit for FWPM each tray. Unfortunately, the choice of courses at the SDSU is very limited, as the local students are allowed to choose first and then usually all places are already taken. However, there are so-called special sessions that can only be attended by exchange students. Unfortunately, you have a limited choice here. So if you are dependent on certain courses, you should deal with them in advance.
Accommodation
When choosing accommodation , you should consider whether you want to live on the beach or at the university. It was very clear to me that I wanted to live on the beach. When do you have another chance to live by the sea for half a year? The accommodations are a bit more expensive and you need a car to get to the university, but it’s definitely worth it. In many field reports I read that it is easy to find something locally. Unfortunately, I can’t say that at all. The five of us were looking for an apartment and only with luck found one after a week. So if you want to spare yourself the stress and nerves, you should take care of it from home. The best offers can be found via Facebook groups. The costs for a single room are approx. $ 1000- $ 1200 and for a shared room approx. $ 700- $ 900.
We had a 5-person flat share in Mission Beach and I shared a room with another girl. At first it was a bit strange not having any privacy anymore, but you get used to it very quickly.
Studied at the host university
You can choose either the general or the business program. As mentioned, I was in the business program and took the BA350, MKTG377 and FIN 327 courses. I can highly recommend the first two. The level is not as high as ours and you can get good grades with little effort. You usually have 3 exams during the semester, homework and group work. The effort is distributed very well over the semester and you don’t have to study a subject for a long time, as we do with us. There is also a large selection of sports courses. I took surfing and SUP, which was perfect as the classes were held right in Mission Beach.
Check topschoolsintheusa for more about San Diego State University College of Education.
Everyday life and free time
There are tons of recreational opportunities in San Diego. Since the weather is usually perfect, we spent a lot of days on the beach. Have played beach volleyball or surfed. The university also gives you free tickets to all SDSU sporting events, such as football or basketball. You can drive downtown, explore the city and stroll along the harbor. Balboa Park is also worth a visit, home to the San Diego Zoo and numerous museums.
At the weekend we mostly went on longer trips. If you love nature, you should definitely visit Yosemite National Park and Joshua Tree National Park. We were also in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco and the Grand Canyon. Which I can absolutely recommend if you have a few days off to fly to Chicago. For me one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Conclusion
My semester abroad was a great experience that I would never want to miss. San Diego was just wonderful and I can recommend everyone to do their semester abroad here. There are a lot of Germans here, but you can also make contact with other students.
The weather, beaches and people made it the most exciting time of my life and I will definitely visit San Diego again.
