Exchange Semester at Paris Dauphine University
Alisher Atakhanov, a third-year student of the Business Administration program at GSB, spent his second semester of the 2021–2022 academic year on an exchange program at Paris Dauphine University.
Introduction
Hi everyone! My name is Alisher Atakhanov, and I’m a third-year student of the Business Administration program at GSB. I spent my second semester of the 2021–2022 academic year on an exchange program at Paris Dauphine University in Paris. I can say with confidence that it was the best time of my life — I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, experience, friends, and unforgettable memories.
In this mobility review, I’ll talk about what it’s like to live in another country, how to make new connections, what studying at Paris Dauphine is like, the challenges you might face, and how beautiful Paris really is — but let’s take it step by step.
Choosing the University
As a third-year student, when the academic plan includes fairly specific and narrow subjects, the number of universities offering suitable courses is limited. Plus, going on exchange in the fourth year is a bit more complicated due to thesis work. So I had to choose from universities that weren’t too competitive (to make sure I’d definitely get in) and were in countries where exchange wouldn’t be canceled due to the pandemic. (This was crucial since I was supposed to go to the University of Groningen the previous semester, but it was canceled because of COVID.) Narrowing down the list, Paris Dauphine became the obvious choice: a well-ranked university with good reviews, located in one of the most fascinating cities in the world, and offering all the subjects I needed.
Starting the Exchange
After being accepted into the program and several months of preparing for the visa, finding housing, handling paperwork, and mentally getting ready — the day finally came. I flew to Paris at the end of December. Upon arrival, I had to spend 10 days in quarantine, which passed quickly, and on January 3 I moved into my student residence. A few hours later, I stepped into the university building and instantly felt — these are going to be the best six months of my life.
The first week at the university was dedicated to student orientation and getting to know the campus. My advice: start making friends right away and get everyone’s contact info. About 80% of your social circle will likely come from people you meet in those first days — later on, everyone gets busy with studies, and you’ll likely have different classmates in each course, leaving less time to bond.
Housing
Another great way to meet people is through your housing — more specifically, a student residence. You’ll meet many fellow students there, both French and international. Speaking of housing, let me share my experience. Paris Dauphine partners with the student organization CROUS, which handles dining, residences, and other student services. Thanks to this, finding housing is super easy — you apply within a specific timeframe and get a response in under a week confirming that a spot has been found.
I was lucky enough to live in one of the best CROUS residences, Martin Luther King, in a 20–25 m² studio with a private kitchen, shower, and bathroom — all for just €400/month. The same apartment would have cost about €800/month on the private market. The residence was modern, recently renovated, and located in a great neighborhood with a huge park and convenient metro access (only three stops from the city center). The only issue was that the heating didn’t work in my room for the first 2–3 weeks — and it was January — so it was quite cold.
Academics
Now let’s talk about the academic side. It’s slightly different from HSE but not drastically. The main difference is that classes felt more like school lessons: no lectures vs. seminars, just one combined format where the professor explains material and students immediately work on practical tasks. Also, all classes were three hours long with a 15-minute break. The courses were incredibly engaging — it was clear that each professor was passionate about their subject and eager to explain it in the clearest way possible. Some classes felt like large group discussions where everyone shared their opinions before the professor offered the "official" view. Overall, I was genuinely excited to attend every class.
Campus Infrastructure
The university has everything a student might need: a large cafeteria with plenty of options (including vegetarian dishes) where lunch costs just €3.30; a small shop with ready-made meals; a café with pastries; lots of coffee and vending machines with snacks, as well as full meals like pasta, salads, and sushi. There are two spacious libraries, a large courtyard, and a gym — which you can access with a one-time €70 payment. This fee also includes access to various sports clubs and activities.
Life in Paris
Student life in Paris has many perks — the biggest one being free entry to museums for anyone under 26. There are also a few restaurants where students can eat for free or for as little as €4. Public transport discounts are available, too. Every 2–3 weeks, our university organized free grocery and hygiene supply distributions. These care packages included potatoes, pasta, rice, fruit, cookies, soap, shampoo, canned food — and one time I even got a liter of olive oil, which was a great surprise!
Travel
During the semester, I managed to travel a bit as well. I went with Erasmus Travel to Étretat and Honfleur — my favorite places in Normandy — and also took trips outside France to Portugal and Belgium. You can often find super cheap round-trip tickets: €50–60 for flights, or €20–30 on buses for destinations close to Paris. I highly recommend not staying in Paris the whole time — take advantage of the opportunity and explore different corners of Europe!
Conclusion
To wrap up, those six months were full of delicious French pastries and cuisine, parties, new friends, places, knowledge, experiences, and — most importantly — unforgettable emotions and warm memories of the exchange program and Paris. If you’re hesitating about whether to go — don’t! It’ll be the brightest memory of your four years at university.
If you have any questions, feel free to message me on Instagram or Telegram: @cheazz428 — I’ll be happy to help!
