Degree programme at FH Aachen: Mechanical Engineering, Faculty 8
Start and end of the stay abroad: 02/09/2016 - 11/02/2017
The semester abroad was completed in: 5th subject-specific semester
Assessments:
Quality of the programme content: 1,7
Study conditions / facilities at the host university: 1.5
On-site support and assistance: 1.5
Campus: 1.3
Transport links to the campus: 1.3
Food on campus (dining hall (Mensa), etc.): 1,3
Sports facilities: 1.0
Leisure activities: 2.0
Bars / discos / nightlife: 2.5
Quality / cost of living: 2.5
Contact with locals: 2.0
Preparations
When did you start the preparations? Relatively early, around September/December.
How does the application process work and what documents are required? Please refer to the detailed list provided by the Department of International Affairs.
Does the host university require a language test? This is required.
Formalities
Do I have to pay fees at the host university? There is a cooperation agreement with the NTUST, which means that tuition fees are waived.
Did you receive a scholarship to finance your stay abroad? Unfortunately not.
How do you recommend travelling to the host university? What are the approximate travelling costs? As an island state, Taiwan can only be reached by plane. China Airlines offers direct flights from Frankfurt. Return flights are possible for less than 1000 euros.
Did you have to take out additional health insurance? You have to take out international health insurance. I strongly advise against ADAC. I was insured with ADAC, but my medical bills from Taiwan were not recognised, which resulted in a refusal to cover the costs. It is possible to take out insurance through the university (state health insurance).
Is further insurance necessary? Taiwan is a very safe country. Personally, I would not take out any insurance other than international health insurance.
On site
What formalities have to be completed after arrival? You have to register at NTUST (Registration at NTUST). However, Taiwanese students will help you with this. Ultimately, it is just a matter of collecting a few stamps from various university offices.
Where is the best place to live and what are the average housing costs? Taipei is surrounded by the state of New Taipei, whose capital New Taipei City is seamlessly connected to Taipei City. It is generally a little cheaper in New Taipei, with the Yonghe neighbourhood being relatively close to NTUST. The university does not arrange rooms directly, but only gives advice.
How did the search for accommodation work out? The only option is the private housing market, although foreigners usually pay a little more here. Facebook offers corresponding groups, otherwise unfortunately the rule applies: whoever takes the flat first (in Taiwan I mean gives the landlord the money) gets it. However, so far everyone has found a flat, albeit sometimes at slightly higher prices (300 - 400 euros). In the end, searching locally is the quickest and most effective way.
What is the average cost of living? As you generally don't have a kitchen in your flat or don't want to cook for convenience, the cost of living is around 200 - 300 euros.
What is cheap/expensive? Taiwan is generally comparable in price to Germany. However, it is much cheaper to eat out.
What are the shopping facilities like? There are an incredible number of convenience stores in Taiwan that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round. However, convenience stores only offer a limited range of products at slightly higher prices. It is therefore worth walking a little further to a larger supermarket. The Wellcome supermarket even offers German muesli (sure it's a bit more expensive, but it's also good). Otherwise there are large chains such as Carrefour (large but also more expensive) or Pxmart.
About the host university
Briefly describe the host university! Please refer to the NTUST profile.
How was the overall quality of the courses and lectures? The quality of teaching was good overall. However, it should be mentioned that there were significant differences in level between individual elective modules, which was not least due to the Consultant's English language skills.
How are the facilities at the host university? The NTUST has good facilities.
What are the opening hours on campus, how are the libraries, are there lecture notes? NTUST has a very good Library, which is open every day. Dining halls (Mensa) are open from morning to evening and copying and scanning is inexpensive at the university.
How many hours per week did you have on average? The conversion of Taiwanese credits into ECZS credits is done with a factor of 2 or 3.
Did the professors prepare you well for exams? Did you also receive help from them outside the lectures? The professors are generally very helpful and keen for students to pass their courses.
Are there special introductory courses for visiting students? No.
Who was the contact person at the foreign university? Irene Tai-Lin Ho (Programme Coordinator), Office of International Affairs, Irene72(at)mail.ntust.edu.tw, TEL: +886-2-2730-3202, FAX: +886-2-2730-1283.
