Six Things To Consider When Choosing Your Exchange Destination

You've heard the exchange office preach about being prepared, and turns out they're right. There are a lot of factors involved in creating your preferences, and don't worry! We are here to walk you through them all.

You know what to consider, but where do you even start?

1. COST OF LIVING

This one is the most daunting. You can spend hours trying to figure out the cost of living from city to city... but don't worry - Expatistan has all of Europe covered! They list most major and medium sized cities on the cost of living index, and that should at least provide a strong framework if you are going to any schools outside the big cities and want a slightly more accurate description. Check out their index here.

Thinking about Asia or South America? They've got you covered too.

HOT TIP: Don't focus on the cost of living index if you are exploring travelling costs for your own leisure, because rent and groceries can be very different than the cost of lodging or eating out!

2. LANGUAGE

Okay, this seems like it should be obvious but, reflect on yourself when it comes to languages. Are you comfortable learning a bit of another language? How willing are you to embrace another culture? How willing is the other culture to embrace you?

France for example can be a tricky place for Canadians. With high school French under our belts, it can feel like a safe but adventurous choice. However, depending on where you are, the French can be reluctant with those who speak in English or anything that isn't quite fluent French. Think about how comfortable you are with this!

Wanna prep for the change in advance? Check out the Language Guide!

3. LIFESTYLE

Okay. How the heck do you assess the lifestyle of a place before you leave??

This one is tricky. Something that really threw our founder, Emily, when she was on exchange is that in Bath, England people will start getting ready to go out around dinner, start partying my 8-9:30pm latest and happily be in bed by midnight. Weird. Not a deal breaker, but definitely an adjustment.

The best way to know about a lifestyle adjustment is to reach out to people who have actually been to this location! Don't ask them why they loved it, as everyone can give you their list, but what surprised them or needed to adjust to.

If you are having trouble connecting to someone in your desired city, lean on the Undergrad Overseas network and let us connect you. Message our Facebook page for the fastest response!

4. SIZE

Size of a city is directly tied to your level of comfort. Emily grew up in the countryside in Southern Ontario. She didn't even apply to the University of Toronto because it seemed too big a city. Keeping this in mind, Milan would have been A LOT for her, and she knew that.

If you've heard of it, it automatically ranks as either big or medium sized city. This is more about self reflection than research. Where have you had experience? What experiences scare you? Are these things you can overcome away from home and your usual support network while living abroad?

5. SAFETY

Similarly, know yourself and what you are okay with!

There are many things you should think about when deciding how safe a place is, other than the rate of crime.

- How many students from Canada will attend? Alternatively, how large is the exchange network? Do you feel comfortable with the guaranteed support network around?

- What is the night life like? - How easy is it to arrange late night/early morning transportation? - Access to health care - Access to other support services

6. YOUR GPA

As sad as it is, its a matter of fact that some schools you just won't have the GPA for. Write them off right away and move on! Spend the time you could have spent dwelling, researching new cities it'll get you excited again in no time!

All in all, we hope that these tips add some food for thought to your choice of destination. Everyone is unique in their levels of comfort, lifestyle and experience, so be real with yourself about what you are ready to take on.

***Don't get to down if you don't have the GPA or the money the study in a specific city of choice, check out this interview on Limestone Era from alumnus, Robert Thompson about how he earned himself an experience in Australia without studying abroad!