Motivation
I have always been very interested in studying abroad, particularly in the UK and I was drawn to UQ's comprehensive host exchange partners in the region. With only one semester remaining in my degree I was eager to explore some of the varied and unique academic course offerings available at The University of Exeter to complete my studies. I studied a Bachelor of Economics at UQ, and completed a semester exchange at The University of Exeter in 2024.
Personal Development
My time spent at The University of Exeter allowed me to gain valuable experiences, meet some wonderful and interesting friends from all around the world and learn from world-class lecturers at a historical and beautiful campus in the South of England. I gained crucial experience in the planning and organisation of my trip in Exeter, logistically some aspects didn't always go to plan and learning to adapt to challenges throughout the journey allowed me to gain important life skills. Being in a unique environment on the other side of the world forces you to step outside your comfort zone which helped me to grow immensely in my independence and time-keeping skills. There are many aspects to consider when planning an exchange program and working through planning my schedule, work life balance, travel arrangements, transport and accomodation allowed me to enhance my confidence and adaptability throughout the completion of my degree.
Academic Development
Given I completed some of my studies during the Covid-19 pandemic and UQ/The University of Exeter have experienced many changes to their academic processes over the last few years, it was extremely exciting to attend Exeter in person and engage with students from all around the world, attend lectures and tutorials in person and challenge myself academically. I undertook the equivalent of UQ's regular course load (4 courses) for my semester exchange, depending on the equivalent modules and the number of modules you have remaining to complete in your degree this may vary from person to person. Once I had confirmed equivalent courses in my proposed study plan with the BEL faculty, it was seamless to select my preferences at Exeter through their portal and I received my allocated enrolments prior to arriving in the UK.
Once on campus I was able to view my timetable and I was very fortunate as my schedule gave me a lot of flexibility in terms of the days I needed to attend campus however there is an adjustment period available if you have any clashes or wish to change a module in the first couple of weeks of the semester. Exeter modules can vary quite a bit in terms of taught hours vs independent learning and forms of assessment. I was already used to various assessment types from my chosen modules at UQ so far, however it was new to experience how some courses at Exeter had multiple lectures per week and some only had 4 seminars throughout the entire semester. This variation means it is really important to plan your time well and I found that allocating enough time to complete and work through tutorial questions/practice exams and assessment pieces was incredibly useful in allowing me to have free time to explore the campus, Exeter city and the surrounding areas.
I undertook 4 3rd year modules and I found this was a relatively large workload compared to more balanced module combinations I had studied at UQ, particularly since some of the teaching styles and concepts were very new to me and quite advanced. As such it was sometimes challenging to find the time for balance in my studies but I recommend taking advantage of all of the tutorial sessions to seek assistance/clarification and reviewing the past exam papers for your modules as I found this very helpful during the assessment period. The tutors and lecturers at Exeter are incredibly knowledgable, very approachable and welcoming. I really enjoyed all of the interesting modules I had the opportunity to study and they enhanced my academic skills substantially in preparing me for graduate work, I also had the chance to complete a group project in one of my subjects which was a great way to meet new people and I found it very enjoyable.
Professional Development
Working in a team to complete a video group assignment was a crucial aspect of employability that I am grateful to have added to my skill base. Also the ability to plan, engage in and push myself outside of my comfort zone by engaging in social events and campus activities has provided me so many unique experiences and opened my eyes to potential career paths which I wouldn't have considered or even been aware of before. I could not recommend undertaking an exchange more as it will not only develop your confidence and independence whilst allowing you to learn varied skills but also signals to employers your ability to manage your time effectively, complete substantial projects and engage with varied cultures.
In terms of my professional development, much of what I had learnt up to my exchange was taught from Australia's perspective in Economics, so it was challenging for me to adapt to the nuances of the UK economy in comparison, since some aspects differed substantially but the excellent teaching and comprehensive readings available allowed me to broaden my perspective to a more internationally applicable skill set with regard to some of my modules.