What did you like / dislike about the campus? The campus itself is large, but still manageable. I really liked studying at a campus university, as all areas of the university, including leisure activities, are combined here.
What are the transport links like? What should I bear in mind? The transport links are good, but you first have to learn to understand the bus system. Knowledge of Mandarin or Taiwanese friends are almost indispensable for this. The metro system, on the other hand, is very easy to understand. Youbikes are bicycles that can be hired almost anywhere in the city at any time of day. All these things can be paid for throughout Taiwan with an Easy Card (it is also implemented in the student ID card).
Other: There are cheap washing machines at the university (10 NTD for washing; 10 NTD for 30 min drying), which can also do hot washing. Most washing machines wash cold - this makes the detergent much more aggressive - the risk of staining clothes is therefore higher (my white T-shirts were ruined after the first wash). Unfortunately, the university internet is not really fast. Most professors are strict at the beginning, but give good grades at the end. Every vendor in the dining hall (Mensa) has an English menu. There are various "restaurants" in the 3 dining halls that offer Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese or simply fast food. Just try them out.
About the courses and lectures attended at NTUST
Course attended: Composite Material Lecturer: Song-Jeng Huang Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3 credits, lecture Keywords for course description: Mechanics of composite materials Form of assessment: Written exam Is the course recommended? Yes.
Course attended: Supply Chain Management Lecturer: Shuo-Yan Chou Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3 credits, lecture Key words for course description: Insight into supply chain management. Form of assessment: Written examination Is this course recommended? Yes.
Course attended: Vacuum and Thin Film Technology Instructor: Jinn P.Chu Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3 credits, lecture Keywords for course description: Coating technology. Form of assessment: Written examination Is this course recommended? Yes.
Course attended: Madarin Chinese Practical Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3 credits, lecture Keywords for the course description: Fundamentals of Mandarin. Form of assessment: Written examination Is this course recommended? Yes.
Course attended: Optimal Design Lecturer: Lin Chyi-Yeu Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3 credits, lecture Keywords for the course description: Optimisation algorithm Form of assessment: Written examination Is the course recommended? Yes.
Course attended: Principles and Application of Semiconductors Lecturer: Chiu-Yen Wang Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3 credits, lecture Keywords for course description: Semiconductor wafer fabrication Form of assessment: Written examination Is the course recommended? Yes.
Leisure activities
What is the range of sports facilities on campus like? The facilities are very good, as basketball and volleyball courts are freely available. In addition, NTUST has its own swimming pool and offers the opportunity to hire sports equipment.
Do I have to pay for the sports facilities? Apart from the swimming pool, everything is free of charge.
What leisure sports facilities does the study location offer? Taipei is a modern city with all the advantages that this entails. However, it should be mentioned that the nightlife cannot be compared with other world metropolises.
What sights are there in the city? I would also refer you to the relevant literature.
What tourist attractions does the surrounding area have to offer? See above.
Are there organised (possibly subsidised) excursions for visiting students? These are organised by the AIA student club.
Are there many good restaurants and bars in the neighbourhood? What is recommended? The dining hall (Mensa) is reasonably priced and varied.
Are there any special features of the local cuisine that I should be aware of? Often menus are not in English, so you just have to try it out.
Where do you go in the evening (pubs, bars, discos, cinemas) and what do you recommend? Personally, I can recommend the Bar Revolver.
Are there any special customs/customs among the locals and what is an absolute taboo? It is advisable to familiarise yourself with Chinese culture in advance. In particular, the historical development of Taiwan and mainland China.
Final considerations - Conclusion
How would you rate your stay abroad overall? As a very positive personal enrichment.
Did you choose the right time for your semester abroad? The mobility window offers the perfect framework for this.
What will you never forget? The friendliness and warmth of the Taiwanese people.
What advice would you like to give to other students on your degree programme who decide to spend a semester abroad at this foreign university? Taiwan is an exciting country that is worth discovering. For me, Taiwan is modern China that has remained traditional.
Any criticism or suggestions? Due to the requirements for the mobility window, ultimately more courses have to be attended than exchange students usually attend in Taiwan.
