Hello! I'm Alanah, a fourth/final year Modern Languages student - I study French, German and Italian, with a bit of Korean and Spanish on the side in my spare time!  

For my year abroad, I was able to split it into two different placements. My first semester was an Erasmus study placement at Université Grenoble Alpes, then I moved to Paris to do my internship as a Pedagogical Assistant. I chose both options because I wanted to have the real student experience abroad, as well as trying a proper full-time job!  

I wanted to strengthen my language to as close to native-level as possible, so I eventually decided to do both of my placements in France. But I must confess, this wasn't my original plan! I was meant to study in Germany, too. But I had such a positive experience in Grenoble that I wanted to carry on and go further with my French. This desire has remained thanks to my year abroad - I've realised that, in future, I definitely want a job where I can use my language every day, perhaps make business trips out to the francophone world, or just relocate there entirely! 

My year abroad, as hectic and chaotic as it was at times, was absolutely the best part of my entire degree. I think the best part of living in Grenoble was the environment, being surrounded by mountains was just a delight to see every day. As for Paris, it was the atmosphere. Being a young working woman in such a cosmopolitan city really made me feel like I was living the dream! 

Hello, my name is Archie, and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at Newcastle University, studying Contemporary and Popular Music. My musical background is in classical guitar and song writing. However, during the course of my time in Newcastle I have developed a love for folk music through my interaction with Newcastle’s Folk and Traditional Music degree. It was a combination of my newfound passion for folk music and my love of rural locations that lead me to apply to the University of South-Eastern Norway, Rauland campus, to study Norwegian Folk Music. 

The University is surrounded by mountains and sits in close proximity to a large lake. This peaceful environment was the backdrop for the most amazing year full of rich experiences. While there I was introduced to musical styles and instruments I had never heard before and met some of the kindest and most generous people who I am now proud to call my friends.  

Some highlights from living in Norway definitely include, learning traditional Norwegian folk dance, going to and playing at several Norwegian folk music festivals, learning to cross country ski and snow board (we had 6 months of snow) and a three-day cycle ride over a snow-covered mountain in the heart of summer. 

Studying and living in Norway has really changed my outlook on life both personally and academically. Previously I hadn’t considered the possibility that one day I might be working or living in another country. I now plan to study a master’s degree and PhD in Norway after finishing my degree in Newcastle.  

Hi Everyone! I’m Cathlynne, and I am currently in my fourth and final year of my Law degree, and last year I went on a yearlong study exchange programme to Trento, Italy!  

Before even starting university, I knew I wanted to go on a year abroad during my degree and so choosing a university that offered a variety of options for exchanges was vital for me, and Newcastle was perfect! I wanted to go on a year abroad for a number of reasons, from being able to live in a foreign country by myself and experiencing new cultures to the amazing employability benefits it would give me. Going on a year abroad would open so many doors and as someone who wants to work abroad in the future, an exchange programme was my first step into the ever-growing global community we’re living in.  

The best thing about living in Italy was definitely all the people I met along the way, without them, my experience would have been completely different. With Trento being a considerably small city, the community spirit there allowed me to make close friendships and connections with both Italian and international students. Italy was also a great place for travel opportunities with all the beautiful cities that were easily reachable by train or bus, I managed to tick off a lot of things from my bucket list!  

The highlight of my year abroad was definitely taking part in ‘Incontro Culturale Erasmus’ (ICE), an Erasmus cultural meeting held annually in Rome where a gathering of almost 2000 Erasmus students from universities all around Italy take place. The main event was the flag parade, in which we walked through the streets of Rome holding flags that represented our country. The atmosphere was unforgettable, it was the first time I truly felt I was part of a big community that Erasmus sets itself out to be, seeing all the students take over the streets of Rome was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  

Overall, my exchange year has changed my outlook in life for the better. I am now more certain that I want to work abroad in the future and with different people from all around the world. It has given me a clearer direction of which field of work I want to get into, and I have gained life-long skills that will benefit me greatly for my future career.

Hi my name's Katherine, and I had the incredible opportunity to take part in the Erasmus exchange programme as part of my Architecture degree. The exchange programme was one of the optional modules for my two year masters degree, and took place in the spring semester. 

