Reviews of Vlerick Business School | Belgium

Useful | 1

Nicolene B

University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Business Studies, Graduate, University Agreement

Student life

Describe host city:

Students equally interact with the local and student community

Nightlife, Activities, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal social experience

Activities

Nightlife

Travel

Overall

Personal comments

The frequently visited pubs were: Pi-Nuts, Den Business, De Geus van Gent, The boat at Decaskoop... the list is really endless - but it's all about who you go with!

Useful | 1

Nicolene B

University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Business Studies, Graduate, University Agreement

Housing

Type of housing: A room exchange

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why?

It is always nicer to have a place of your own, not having to use communal bathroom and kitchen. No landlady or landlord to bother you.

Personal assessment

Cost

Facilities

Location

Cleanliness

Space

Personal comments

The school goes through a lot of effort to help international students find decent and affordable accomodation in good locations since most of us have to walk to school.

Useful | 1

Nicolene B

University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Business Studies, Graduate, University Agreement

Expenses

Main source of funding:

A private grant

Other sources of funding:

none

Work opportunities:

It was not legal for me to work

Personal spending habits

Living costs are at least 3 to 6 times more expensive in Belgium

Telephone, Nightlife, Housing, Travel, Overall, Food:

was more expensive than at home.

Accessibility of student needs

Second-hand text books

Second-hand household items

Computers / Internet

Administrative

Money from home

Personal comments

Internationals help eachother out - one evening you cook, the next evening someone else cooks - it works out cheaper and it's more fun to eat with friends. Buy at Aldi's, not Match or Delhaize!!

Useful | 1

Nicolene B

University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Business Studies, Graduate, University Agreement

Academic

Course recommendations

The school is only in its third year of English as teaching medium - consequently the quality of many lectures are influenced negatively. They are working on it though.

My academic experiences

Quality of courses

Variety of courses

Access to resources

Interaction with teachers

Interaction with international students

Interaction with local students

Personal comments

We were a very large group (65 students) with limited space available. At times writing examinations proved to be very difficult as everywhere you look, you look at someone else's paper. They are trying to limit the student numbers for the future.

My opinion of the university assessment

Exams at end of course

Exams throughout the course

Essays and/or projects at the end of course

Essays and/or projects throughout the course

Overall

Useful | 4

Nicolene B

University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Business Studies, Graduate, University Agreement

Overall

I wish I had known...

Wish I knew how to drink litres and litres of beer per night and go out until 7 in the morning, and be back in class at 9am! But seriously, you should know how to balance social and academic life... that's no secret no matter where you are in the world.

In my opinion:

Everybody loved it, you will too!

Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important

Academic reasons

4

Culture

4

Costs

3

Activities

2

Campus life

2

Party / people

3

Weather / location

2

Personal recommendation

Very good school, improving every year - next year they will be located in a beautiful monastary! Honestly, I can't decide whether I have learnt more about life or more about business.

During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot

Became familiar with another culture

4

Traveled

4

Improved language skills

3

Met people from other countries

4

Became more independent

4

Partied a lot

4

Experienced a change in life

4

Advanced my studies & career

4

Final comments

Just bear in mind that students at Vlerick are not representative of the average Belgian citizen - they are the cream of the crop... and they know it! :) Embrace every opportunity that comes your way - there will be plenty of them!!

Useful | 1

Nicolene B

University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Business Studies, Graduate, University Agreement

Languages

Language of instruction: English

Local language was: Different than language of instruction

Was learning English a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my English

Was learning the local language a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my the local language

How much did you improve your English?

My level before: No problems in any areas (including slang)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

How much did you improve your the local language?

My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Language difficulties

Social

Educational

Administrative / Institutional

Overall

Personal comments

I was the Public Relations Praeses (representative) for the PUB group and was responsible for all communication to the external community as well as within the group. Sponsorship meetings mostly took place in Dutch, with myself replying in Afrikaans - no problems - except for them laughing every now and then at the double negation :)

Vlerick Business School

About iAgora

Company

Work

Studies