Details

• Kenya
• BaWiSo-19
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

Before starting your exchange semester in Africa, it is very important to be aware of which country you are traveling to. Life there can be very different from Europe. If you have never been to an East African country before, the cultural shock can be quite intense. Being mentally prepared for different social norms, infrastructure, and daily routines will make the transition much easier. Why did I choose Kenya? For me I’ve never been to east Africa and always wanted to go there. If u seek academical improvement, don’t choose Strath but if u seek adventure, sunsets, kite surfing, safaris, international friends, then definitely go there. My top 3 choices were Argentina, Vietnam and Kenya, so my Spanish wasn’t good enough at this point and in Vietnam there would’ve been rain season so then I was like hey let’s go to Kenya. You should also take health preparations seriously. Make sure you check which vaccinations are required or recommended well in advance. It is also smart to think carefully about which medications you might need and bring them with you. I Zoom basic medicine for diarrhea, sore throat, headaches, and other common issues with me. It is much easier to bring these from home than to look for them after you arrive. But to be fair u can get Mets there but mostly not european brands. Another important point is accommodation. Try to organize your housing early. I would personally recommend booking an Airbnb, as it gives you more flexibility. In my case, I applied for a student dorm. However, they could not confirm my place immediately, which caused a lot of uncertainty and stress. In the end, I stayed in a dormitory, which was generally fine, but compared to an Airbnb, it would have been much less stressful to have everything arranged and confirmed well in advance. But the Securitys and other personell at my Flat were all super nice. I stayed at Homescope Hostels

2. Accommodation

As mentioned before, I would strongly recommend choosing an Airbnb. I personally stayed in a student residence, and it was very good in terms of safety and organization. However, you have much less freedom there. In my residence, we were not allowed to bring friends into our rooms, and alcohol was not permitted. The rules were quite strict. This is not necessarily a bad thing, and the security staff and employees were extremely friendly and helpful. Still, overall, you simply have more independence and flexibility when staying in an Airbnb. Most Airbnbs in Nairobi also have their own security, so safety is generally not a major concern. If you are looking for a good area, I would definitely recommend Kileleshwa, where a lot of my international friends were staying. Another good option is Mbagathi, which is located closest to the university. Both areas are convenient and well suited for students.

3. Academic life at host university

To be completely honest, the university system there is very different from what you might be used to at WU. The structure is different, and especially in the beginning, it can feel quite chaotic. For example, during the first two weeks after the semester had already started, I was still not officially enrolled in the courses I wanted to take. Because of that, I received absences for classes I could not even attend yet, which was frustrating since it was not my fault. In the first weeks, classrooms often change, and it can be difficult to find the correct class. Unlike at WU, where everything is clearly organized online and you can always see exactly where your course takes place, this information is not always easily accessible. You need to be flexible and patient. It is also very important to choose your courses carefully and pay attention to which professor is teaching them. I had one course that sounded very interesting, but I personally did not get along well with the professor. Before the first exam, since I had never taken an exam there before, I wrote him an email asking if he could share an old exam or tell me where I could find one to prepare properly. His only reply was that he does not work on weekends because he goes to church. That was quite frustrating. In the end, I decided to drop the course. However, I want to emphasize that most professors were very kind and supportive. This was more of an exception. Another difference is that group work is often not taken as seriously as at WU. It can happen that other group members start working at the last minute, and sometimes the quality is not very high. You may find yourself doing a large part of the work alone. Therefore, it is important to choose your group members carefully and to manage expectations early on. Overall, the university experience taught me a lot, especially about self-organization and setting priorities. At the beginning, I took everything very seriously. But due to the organizational challenges, I eventually shifted my focus. I still fulfilled all academic requirements, but I decided not to make university my only priority. Instead, I focused on experiencing as much of the country as possible. Almost every weekend, I went on safari, traveled to different regions, explored new cultures, went hiking, and participated in sports tournaments like padel and golf. I also traveled to the coast several times. For me, the exchange was not only about academic performance, but about fully experiencing the country and making the most of the opportunity.

5. Every day life in the host country

During my exchange, I was extremely active. I played golf five to six times a week, padel tennis three to five times a week, went horseback riding twice a week, and swimming once a week. On most weekends, I went on short trips. I also arrived two weeks before my courses started, which gave me time to travel around the country and even climb Mount Kenya. This is also important when calculating monthly costs. My expenses were higher because I traveled a lot, and the Mount Kenya climb in particular was quite expensive. On the other hand, I often chose the cheapest accommodation options when traveling. At the coast, for example, I usually stayed in hostels. When traveling with friends, we shared an Airbnb, which sometimes cost only around 10 to 20 euros per night per person. That is very affordable, but all the trips combined still add up over time. One of the most important topics is mobility. Public transportation as you might know it from Europe does not really exist. There are so-called matatus, which are privately operated minibuses. I used them a few times, but mostly when I was with local friends. At night, I would not recommend taking them, especially as a foreigner. I heard several stories from international students who had negative experiences, including robberies. During the day, when traveling with local friends and using common sense, it is generally fine. Keep your phone in your pocket and avoid using it openly in public transport. Most of the time, I used Uber. I took Uber from my student residence to university, to the golf course, and basically everywhere else. It works well and is reliable. If you use a ride app, I would clearly recommend Uber. I would avoid Bolt, as there have been some incidents reported in recent years. You will also need to decide whether to use Uber cars or Uber motorbikes. If you are comfortable riding on the back of a motorbike, I strongly recommend bringing your own helmet from home. Motorbike taxis are often the fastest way to get around. Traffic is extremely heavy and much more chaotic than in Austria or other European countries. There are constant traffic jams, and you can lose a lot of time in a car. Motorbikes can move through traffic much faster. Of course, riding a motorbike comes with some risk. I personally used motorbike taxis several times a day and nothing happened to me, although there were a few moments that felt very close to accidents. Still, I would recommend being aware of the risks and taking safety seriously. In terms of costs, a motorbike ride usually costs between 0.50 and 3 euros. That sounds cheap, but if you take several rides per day and also tip the driver a small amount each time, it adds up. Therefore, make sure to plan a reasonable budget for transportation. Another very important point is the student visa. Apply for it immediately when you arrive in the country. Go directly to the person responsible for handling the student visas and follow up actively. In my case, the process took quite a while, and I really had to push for it. However, having the student visa makes a huge financial difference. With it, you receive significant discounts for national parks. As a regular tourist, park entrance fees are often between 80 and 120 US dollars per day. With a valid student visa, you might pay the equivalent of around 10 euros per day instead. That is an enormous difference, especially if you plan to go on multiple safaris. Once I had my student visa, I went on several safaris and explored a large number of parks across the country. I can really recommend Masai Mara but don’t forget to bring Malaria prophylactics there. Hells Gate and Amboseli where also amazing such as Tsavo East and West.

6. Testimonial

The exchange semester was an incredible experience and definitely the right choice. The impressions and experiences I gained were unique and unforgettable. The adaptability I developed by adjusting to a new culture will benefit me for the rest of my life. Oderso.