Details

• Canada
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 3 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

Depending on which semester you are going, I would definitely recommend bringing enough winter clothes. Especially in January and February, temperatures can drop below -20°C and there can be a lot of snow. A warm winter jacket and good winter shoes are therefore very important and will make daily life much easier. Regarding traveling to the university, I would recommend flying to Toronto first and then taking a bus to campus, for example with FlixBus or Onex Bus. There is also the option to fly from Toronto to London, but in my experience this connection is less reliable and usually more expensive. Taking the bus is often the easier option, as it brings you directly to campus and is generally more convenient.

2. Accommodation

At Western, you have the opportunity to live directly on campus, and the application process was very easy and straightforward. You can choose between a two-person apartment or an apartment shared with four people. I personally would recommend the four-person apartment option, which is called Alumni House. All exchange students who lived on campus stayed in Alumni House, which made it very easy to meet people, make connections, and spend time together. It definitely helped with building friendships and getting involved in student life. In the apartment, everyone had their own private bedroom, while the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and toilet were shared. Alumni House is located at the edge of campus, but getting to university was very convenient. You could either take the bus, which usually took around 5–10 minutes, or walk for about 15–20 minutes. The walk was very save since it went directly through campus.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus at Western was very large and offered a lot of facilities for students, the Ivey building in particular was very modern. aThere was also a large gym on campus that students could use with their student card. The student card also allowed free access to the city buses, making it very easy to get around campus and London. The academic culture and teaching style were quite different compared to WU. At Ivey, they followed the case method, meaning that students had to prepare and read a case before each class and then actively discuss it during class. Participation and contribution were therefore much more important than what I was used to at WU. The class sizes were generally smaller, which created a more interactive atmosphere. Professors had a closer relationship with students, everyone had a name tag and got called by their first names. Regarding course recommendations, I would highly recommend Project Management, especially with Professor Ning Su. I also took Transformational Leadership, where we had to write a reflection after every class and a big group project, but there was no final exam. The only final exam I had was in Global Strategy, and overall I found it manageable and not overly difficult.

5. Every day life in the host country

As mentioned before, public transportation in London is pretty good. There are buses going everywhere, and public transport is included in the student card, which makes it really convenient. The safety situation on campus is very good. I never felt unsafe there. Downtown London is a bit different, as there is unfortunately a bigger drug and homelessness problem, so some areas do not always feel that safe. However, when going out with friends, there is one main street with many bars and restaurants where a lot of students go, so when you are in a group it is no problem. Regarding sports options, the gym on campus is really big. They also offer classes like yoga, and there is a large swimming pool where students can go swimming if they have the proper equipment.

6. Testimonial

The people I met during my exchange were definitely one of the biggest highlights. We spent time together almost every day, and they made the whole experience really special. Traveling around Canada with the friends I made was another highlight, and I definitely made friendships for life, which I am very grateful for.