Details

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

1. Preparation

For the application process, I would recommend starting early to decide which university you would like to attend. It helps to pre-select your preferred universities and carefully read the exchange reports from previous students, as they provide valuable insight into the quality and experience of the partner university. For the application round, I would prepare thoroughly for the interview and think about possible questions in advance. This makes it much easier to give confident and well-structured answers during the interview, which can help you secure a spot at your preferred university. However, the interview is not too strict, as they are mainly interested in authentic answers about yourself and your motivation for the exchange semester. Texas A&M University provided a very helpful step-by-step guide on how to prepare for the exchange semester, which supported me a lot during the process. I would also recommend applying for your visa and completing the application process at your partner university as early as possible. In addition, make sure to organize important things such as travel insurance, a credit card, and a debit card (I used Revolut because of the favorable exchange rates), as well as all necessary travel documents. It is also useful to pack a small medicine kit for emergencies and consider getting a travel SIM card for the first few days, although universities usually provide information about the best local internet providers. I traveled to the United States by plane from Munich to Houston — make sure to book your flight in advance!

2. Accommodation

There are plenty of housing options at Texas A&M: -The university itself sends you a list of people who are subleasing their apartments for the semester. -You can also apply for on-campus housing, which is very convenient because you are able to rent for just one semester. There are several dorms, but as far as I know, exchange students can mainly apply for “The Gardens Apartments.” You have to apply in advance to secure a spot, as they fill up quite quickly. Some exchange friends of mine lived there and had a good experience, especially because everyone had their own room. -The best tip I can give (and what I did myself) is to look for subleases on Facebook. Many students — especially around April/May for the fall semester — post their apartments for sublease. These offers are usually shared in specific Facebook groups, such as “Texas A&M Sublease” or similar housing groups for College Station. It is very convenient because you can rent for just one semester, and most apartments are already fully furnished and equipped with necessities such as pans, dishes, and cutlery. You can either arrange the sublease directly through the apartment complex or, as I did, make a private contract with the person subleasing the apartment. -I would recommend living as close to Northgate (the bar area) and campus as possible. The area is very large, and without a car it can be difficult to get around. Uber works well, but using it regularly can become expensive. I lived at “U-Centre” in Northgate in a small townhouse, but I can also recommend looking into places like The Standard, The Otto, or Lark Northgate. College Station is generally very safe, as there is a strong police presence, especially in the bar area. It feels safe to walk around, even at night.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is enormous, even by U.S. standards, as it offers almost everything you could imagine. There are several sports stadiums (football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, etc.), as well as many sports facilities that you can use yourself, such as gyms, indoor and outdoor soccer fields, swimming lanes, tennis courts, boxing halls, and more. The campus facilities for business students are also very impressive, especially the newest building that was recently constructed. Both the academic and social culture at A&M are great. In my opinion, the courses are somewhat easier to pass compared to European universities, mainly because you earn many partial points through assignments, quizzes, and tasks throughout the semester. Another major difference is that professors engage much more with their students. It felt more like a collegial relationship rather than a distant academic one. I would recommend enrolling in smaller classes, as they tend to be very interactive. I especially recommend the course Management Consulting by Prof. Ken McFarland.

5. Every day life in the host country

Honestly, I rarely used public transportation because I rented a bike from the university for the whole semester — which I highly recommend. It wasn’t the best bike, but it was good enough to get around, especially for going to class every day. However, many other students used public transportation on campus, as the buses also run to the large apartment complexes nearby. As I already mentioned, College Station is very safe. There is a strong police presence on campus, and especially in the bar area there are many police officers — in my opinion, almost too many, as they strictly control underage drinking (under 21). As exchange students, we automatically become part of the International Student Association, which organizes many activities throughout the semester. In my daily routine, I had classes from Monday to Thursday, so I usually spent most of the day on campus. In the evenings, we often did sports activities such as indoor soccer or pickleball. There are also many events on campus during the week, including guest speeches and presentations from companies and successful professionals. On weekends, we usually went out in Northgate or did trips to big cities.

6. Testimonial

I had the opportunity to experience Southern hospitality in Texas, and I am truly grateful for that. It wasn’t just a great experience because of the enormous campus and the football games — it became such a special semester because of the meaningful friendships and international connections I was able to build. It was something truly unique to be in a room with people from 20 different nationalities and have the chance to connect and exchange perspectives. Engaging with professors in a way that felt much more personal and interactive than what I was used to was also a very special experience. I would highly recommend pursuing a similar experience and taking the opportunity to spend a semester in Texas.