A semester in Europe: Yale-NUS students reflect on their semester abroad
Learn about the experiences of three students who studied in Europe last semester and what they gained from their time there
For many Yale-NUS students, deciding where to study for a semester abroad is an important decision. Would the experience in America, Europe or somewhere else in the world be more beneficial? This question often comes to the minds of everyone applying to a semester abroad. We interviewed three students from the Class of 2023 who went to Europe for their semester abroad and learn more about their experiences there. [Read this story about students who studied abroad at Yale University in the United States.] Anant Jain went to Bocconi University in Italy, Hanah Nabilah Fatinah went to Uppsala University in Sweden, and John Ng went to Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Hanah chose Europe over the US because she has not been to Europe and wanted to experience the education system in Scandinavian countries. “I thought the educational experience in the US would be somewhat similar to what we experienced at Yale-NUS because Yale University is one of our founding institutions and many of our professors are from the US.”
Similarly for John, he appreciated the opportunity to learn more about different cultures through the immersive experience. “I thought that going to Europe for my exchange would be a more interesting experience, both in terms of culture and being able to travel to other countries. It was the best decision I made, as I managed to visit 12 countries besides the Netherlands, which was where I studied.”
Hanah felt that her experience at Yale-NUS has prepared her well for her semester abroad: “I think my time at Yale-NUS truly helped me adapt to the new environment. Yale-NUS is a very diverse place with around 40 per cent international students. The housing where I stayed at my exchange institution, Uppsala University, is also as diverse as Yale-NUS! Amongst the 12 people staying along my corridor, only two are Swedish and the rest are international students.
Because of Yale-NUS, I’ve learned how to navigate through differences, living and working with people of different cultures. Hence, staying at and living with people from diverse backgrounds at Uppsala did not present any culture shock to me. It was really quick for me to adapt there. Day one and I already felt at home.”
John is grateful for the support he received from Yale-NUS Centre for International & Professional Experience (CIPE) throughout the semester abroad process: “CIPE was really helpful in connecting us with the partner school, and especially in pushing for me to get the modules that I was interested in. All the briefings and emails about applying to the partner school, visa processes, and insurance were quite helpful too; they really made the application process very smooth.”
Anant gained a lot, professionally, from his time at Bocconi University. He had the chance to speak with many professional business organisations and interact with like-minded people. “In particular, I’ve made many friends and contacts at the Bocconi Students Consulting Club. They were extremely helpful during my job recruitment process in Singapore this academic semester.”
Anant’s time at Bocconi also allowed him to travel a lot: “I had the opportunity to meet many new people, and try out new things. There is a very diverse community at Bocconi with many exchange students and that allowed me to learn a lot about new perspectives and European culture. Overall, I felt that it was an environment with less work-related stress.”
Lastly, Anant added that his semester abroad experience helped him evolve as a person: “It was my first time away from a comfort zone in a new country, and made me a more self-confident and assured individual prepared to take on any challenge. I think my main learning from this semester abroad was becoming more adaptable and flexible, and this I have applied almost every day of my life here at Yale-NUS now.”
