Tecnológico de Monterrey, 2017-2018

• When did you start the preparations? I roughly started my preparations in January 2017. Through the information event organised by Mr Benner and Mr Reichert, I became aware of the possibility of a semester abroad in Mexico. I then received further information from the AAA from Ms Brinker and the supervising professors in the faculties (Mr Reichert, Mr Benner, Ms Jacobi).
• Does the host university require a language test? If courses are to be taken in Spanish, a language test must be passed at the Tec. Those taking courses in English need a certification (at least B2).

• Visa: No student visa is required for an exchange semester in Mexico. Upon entry, a document, the FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple), is issued, which is valid for 180 days. This tourist visa is reissued every time you enter or leave Mexico. If you want to stay in Mexico for longer than 180 days without leaving the country in between, it is worth applying for a student visa. The visa is required for the double degree programme! The visa must be applied for in Germany at the embassy in Frankfurt or Berlin. Once you have arrived in Mexico, you must also enter the country with the FMM and apply for a residence permit at the INM (Instituto nacional de migracion) within the first 30 days. You will then be issued with a Temporal Residente Card. Even if the process sounds complicated: once you arrive in Mexico, a Tec lawyer will help you with all applications and documents! So don't be afraid! If you stay in Mexico for longer than 1 year, you can simply extend your Temporal Residente Card for another year. The only important thing is that you have registered with the Mexican embassy in Germany beforehand, the costs are around €35. The embassy will ask for some documents such as parents' income, acceptance letter from Tec,... just inform us.
• Bank account: For students who want to stay longer in Mexico: On the Tec Campus in Queretaro there is a Santander, for Tec students there is the possibility to open a debit account (current account) for free. Depending on the fees of the German credit card and a longer stay on site, this may be worthwhile.
  The following procedure is necessary:
  - Proof of address, a bill from the electricity provider (CFB) or the gas or internet provider is sufficient. Your name does not have to be on the bill! Just your address.
  - Passport and Tec ID
  - Emergency number with name and date of birth
  - Two Mexican contact persons (preferably friends of the Tec) with mobile phone number
  - For international transfers, you must ask for the necessary details (Transferencias Internacionels)
  - I transferred money from my German current account to the Mexican account via the internet provider Transferwise, which went very smoothly.
• Do I have to pay fees at the host university? Thanks to the cooperation between FH Aachen and Tec de Monterrey via the DHIK, there are no additional fees. Only the tuition fees at FH Aachen have to be paid.
• Did you receive a scholarship to finance your stay abroad? I applied for one, but unfortunately I didn't get one. Due to the long exchange, I was unfortunately unable to apply for the Promos scholarship. However, the DAAD also offers a one-year scholarship for Mexico, which is a bit more difficult to get. Unfortunately, I didn't get it.
• Which route to the host university is recommended? To Mexico in general, it is advisable to fly either directly to Ciudad de Mexico (Cdmx) or to Cancun and from there on to Queretaro. If you do a good search, you can find offers for a return flight for around €700, perhaps even cheaper. Some cheap flights go via the USA, but I am a friend of direct flights and have always found cheap flights there (travelling time is usually considerably shorter). In Cancun it is also worth planning 2-3 days holiday before travelling on to Queretaro. There is a regular bus from Cdmx to Queretaro (during the day every 20-30 minutes, at night approx. every 2-3 hours from midnight to 5am). Depending on traffic, the bus journey takes around 3-4 hours. The long-distance coaches in Mexico are luxuriously equipped, so you can make the journey without any problems. In addition to the major German airports, it is also worth looking for a flight from Brussels or Amsterdam.
• Did you have to take out additional health insurance? If so, what kind and at what cost? I continued to be insured through my parents for the entire time. However, the university definitely requires proof of health insurance for abroad. However, the guidelines changed in the year I was there. It is best to ask the AAA or the IPO (International Office of the Mexican university) for more information.
• Is further insurance necessary? As far as I know, only liability and health insurance.

