Below zero, above expectations

Minju Kim shares how a semester at Concordia University in Canada expanded her creativity, friendships and love of travel

Minju Kim

Why I chose my host uni:

I chose my host university, Concordia, because of its large art faculty and various art and design programmes. Most importantly, it is in the centre of Montréal, a diverse and artsy city with great public transit. (The Concordia campus has a metro station connected underground which was so nice to use in winter.)

How I found applying to my host uni:

For my major, the application required an art portfolio, which wasn’t too difficult to put together. I added previous projects from my classes in university as well as the good ones from my high school.

However, getting the courses sorted was a very challenging part of the entire exchange application. It was especially difficult for me (a design student) because all my major and minors are studio based in AUT. Concordia can only put you in a maximum of 3 studio classes, and you need to take 5 classes in the semester for an equivalent of 60 AUT points. I had to take subjects in areas that I’m unfamiliar with such as art history, but it was 100% worth it as I learned so much.

Make sure to check which courses are being taught in the semester you’re going and prepare as you might need to take electives outside of your major.

I only needed an eTA (costs only CAD $7 and through a super simple online process) rather than a study permit because my study programme lasted 6 months or less.

How I found learning in a different academic system:

I found the academic system in Concordia to be a lot faster-paced. It was a bit challenging to get used to, but the fast-paced system allowed me to work quicker through my five classes. The design classes also had fast and smaller scaled projects which made me think productively within a short period of time and produce a variety of work in one semester.

What I gained from this experience:

• Experienced North American culture and nature and climate
• New friends from all over the world! (Québec City, British Columbia, Belgium, Barbados and more)
• A stronger passion to travel and explore the world more
• More confidence in myself, going to new places and making friends