Second Semester at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Anya Shumidub spent the 2020/2021 academic year studying in Germany as part of an exchange program at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.
Extending My Exchange
I arrived in Germany in November, and it didn’t take long for me to want to stay longer. I loved the city, the new friendships, and the academic life. Extending the exchange wasn’t easy, but it was definitely simpler than applying for a student visa for the first time.
Here’s what I needed to extend my stay:
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Re-enrolment procedure
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Renewal of the dormitory contract
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A new individual study plan (ISP)
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Extension of my blocked account
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Obtaining a residence permit
In December, I had to renew my dormitory contract and draft an ISP for the summer semester. My buddy — a local student from the support organization for international students — helped me a lot by calling the dorm administration and finding out exactly what I needed to do. Creating the ISP was easier this time, since I already knew the list of English-taught courses and some of the professors. I was also able to take several HSE courses online.
Re-enrolment took place in January and involved paying a university fee of €142.70.
Since my visa expired in May, I needed a residence permit to stay for the summer semester. I had to submit the following documents: enrolment certificate, confirmation of study extension, proof of funding (my blocked account), German health insurance, passport photos, a valid passport, and pay a €100 fee. The hardest part was extending the blocked account, as the confirmation didn’t show up in the system. But in the end, it worked out, and I received the much-anticipated residence permit card.
Studying in the Summer Semester
Julius-Maximilians follows a different academic calendar — the summer semester runs from April to September. Exams took place in July, which was challenging: the weather was hot, and all I wanted to do was travel and explore, but I had to stay focused and study. I managed to stay disciplined and dedicated enough time to prepare for each exam.
All classes were held on Zoom, and we only went to campus for exams.
My most memorable course was Cross-Cultural Management 2, where we worked on organizing an event for students. Each person had specific responsibilities. Some sessions were held in person in early summer, so this was the only course where I got to know all my classmates in real life.
Learning German
During my two semesters at Julius-Maximilians, my German improved significantly. I enrolled in as many language courses as possible — they were free for students. I really enjoyed learning the language and making friends through these classes. The instructors were kind and enthusiastic. I started with an A1 intensive in September, then continued with A2.1 in the winter semester and A2.2 in the summer. In September 2021, I enrolled in a B1 intensive, since I was still able to attend online courses from the university.
Culture and Leisure
As summer approached, Würzburg came back to life: restaurants reopened for dine-in, you no longer needed appointments or negative tests to shop, and museums, clubs, and bars opened their doors again. Free vaccinations were even offered to students.
To my surprise, Würzburg has quite a few well-maintained, modern museums — and entrance fees for students were very affordable. I particularly recommend the Würzburg Residence and the Museum am Dom.
Various Erasmus and student organizations hosted fun social events — from wine tastings to club nights and grill parties — which were a great way to meet people.
Traveling
As the COVID situation improved, FlixBus resumed operations, making affordable travel across Europe possible again. It’s much cheaper than traveling by train. You needed a negative PCR test to cross borders, and depending on the country, a 5-day quarantine upon return to Germany.
During the summer semester, I visited Lübeck (a beautiful city on the Baltic coast), Stuttgart, Reutlingen, Tübingen, and Munich. I also made it to France, Slovenia, and Italy. Living in Europe allowed me to travel to different countries visa-free, and transport tickets were much cheaper than flying from Russia.
Final Thoughts
I don’t regret extending my exchange by another semester. It gave me the chance to experience Würzburg without heavy restrictions, meet more people, and explore other countries.
After talking to other international students, I realized that your study-abroad experience is what you make of it. Some met a couple of people, others met hundreds. Some traveled extensively, others stayed local. Some learned German seriously, others only picked up a few words. What matters is knowing what you want to gain from your time abroad.
I’m very happy with my experience and hope to join more international internships and programs in the future.
Feel free to reach out on Instagram* if you have any questions: @shum_i_dub
*Instagram is a banned social network in Russia.