Details

• United States of America
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

Focus on checking which courses are actually available and compatible with WU requirements before you apply Don't be discouraged if you don’t get your first choice. An exchange semester is a life-changing experience regardless of the specific university.

2. Accommodation

On-campus is much lower effort than private housing On-campus student residence (Naismith Hall - Dorm) - Due to a system error, I only had freshmen options available. Avoid this if possible! Very good - directly next to the Business School (on campus really safe) Apply for housing as early as possible to get a low queue number. You don't need to pick a specific hall immediately, but a low number is the only way to ensure you have a full range of choices later on.

3. Academic life at host university

Campus infrastructure: There are campus buses that are free forudents. Important: During the first two weeks (Orientation), they are unfortunately not operating. st Academic culture: The campus offers much more than just classes. There are countless clubs and Professional Business Fraternities. I highly recommend joining these to build a network and get involved. Teaching style: The approach is different from WU. There is a strong focus on real-world application, featuring many guest speakers and companies presenting themselves (and essentially "advertising" their career opportunities). Professors are extremely approachable and helpful. You can go to them anytime. Courses in comparison: Expect a lot more "busy work" (continuous homework and small assignments). Instead of one big final exam, you have multiple exams and tasks throughout the semester. Compared to WU, there is definitely much less intense studying. You don't have the same "exam week" stress; you simply do your assignments and keep up with the weekly tasks. The courses are very manageable if you just stay organized.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport: Public transport within Lawrence is free of charge, but if you need to get to Kansas City or the airport, you will need to book an Uber. I believe there is actually one bus line that goes into downtown Kansas City, but it runs at such inconvenient times that I never ended up using it myself. Safety: Lawrence is a safe city, and the campus feels even more secure thanks to the dedicated campus police. Social & Leisure Activities: Massachusetts Street is the place to be: during the day, it’s perfect for shopping and restaurants, but it also has great bars for the evening. Additionally, not far from there is the 'Bar Triangle', which is where you’ll find the typical college bars. Events: There is always something happening on campus, with a wide variety of events organized by different student clubs throughout the semester. Sports options: The sports facilities are excellent - the gym is free for students, and for a small fee, you can join extra courses like yoga. Additionally, there are many sports clubs where you can play competitive or casual sports, such as tennis.

6. Testimonial

Even though KU is sometimes overlooked by WU students, it was truly one of the best times of my life and I would go back in a heartbeat. The University of Kansas is the definition of a typical college town which is not too big but still amazing. The atmosphere is unique especially when it comes to basketball but we also have big football games that bring the whole community together. What made this exchange so special was the perfect balance between campus life and the freedom to explore. I met incredible friends from all over the world and we spent our time going on road trips to see different parts of the country. You could really feel that the Midwest is famous for its hospitality and friendliness because everyone made me feel welcome from day one. These experiences and the people I met were just as important as the time spent at the School of Business. The university itself is extremely helpful and they always want to make sure you are supported. If you see a course with Jana Fitchett you should definitely take it because she is so kind and I also highly recommend joining the KU Case Competition since it was the absolute highlight of my exchange. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about my time there. :) Rock Chalk Jayhawk!