• What formalities have to be completed after arrival? I can't think of any major formalities. Visas are available on the plane for 180 days, more information in the VISA section. Otherwise, look for a flat. It is worth attending the IPO introduction days. There is a lot of important and valuable information and 2-3 documents have to be signed there. The Campus ID is also created there. Otherwise, the following topics are addressed: Questions about courses, help with student visas, travel tips, help with finding accommodation, introduction to Mexican culture, sports and leisure activities on campus, etc.
  In principle, you should still take care of accommodation (from Germany or in Mexico itself when you are there - both are possible).
• Where is the best place to live and what are the average housing costs? My advice is to live close to the university so that you can reach it on foot. There are lots of student housing estates around the campus. Just ask for more tips. As a rule, international students pay between 2500 and 5000 pesos (130€-250€). I myself lived in De La Loma 123 for 5000 pesos in the first semester and from the second semester onwards in Felipe Angeles for 2800 pesos. So you can save a lot of money in this area. In principle, international students are often charged a little more than usual, especially European students. Just inform yourself here too. If you pay more than 6000 pesos, your flat is either very luxurious or you are paying more than the average.
• How did the flat search work (who is the contact person for this)? The IPO of the Tec provides all the information and has its own homepage with housing options for internationals. It is also worth asking former exchange students, as they can usually give you valuable tips. The following accommodation options are available through the IPO: 1. in a flat as a shared flat (one of the most common ways), 2. with a host family, 3. in a house with other internationals, 4. on campus directly in a student hall of residence.
  Note: In addition to the IPO, there are also pages on Facebook such as "Encuentra ROOMIE QUERETARO" where you can find something. There are also other organisations that arrange flats and organise excursions. In principle, I can only advise everyone not to pay a deposit or rent from Germany to these organisations! Only do this when you are in Mexico and have seen the apartment/room or when you have met someone from the organisation. I don't want to judge the organisations, they take very good care of international students and the response is mostly good. However, there have been isolated problems in recent years. More information on the organisations in the section on leisure activities.
• What is the average cost of living? Living costs vary greatly depending on lifestyle. I recommend budgeting at least €600-700 for rent. If you like to go out, take part in excursions and generally want to travel more, you may need €800-1200. Costs vary greatly depending on your lifestyle!
  One more note: In my opinion, Mexico is always portrayed as very cheap, cheaper than it sometimes is! Of course, most things are cheaper than here, but many people get it wrong because sometimes the difference isn't that big.
• What is cheap/expensive? Housing costs, fruit and vegetables at markets are cheap, street food is also cheaper! Some electronic devices are expensive. Clothing and other items are often similar to those in Germany.
• What are the shopping facilities like? The 3 largest supermarkets are Walmart, Soriana and Chedraui. Huge supermarkets with not only food, but all kinds of other things. All three are also located close to the university and, of course, scattered around the city! In addition to these, there are also the OXXO and SuperQ, petrol stations/kiosks with a similar range, you can get the essentials and they are spread all over Mexico. I can also recommend the markets, especially fruit and vegetables, which are super cheap and of good quality!

• Briefly describe the host university! Colloquially known as Tec de Monterrey (or just TEC), is one of the largest and best private universities in Mexico with its headquarters in Monterrey. There are a total of 31 campuses in Mexico! The students either come from a very good (financial) family background or finance their studies through various types of scholarships! The students are very open and it's easy to make friends! The campus in Queretaro has a good range of sports courses and cultural classes (music lessons, dancing, etc.).
• How was the quality of the courses? The quality of the courses and lectures varied depending on the subject and teacher. Due to a different teaching system, it is difficult to compare the quality. Generally speaking, the subjects are a little easier on average, but the quality is still good. There are always subjects that take more time and effort.
• What are the opening hours on campus like, how are the libraries, are there lecture notes? The facilities at the university are very good, most of the study rooms have modern equipment. In the Library there are computers (rooms), small study room cubicles, quiet study areas and much more that is accessible to every student. In some subjects, scripts have to be purchased additionally, but the costs are very limited. All the necessary textbooks and scripts can also be found in the Library. The campus itself can only be accessed via the student ID card. Of a total of four entrances, two are always open at least until midnight, although there may be different times at weekends. During exam periods, the campus is open 24 hours a day. The Library and the study room area are usually open from 8am to 6pm. Other study rooms are also open until midnight. All information here is without guarantee. It is best to go to the IPO's introductory event for up-to-date information.
• How many hours per week did you have on average? Depends on the chosen courses. As a rule, all subjects are taught for 3 hours a week. With 6 subjects, that would be 18 hours per week. Then there are additional project assignments, homework and sports and culture classes. Some subjects, such as Spanish as a foreign language, are taught for 6 hours a week.
  All examination results are calculated as a percentage. At the Tec, you need at least 70% to pass. A three-period subject per week usually has 5 ECTS, six-period subjects 10 ECTS. Here, 5 ECTS correspond to 8 units (credit system in Mexico). There are also laboratory practicals, which only earn half the credits (2.5 credits for 3 hours a week), but usually involve less work.
• Did the professors prepare you well for exams? Did you receive help from them outside of classes? Most professors are very helpful. Due to course sizes of max. 30 students, the support is very good and help is offered regularly. It is also easy to contact professors by email if you have any questions.
  A note on the examination system: there are usually 3 written examinations per semester (1st & 2nd partial exam and final exam), in addition to the exams there is homework, smaller tests and also presentations and project work. Different constellations depending on the subject. Definitely allow a little more time in the semester than you might at the FH.
• Are there special introductory courses for visiting students? As far as I know, there are no special introductory courses before the start of the semester apart from the IPO introductory events mentioned above.
• What needs to be considered when the certificate is issued at the foreign university? It can take a few weeks for the certificate to be issued. If a student is in a particular hurry, they can send an email to the main secretariat for all international students at the Tec in Mexico and receive the certificate within a few days.
• Who was the contact person at the foreign university ? The current contact person for incoming students is Claudia Ugalde Osornio. However, Claudia will most likely be leaving the International Office next semester for the time being. I am not yet aware of her successor.
• What did you like / dislike about the campus ? The campus is very nice, has a good atmosphere and the students are all friendly. I had a very good time here! I also really liked the sports facilities on campus. I can't think of any negative points at the moment.
• What are the transport links like? What do you need to consider? Depending on where you live, you can either walk to campus or take the bus. Local public transport is the bus, which costs 10 pesos per journey. In the city, the necessary electronic tickets, similar to the semester ticket in Aachen, are available at selected shops and ticket machines. There are also extra student tickets, but these are difficult to obtain for a one-semester stay (certain documents are required that you cannot get with a tourist visa, please ask for more information). Alternatively, you can order an Uber, which will certainly be expensive in the long run (probably up to 20-40 pesos depending on where you live).
  In the evenings, the Tec offers minibuses to certain housing estates near the Tec. Information on this is available on the introduction day.

