Semester Abroad at Hawai’i Pacific University

However, as I was studying outside the HTWK’s ERASMUS programme, I had to cover almost the entire cost of the semester myself, which – with tuition fees of $6,500 and rent of over $1,000 a month (in a one-bedroom flat shared with two flatmates), can quickly become a problem. Studying within Europe is usually significantly cheaper or even free of charge. I received support from the HTWK in the form of the PROMOS scholarship and from the HTWK Friends’ Association, which covered around 20 per cent of the costs. Anyone who, like me, wants to study at HPU should nevertheless expect total costs of around $20,000, as visa fees, travel costs whilst there and, above all, living costs should not be underestimated.

If you plan well in advance, there are also countless other scholarships available. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my planning only began in mid-March and the semester started as early as mid-August, which left little time for the visa application and vaccinations.

The most important thing for me during the planning stage was the recognition of modules at the host university, as otherwise, as a dual-track student, I would not have received approval from my department. To this end, I recommend creating a table listing all the courses offered on the HTWK programme and all the courses at the host university that are roughly equivalent. In my experience, the lecturers at HTWK are keen to find solutions for the recognition of modules. For the actual recognition, the professor’s signature on the module comparison form is sufficient. Furthermore, if you have any questions regarding recognition or the documents required by the HTWK, the Outgoing Team, including Ms Petrusch, and the current coordinator for international relations at the faculty are always available and happy to help. Generally speaking, I can say that all the lecturers and staff at HTWK were very supportive and keen to see the semester succeed.

Even though the planning and costs can seem a little daunting, I would definitely recommend that everyone spend at least one semester abroad. The experiences gained, new friendships made and memories created are, without a doubt, priceless. I am currently already planning my next semester as part of my Master’s degree.