Deciding to study
abroad is an exciting life-changing experience. There are many
things to consider such as admissions, the right programs,
selecting a location that you will call home, etc. Aside from
thorough research, another method to learning about whether or not
studying in another country is for you, is by hearing
the stories of other international students who have
gone through the same process.
The
University of Waterloo welcomes students from across the
world to study at its institution. In effort to exchange students'
thoughts and opinions, below are some comments from current
international students:
"My
advice is to explore life outside the university. There are great
organizations and clubs to get involved within the Waterloo region.
For me, joining the local rugby club and getting to know my
teammates, who are of various walks of life and not just students,
has made me feel at home in Waterloo. Waterloo Region is a great
place to live and study."
Arjan
Brem, Netherlands
PhD student, Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science
"If
you are planning to live off-campus, you will need lots of time in
advance to find a place to live, because it can be hard to find a
good place with a reasonable price. I also found that it is very
important to find a place near a supermarket or a mall because if
you don't have a car, in winter it is very hard to move to the
markets either by bike or by foot."
Roberto Vargas
Escarraman, Dominican Republic
Master's student, Faculty of Environmental Studies
"Making friends
has been great and by far the best thing about studying at
Waterloo. There are so many activities at UW like Warrior Weekends
(on-campus social events), concerts, retreats, and games, which are
great and fun. I would encourage international students to take
part in these activities. They are great ways to make
friends."
Ruth
Namanya, Uganda
Legal Studies, Faculty of Arts
"Helping fellow
undergraduates was by far my most enjoyable experience at Waterloo.
All my experiences in Canada like studying, teaching and traveling
are all great, yet working with the undergraduates as a teaching
assistant is something I value very much. Besides making extra
money, it sharpens your skills, increases and strengthens your
knowledge and teaches you how to be a good listener and a good
speaker."
Mubarak S.
Al-Mutairi, Saudi Arabia
PhD student, Systems Design Engineering
"The
first time I saw the campus at Waterloo, being the tree hugger that
I am, I was very impressed with the geese and the fields around
campus.
One thing's for sure, UW's campus is multinational. I have been to a number of campuses throughout Canada and I must say that UW's population is very diverse. No matter where you are from, chances are there are other people who are from the same country and are dying to talk to you.
The
food in the University Plaza (adjacent to the campus) and various
shops within the university itself are very accommodating for
various students' tastes and needs - it's very suitable for
Waterloo's multinational student body."
Tule
Sirikitputtisak, Thailand
Physics Major, Faculty of Science
Here are
other things that are good to know about UW:
• The
Turnkey desk in the Student Life Centre is open 24 hours a day. It
never closes and, no matter what question you have, they will most
likely have the answer.
• The
libraries have long hours that you would never expect from any
public libraries. You can also access an even wider collection
because Waterloo's libraries are networked with other universities
in Ontario.
• The
International Student Office is more than happy to help you with
anything. And even if they can't, they will get you to the person
who can.
Image Credits:
1. J Aycan
2. J Aycan
3. J Aycan
4. J Aycan