1. Course attended: Español Básico 2
   Instructor: Nadia
   Course duration & scope, teaching format: 6h / week
   Course description keywords: Spanish course for international students, level A2
   Is the course recommended? Yes (difficulty level 1)
2. Course attended: Design and Analysis of Experiments
   Lecturer: Carlos Gómez
   Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3h / week
   Course description: Analysis of experiments, lots of Excel work, familiarisation with different methods.
   Is the course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 2)
3. Course attended: Fluid Mechanics
   Lecturer: Cecilia Trevino
   Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3h / week
   Keywords for the course description: Fluid mechanics. There was a big project in this subject throughout the semester: building a wind turbine that had to drive a pump
   Is the course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 3)
4. Course attended: Manufacturing Engineering
   Lecturer: Juansethi Ibarra
   Course duration & scope, teaching form: 3h / week
   Keywords for the course description: Different manufacturing processes are explained, company visits
   Is the course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 1)
5. Course attended: Thermodynamic Engineering
   Instructor: César Gutiérrez
   Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3h / week
   Keywords for the course description: ---
   Is the course recommended? Yes. (Difficulty level 3)
6. Course attended: Espanol Intermedio 2
   Instructor: Daniel
   Course duration & length, type of lessons: 3h / week
   Key words for course description: Spanish course for international students, level B2
   Is this course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 2)
7. Course attended: Integrated Manufacturing Systems
   Lecturer: Oscar Olvera
   Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3h / week
   Keywords for the course description: Use and control of lathes and robots
   Is the course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 1)
8. Course attended: Advanced Manufacturing
   Lecturer: Victor Romero
   Course duration & scope, teaching form: 3h / week
   Keywords for the course description: Controlling CNC machines and lathes, advanced steps Working with Fusion 360: Creating workpieces and programming CNC paths
   There was also a project here over the entire semester: Building a Tesla turbine
   Is the course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 3)
9. Course attended: Statistical Quality Control
   Lecturer: Luis Garcia
   Course duration & scope, teaching form: 3h / week
   Keywords for the course description: Learning different quality procedures and control. A lot of work with Excel
   Is the course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 2)
10. Course attended: Production Management
    Instructor: Carlos Gómez
    Course duration & scope, teaching format: 3h / week
    Course description keywords: ---
    Is the course recommended? Yes. (Level of difficulty 2)

The contact person for the double discharge at the Tec is Mónica Ceballos

Necessary documents that must be submitted during your stay:
The Tec requires the following notarised documents to issue the bachelor's degree:

• a certified copy of the birth certificate in Spanish/English (available from the municipality/city administration)
• a certified translation of the school certificate (general university entrance qualification, entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences)

The documents must be presented in English.
The birth certificate can be issued in English in the municipalities. However, school certificates can only be translated by translation agencies. It is worth getting quotes from different translation agencies, as prices can vary greatly. For the birth certificate and the school leaving certificate, the prices varied between €120 and €250. As I didn't know that birth certificates are issued in English by the municipality, I had both documents translated by the office. It is important to make sure that the person is authorised to make official translations (with the appropriate seal)! An apostille is also required for both documents. An apostille certifies the international legal capacity of these documents and can only be issued by the respective state court. As a rule, translation agencies can supply the apostille directly. The cost factor for both documents is approx. 55€. The topic was a bit complicated for me, I hope the text can help. In total, I paid just under €200 for everything.

