37 reviews
3.97 / 5 based on 37 reviews
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2
jasnam
Housing
Type of housing: Apartment/House
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
The Logis Suisse owned student house (Castalia 2) was right across the street from the university - couldn't ask for anything better. The only drawback was the fact that the grocery store was a 10 minutel walk, but it was in the centre of the city, which would be far from the school. It suited my purpose.
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Personal comments
The university itself does not have a residence hall. However, there is a private company that owns two buildings intended for the use of students. One (Castalia 2) is right across the street from the main university buildings. The other (Castalia 1) is a 20 minute walk from the university, a short commute by bus (which are infrequent in the evening) but very close to the train station (which *can* and does have its drawbacks).
The rent is affordable, apartments spacious and well lit with a nice, large kitchen. They come semi furnished (one shelf, bed, armoire, desk, chair and small hanging shelf) which again suited my purpose.
The only bad side of the accomodation is that you can't really choose your flat mates so you might end up with people you dislike/don't get along with (which is what happened to me).
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1
“Choose USI if you want a contemporary view on the world”
Aurora D
Italy, Graduate
Marketing and Sales Management, 2021
OverallUSI is a young and dynamic environment with a look towards the future. I choose to study here mainly because they offered a very unique master program in "Marketing and Transformative Economy" that focuses more on contemporary and ground-breaking research rather than on traditional marketing practices.
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Pros
dynamic, up-to-date, international
Cons
small, young, expensive
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1
“Choose USI if you want a contemporary view on the world”
Aurora D
Italy, Graduate
Marketing and Sales Management, 2021
Overall
USI is a young and dynamic environment with a look towards the future. I choose to study here mainly because they offered a very unique master program in "Marketing and Transformative Economy" that focuses more on contemporary and ground-breaking research rather than on traditional marketing practices.
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Pros
dynamic, up-to-date, international
Cons
small, young, expensive
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1
“Suggested for master studies”
Gabriele B
Switzerland, Other courses
Management Science, 2019
Overall
Good University, professors are available and well-disposed to help.
Master classes have a part of the final mark linked to a case analysis to be carried in team.
A final group field project at the end of the course provides a capstone for the studies made
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Pros
Direct relation between teachers and professors
Cons
Not easy access to the job market
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1
“Interessante e stimolante”
Korrasut C
Italy,
International Relations, 2022
Overall
Professori preparati e volenterosi per i corsi mai noiosi e ricchi di conoscenza.
Sistema funzionale anche durante la pandemia di COVID-19
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Careers
Purtroppo con la pandemia il sistema universitario ha sofferto tale condizione.
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Pros
Piccola università (che si sta sviluppando sempre più) più facile avere ottimi rapporti con professori e studenti e con progetti locali
Cons
Prezzo non indifferente
Useful |
6
jasnam
Overall
I wish I had known...
Naah.. It was all right..
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In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
Go there if it meshes with your academic/career goals.
Coming from a pretty obscure program at U of Toronto (Semiotics and Communication Theory) it was really good for me to take some courses that take an utilitarian view of communication (com. as a business tool rather than a study in itself) so the academic experience was absolutely brilliant.
Still, there were a few blah courses taught by old school-Italian profs that stand in front of the class and spout their brilliance for 90 minutes, but that was part of the local colour.
Another matter that not everyone may like is the fact that USI is a very young university - it was founded in 1996 so it doesn't carry the cachet that Oxford, Cambridge, Sorbonne and others do, but it's the best kept secret in Europe because of the international profile of its professors.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
Buy the binario metta prezzo (half price train tickets for a year if you pay a lump sum of CHF 150 and get a card with your picture on it) - it pays for itself in pretty much 3 trips and it's essential if you're planning on seeing any of CH (doh!)
Go skiing in St. Moriz (or anywhere, for that matter) but see if you can hook up with some local friends and stay at their house/chalet so that you don't have to pay tourist prices for the hotel etc.
Travel more. Pack twice the money and half the clothes. Don't worry about your accent/pronounciation. Be nice to the profs and get to know them. Fawn on the secretaries, they will love you and help you when you need it. Climb the hills around Lugano (great! view). See if you can find a canoe (*not* a kayak!) and go for a paddle on Lago di Lugano (calm water, great sights). Forget English/your mother tongue. Join AIESEC. *Don't* call the Swiss-Germans "zucchini" unless invited. Smile at the hills for me if you go, I miss them!
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