Semester abroad at the Universidad de Málaga - Bachelor of Social Work

The decision

The reasons for my stay abroad were the opportunity to get to know the degree programme from a new, international perspective and possibly acquire language skills while gaining insights into another culture.

Preparations

I attended several preparatory language courses at a VHS in Berlin. I did not have to apply for a visa within the EU. In my opinion, the application process itself was quite easy. However, completing the more specific Erasmus documents after being accepted was sometimes a little slow, as, for example, the choice of courses at the universities is possible at different times and certain documents could only be completed or signed relatively late due to the summer holidays.

The accommodation

I initially lived in a one-bedroom studio flat that I found on the usual property websites (Idealista). Until then, I had lived in a holiday flat. There are also student residences, but they are usually quite expensive. For the second semester, I was able to take over a flat from friends and lived there together with two other FHP students. In general, Facebook groups are probably the best way to organise a room in a shared flat in advance.

Studying at the university

Some of my friends there had got to know each other in advance via a language course at the university, but unfortunately this was also relatively expensive. Apart from that, there was only one online introductory event. However, it tended to repeat and explain almost everything in the student guides that you can find online. As I was almost finished with my studies and didn't have to have all my courses recognised in Germany, I was somewhat freer in my choice of courses and was also able to attend courses from other faculties, which I found quite exciting.

There were usually a few group assignments during the semester and a big exam at the end. Despite my limited knowledge of Spanish, I was able to pass the courses.

Everyday life and free time

As I received BAföG and Erasmus funding abroad, I was able to finance my stay well overall. Being so close to the beach meant I could go swimming before or after university. And I also started skating again - another nice way to get to know other people from the city outside the university context.

Conclusion and tips

Overall, I really enjoyed my stay. One tip I would give is that you should try to get involved in a leisure activity/sports club as soon as possible. That way, you will quickly get in touch with the local people, who can also give you good tips about life in the city.