Furthermore, a TOEFL test with a minimum of 550 points is required. What kind of TOEFL was not quite clear. It's best to ask the coordinator in Monterrey.

Recognition of courses
At this point, I can only recommend close consultation with the Examination Office and the faculty coordinators. For a long time, I wasn't sure whether all courses could be recognised and, above all, what exactly the recognition would look like.

Submission deadlines
In general, just before the programme comes to an end, you should ask about the submission deadlines for all the required documents! Otherwise the Tec certificate (diploma) cannot be issued in time.

• What is the range of sports facilities on campus? The university offers numerous sports courses, e.g. Crossfit, boxing, swimming: Crossfit, boxing, swimming, team sports (football, soccer, ...), yoga, Krav Maga, cycling, athletics, climbing and much more. The complete list is published at the IPO introductory event and changes slightly every semester. I hope these examples give you a small picture of the possibilities.
  In addition to the sports courses, you can also use most of the sports areas for yourself, for example the gym, the football, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts and the stadium with a 400 metre track.
• Do I have to pay for the sports facilities? The sports facilities are all free of charge.
• What leisure activities does the study location offer? Queretaro is located in the centre of the country. There are very beautiful routes for hiking. Another big advantage of the central location is that other cities such as San Miguel, Guanajuato, Mexico City and many more can be reached quickly. If you are travelling for a weekend, you will find good rivers for rafting, mountains for climbing, other cities and, if you are further away, beaches with various possibilities. Hobby divers should definitely go diving between Cancun and Belize, where the second largest reef in the world is located next to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia! There are also many aboriginal ruins in Mexico (e.g. Chichen Itza in the Rivera Maya).
• What sights are there locally? Numerous! The city itself has a lot to offer and there are also many beautiful towns in the surrounding area. But there are also beautiful attractions and sights outside the city. For more detailed information, simply fly there and find out on the spot. Mexicans love to show off their country, their culture and their sights!
• Are there organised excursions for visiting students? There are plenty of organised excursions. On the one hand, the Tec itself offers excursions, some of which are day trips or over a whole weekend. The Tec organisation is called AMI (Amigos mexicanos international) and works closely with the IPO (some of the same staff). In addition to AMI, there are up to 4-5 other organisations that organise events for international students in Queretaro alone. These events can be trips of any kind or evening events. As a rule, these organisations are reputable and offer good entertainment, but you should bear in mind that they live off international students. AMI does not recommend travelling with the other organisations. I myself cannot say anything negative about these organisations. Well-known organisations include: Integrate, HangOut and Connexion.
• Are there many good restaurants and bars in the neighbourhood? What do you recommend? There are plenty of both. Just talk to Mexicans and let them show you the city. In principle, I can recommend trying out Mexican cuisine and also the streets and taquerias.
  Small list of names for bars and clubs: Jaguar Azul, Bambata, Sirilo, Pepe el Toro, Funky Mama, Gracias a Dios, Mara (a cosy bar directly opposite the Tec), Dictatur, Las Miches. There are others, of course!
• Are there any specialities to be aware of in the local cuisine? Very meaty, greasy and sugary, depending on the choice. You don't have to worry too much about spiciness, all spicy salsas are usually served separately, so everyone can portion out the spiciness themselves. Just try everything here too! Digestive problems can occur, as the stomach first has to get used to the food here. The quality of the food can always change!
• Where do you go in the evening (pubs, bars, discos, cinemas)? In the evening, I like to go to the city centre, where it feels like there's always something going on. Otherwise to bars or discos. In Mexico there are many plazas with restaurants, cinemas, bars, shopping facilities and other leisure activities such as bowling alleys or ice skating rinks. The ANTEA, one of the largest shopping malls in Latin America, is definitely worth mentioning.

• How would you rate your stay abroad overall? I really enjoyed my stay abroad! I enjoyed the academic and intercultural experiences. I can only recommend going abroad.
• Did you choose the right time for your semester abroad? Yes, although there was hardly any other option in my sequence of studies.
• What were the high and low points of your stay ? Highlight: Climbing the highest mountain in Mexico, making friends for life
• What will remain unforgotten? The new friendships will definitely remain unforgotten. I had the opportunity to get to know a lot of people and the country during my time there. I never met an international student who regretted their time in Mexico in the slightest. On the contrary, most of my friends flew home thinking why they couldn't spend more time in Mexico.
• 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? Take the plunge! Look forward to a diverse country and be open to new things. In order to familiarise yourself with the culture more quickly/better, you should already have some knowledge of Spanish. However, this is not absolutely necessary. The teaching style is a little different, but you will get used to it.
• Any criticism or suggestions? The programme with the Tec itself is great! Only the accreditation of the courses could be a bit clearer, especially in the double bachelor's degree.