In January I moved to Stockholm in Sweden, and attended KTH university. This was right in the city centre, and sat in a beautiful green campus with such attractive red brick buildings. 

I primarily chose to go to Stockholm because of my fascination for Scandinavian functional design and their well-planned urban landscape. It was really interesting to work in a different architecture studio dynamic, with a different education system and way of teaching. My course was taught in English but I took some additional Swedish language lessons when I arrived so I could settle in that little bit quicker! 

The exchange programme allowed me to make many new friends and develop incredible connections in an international community. It broadens perspectives and introduces you to new way of living, which is helped by being immersed in student culture!  

Personally, studying abroad allowed me greater confidence in my own decision making abilities, and saturation in the culture approved my future ambitions to work in Scandinavia. As many companies begin to make international connections, the ability to work across cultures will become incredibly important. As someone with this experience and a growing global perspective, I believe it opens up excellent career opportunities in the future. 

The highlight of my trip was exploring Stockholm’s archipelago. This is a stunning array of islands that sit just outside the city, and are really easy to access. Venturing into nature at weekends really sums up Swedish culture and I can’t wait to go back and wild camp there next summer!  

Hi, I’m Lucy Evanson and I’m a final year law student. I was lucky enough to go on a year abroad under the Erasmus scheme to study at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark 2019/20! I had the most incredible time, and it has changed me in so many ways – I’m definitely a different person because of it!  

I chose to go on a year abroad because of the module choices; I was able to study topics I wouldn’t have the chance to at Newcastle. The course in Copenhagen offered really unique and appealing modules that drew my interest. Having these distinctive and unusual modules on my CV now distinguishes me from other candidates in having knowledge in niche areas, so they are always brought up in interviews. The module choices actually changed my future career plan, as I was able to find my passion in an area that I otherwise wouldn’t have found, had I not gone to Denmark.  

The best thing about living in Copenhagen was the culture. The city is absolutely stunning, and the architecture is beautiful. I miss being able to ride my bike through the city, seeing all the colours and the lights – it was an incredible sight. Everyone is so friendly too; it’s no wonder Denmark is called the happiest country in the world, there are even trampolines in the streets! The food was also a bonus, I definitely got my money’s worth on Danish pastries!  

My favourite element of my year abroad was the ability to travel. With the rest of Scandinavia so close, it would have been a waste not to! I went skiing for the first time, visited a reindeer farm, slept in an ice castle, and even climbed a mountain.  

My year abroad has definitely made me more confident and independent. It has altered my entire career path by allowing me to find my passion and pursue a job I know I will enjoy. It has also improved my employability immensely and I would recommend it to anyone thinking of doing a year abroad. It was an incredible experience, and I don’t regret any of it. 

My name is Robbie and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at Newcastle University, studying Environmental Science in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES). I am originally from rural Norfolk and moving to Newcastle was my first time living in a city. I tend to prefer rural places, but I decided to challenge myself when I was applying for my year abroad, to live somewhere completely different to what I have been used to. It is for this reason that I decided to apply to Seoul National University in South Korea to study Forest Sciences. 

My time in Seoul was amazing. I met so many new people, travelled to lots of countries, learnt about new parts of the world and experienced so many different cultures. On top of this, I found that my time abroad has opened many new doors to opportunities I didn’t even know existed. I am now thinking about working/studying abroad after I finish studying at Newcastle.  

Highlights of my time abroad include the Rugby World Cup Final in Tokyo, seeing orangutans in Sumatra, cycling the length of South Korea and a long weekend in Hong Kong. These are just a number of incredible experiences I had during my time in Asia.

As I said, I am not used to living in a big city, let alone one with 20 million people! However, I ended up really enjoying life in Seoul with so many bars, restaurants and clubs. I tried lots of new food, drank Korean beers and immersed myself in Korean culture. I also managed to explore many of the national parks surrounding Seoul, as well as go for bike rides along the River Han and take trips to Sokcho and Jeju Island. Arriving in Seoul certainly was a shock to the system, yet I ended up loving my time in Korea and can’t wait to go back soon! 

Studying abroad has certainly broadened my horizons, showing me that there are many more options I have after graduating from Newcastle. I hope to find work abroad once I graduate, something I would never have considered before my time in Seoul.