Discover Your Dream Exchange Destination

Selecting an exchange destination might seem like a daunting task, but the process is actually very manageable. In a similar vein to last week’s blog post, the key is to determine what your goals and priorities are for exchange. Once you have your goals in mind, it will be easier for you to focus your research on specific regions or countries, and that intimidating list of hundreds of schools will slowly be narrowed down.

I was fortunate enough to study at KU Leuven in Belgium last semester. Leuven happened to be my top choice destination for a number of reasons.

1. Europe, Asia, or Australia?

Let’s start big and work our way down. For me, the first step in selecting my exchange destination was picking the continent. Right off the bat, Australia and Asia intimidated me. I am naturally risk-averse, so with relatives in London and previous travel experience in Europe, Europe appeared to be more up to my speed. While one of my goals was definitely to be challenged on exchange, I figured that uprooting my life for five months and living overseas was a challenge in and of itself. Europe would reasonably push me outside of my comfort zone without overwhelming me or sending me to the other side of the world. Step #1 down!

2. Process of Elimination

I started off by eliminating countries that I had previously visited. Exchange is a time to try new things, so I wanted to live in a relatively unfamiliar environment. This resulted in removing countries like the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain. I knew I wanted to return to Paris and London on my own, but a number of the exchange schools in southern Europe were located in and around cities I had previously visited. This left me in the region of central and northern Europe.

At this point I started researching specific cities and schools. I found the exchange essays on the Smith Exchange Portal very helpful at this stage, as they provided me with first hand experience from upper years. I researched cost of living in specific cities, the courses available to exchange students, workload, student housing, transportation, etc. This gave me an understanding of what it would be like to live in those cities and go to those schools.

3. Countries and Regions

Eventually I narrowed my list down to schools in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Sweden. Switzerland and Sweden appealed to me primarily because I had never been to a Scandinavian country and would enjoyed living in a culture that differed from the southern, more Latin countries. On the other hand, Belgium and the Netherlands are centrally located, giving me access to almost all major European cities by plane or train. Belgium gained additional points for me as a partially French-speaking country, which would allow me to brush up on my French. Ultimately, KU Leuven checked the most of my “boxes”, and landed at the top of my list.

Whether you’re considering Asia, Australia or Europe, the travel opportunities are endless. Where ever you end up, there will be plenty of time to explore nearby countries and cities. From personal experience and the experiences of my friends, all of whom were in vastly different locations, every destination has its respective advantages and disadvantages. The key is determining which factors are important to you. Plus, starting the research process early is a great way to prepare for your exchange interview!

Written by Juliet