Motivation
Being able to live in a new country, experience a new culture, learn from a prestigious European Technical University, and make new friends was motivation to participate in this experience.
Personal Development
Participating in a UQ exchange experience has immensely helped me develop personally. Before relocating to Munich, I was being supported financially by my family and was fortunate to have friends and family close by. Upon moving, I had to become a lot more independent and practise a lot of resilience. A big challenge I faced was adapting to cultural differences and the language barrier in Germany, as well as not having my emotional support network by my immediate side. The way I dealt with the new changes was to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and put myself out there to try new things. I made lots of friends from all over the world, saw and learnt about some amazing cultures, and enhanced my education. I have come back from my exchange with advanced independence and resilience, and now I know how to navigate new situations with more confidence.
Academic Development
Participating in a UQ exchange experience has immensely helped me engage in a new and different education system and has enriched me culturally. I was fortunate enough to attend one of the most prestigious technical universities in Munich, the Technical University of Munich. One of the biggest challenges I faced adjusting to the new education system was the more technical focus on my classes, and the requirement of 100% final exams for each course. Despite this challenge, I thoroughly enjoyed the content of my courses and took action with my learning by attending my classes and making friends in all of my classes to keep me accountable for my learning. The outcome of this experience was very positive, with me having gained a wider appreciation and interest for algorithms and artificial intelligence and has guided my course choices as I continue my studies at UQ. I have also learnt how to cope under immense pressure and guide my learning for high-stake assessments.
Professional Development
Participating in a UQ exchange experience has immensely helped me build my confidence, people skills, and technical skills, which has enhanced my professional development. During my experience, I was able to build resilience, time-management skills, and advance my education under high stress. I also practised communicating with a wide range of people from many different backgrounds. This was actioned by my curiosity and confidence to engage in my experience. From this I have enhanced my future employability, and I will be able to enter the workforce more confident, resilient and prepared that I was previously.
Costs
I budgeted for my trip using Excel.
I spent approximately $30,000 during my exchange experience.
Accommodation: 350 euro per month
Groceries 200-300 euro per month
Transport: 29 euro per month
Travel and other miscellaneous expenses: remaining.
I recommend applying for student housing and travelling with ESN to reduce costs.
Funding
The funding I received from the Frank Joseph Bursary has been extremely beneficial towards my experience. I have been able to focus solely on my education and cultural enrichment whilst living in Germany without having to find employment. I used the funds to pay for my rent, groceries, transport, study expenses, and with the remainder opportunities to culturally enrich my education in Germany.
Accommodation
Accommodation options were emailed to me via the TUM Student Union Housing and upon applying via the deadline, I was offered a place. The living arrangements were much cheaper comparatively to my other friends who did not receive an offer. I was assigned a private room and bathroom and shared a kitchen with three other students. I would recommend to future students to apply for student housing as soon as it is available, and to regularly check your emails for any correspondence.
Highlight 
Some of the highlights of my experience were my amazing travels around Europe, from sea and beaches to the arctic circle. I was very lucky to be culturally enriched both through travel and the diverse group of friends I made whilst living in Europe. I enjoyed being challenged academically at one of the best technical universities in Europe. Most importantly, I am proud of how I have grown and become more resilient.
Advice/Top Tips
Generally, if students are unsure about undergoing an exchange experience, I would highly recommend applying and getting outside of your comfort zone. I would recommend to future students to apply for student housing as soon as it is available, and to regularly check your emails for any correspondence.