Costs and Budget
Budgeting for an exchange, on a per week basis, can be difficult as unforeseen circumstances arise more often than you might think. My main piece of advice would be to have contingency plans in place as Exeter can be a vary expensive place to live in recent years with inflation and some things might end up costing more than planned. In terms of accomodation, I was fortunately able to rent an apartment on the outskirts of Exeter which I paid for with my scholarship from the BEL faculty, this did mean renting a car was necessary at times to be able to travel further afield but the University campus was very accessible by public transport. Mobile plans including international roaming were very affordable at around 10pounds a month (20 dollars) with substantial data and roaming, I used a company called Voxi and there are plenty of plans that offer deals for students. In terms of transport, trains can be very expensive if travelling a long way for a weekend or so - I believe in December it was around 100-125 pounds for a return ticket to London on the train but if you are able to travel outside popular times this can be substantially reduced.
Another cost to consider is accomodation if you are planning on visiting neighbouring cities during your exchange I found some great airbnb deals at around 75pounds a night for some lovely accomodation in the countryside/Cornwall and the midlands. It is also important to factor in travel insurance for other destinations in other countries. Food was extremely expensive in the UK throughout, especially eating out with a main meal at Wagamamas around 20-25 pounds per person (40-50AUD)- I would recommend downloading and looking through the student apps like Student Beans and Unidays as they can have some great deals/discounts on supermarkets such as M&S, Tesco and Pizza express. I budgetted around 100 pounds a week for activities and food however this varied as some weeks were more study intensive and other weeks I would spend more time/allocation of the budget on travelling to new locations. In terms of flights, I'd recommend booking well in advance as the second semester of University in the UK overlaps with Christmas so flights home to Australia can become quite expensive. I used a flight compiling website which helped me find the best return deal this cost approximately 4000AUD and was one of my biggest expenses as I only booked my flights quite close to the start date of the semester.
Funding
I was very fortunate to have received the BEL Faculty Overseas Study Scholarship of $5000 AUD which helped immensely with budgeting and I was able to put this towards living costs throughout the degree. I used the scholarship to pay for a short term "holiday" rental on the outskirts of Exeter and I was also able to put some money towards renting a car to visit family and friends around the country - who I also stayed with over the Christmas break before the examination period in January.
Accommodation
I researched on campus accomodation however since I was in my third year and was not required to attend campus every day and wanted to be close to the outdoor hikes and walks around Exeter I was fortunate to find a good short term rental for the semester which was conveniently located near some gorgeous outdoor destinations including the Dartmoor National Park. I lived with some housemates and friends who were also studying at the University however I had my own room and ensuite bathroom. The main benefit to living further out of Exeter is the space, privacy and tranquility which were great for focusing on study and there were much lower costs to living in the city centre however traffic can be very bad depending on class/tutorial times so getting into campus can take up to an hour if you do not live on campus which is something to consider. I would recommend looking at the availability and options both on and off campus depending on your preference as I had some friends, in their final year of studies, living in the university halls that greatly enjoyed the positive aspects to living on the campus despite slightly higher costs. Exeter has one of the most beautiful university campuses in the UK and everything is walking distance in the vicinity, there is a high-street and numerous supermarkets including Sainsbury's and M&S just a 10-15minute walk from the campus centre.
Highlights 
The highlight of my experience was definitely the beautiful Exeter Christmas Markets just on the outside the Cathedral in the city centre in December. I was lucky enough to have a few days of heavy snow around the time of the markets and the entire city was decorated for Christmas with hot chocolate, live music, fudge and handmade decorations, this was an incredibly enjoyable event to attend with my friends from University. There is always something exciting and new to do in Exeter and the Campus staff and students are always approachable and friendly. I loved attending the careers fair and the various campus events put on by faculties and the Students Guild throughout the semester as well.
Top Tips
My main piece of advice would be to take part in as many experiences as you can not just within the university but also in the neighbouring towns and cities. The university also offers group excursions to some of these places as well which is an excellent and affordable opportunity to explore if you can book a place. My favourite day trips were Dartmoor National Park, London, Salcombe and Exmouth as well as many lovely seaside towns like Budleigh Salterton. Exeter has so much variety with unique activities for everyone and is an absolutely beautiful city with fantastic academic staff and facilities, I would highly recommend applying!
