Erfahrungsberichte

Jedes Jahr heißt der Fachbereich Biologie neue Austauschstudierende willkommen. Hier können Sie etwas über Ihre Zeit in Münster erfahren.

Ana

"Following a dream: just Münster. When was the last time that you were afraid of something? For me, it was some months ago, when my adventure started. Suddenly, I found myself out of my comfort zone: in a different country, far away of my family and friends, far away of my home, Granada. Soon I began discovering Münster, its historical center, Promenade, Aasee… I met a lot of new and kind people, some of them were in the same situation as me. I got also support from my colleagues, professors, supervisors, my coordinator and flatmates, so I have never felt alone. As far as I came here, I haven’t stopped learning something new almost every day. Moreover, the Uni is well organized and you can learn by practicing, not only learning by heart, which is quite useful.
Furthermore, I have realised that my languages skills have improved. Now I know that this year has become in one of the best experiences of my life and I would be regretted if I had gave up my dream of doing an Erasmus. So next time you have doubts about doing something that requires going out of your comfort zone, just think, maybe you are going to lack the experience of discovering a new world, maybe you are going to miss the treasure of Münster."

Dafne

"I am living in Münster since 10 months now, and I must say, it exceeds my expectations. When I got here I was afraid of not adapting, but with help and support of the exchange coordinator of the Faculty of Biology and friends that I met studying here, everything is being great. I am now finishing my Bachelor Thesis at the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, and I’m very happy with it, all the professors, especially my advisors, technicians and other students (bachelor, master, PhD) taught me a lot, and not only scientific things. It is not just the educational part that exceeded my expectations, Münster is a welcoming city, it is easy to live here, if I want to go to the lake (Aasee) and read a nice book, or prepare a barbecue with my friends at the canal, or ride my bike at the promenade, or even go to a pub or party on a Friday night, I can, Münster has everything! I will go back to my home town in Brazil in a couple of months, and I have two completely different feelings, on one side I’m happy to go back home, I miss my family and friends (and speaking my mother tongue) but at the same time I feel my heart is breaking, because now I belong to two different places in the world. I will miss Münster so much and all the people that I’ve met here, but I’m glad I had the opportunity of coming here and living this amazing experience."

Sevan

"I study Biology in Tours, France, and I was able to finish my Bachelor in Germany. A very interesting fact for the Erasmus students is that in this country, the sixth semester of bachelor is devoted to a bachelor thesis, which in the case of scientific disciplines is an internship followed by an oral presentation of the work done and a dossier. In my case, this was not compatible with the Erasmus grades, and I was authorised to chose my courses between the options of the different Master courses in Biology, allowing me to take very specific modules.
I started with a 2 months-research module about cancer spheroids. I've worked with a PhD student on the project in Münster's Zellbiologie Institut. Without being impossible, it is very difficult in France to do an internship as a bachelor student, these modules only being accessible for Master students, so this was a fantastic opportunity. I had the chance to work on a large variety of instruments, including light-sheet microscopy, spinning disk, epifluorescence, and even a 3D printer. I also learned the basics of a lot of different software essential for data analysis. Even given my small experience in labs, I spoke to students and doctors working in the institute to confirm my impression: the University of Münster is very well equipped. Not only a lot of machines are available for research protocols, but the labs are also especially lovely, leading to a very pleasant and peaceful work atmosphere. I worked with scientists from all over the globe, and everyone was glad to offer me help.
I then continued with two advanced modules, the first one on molecular cell dynamics, and the second one on the ecology of aquatic models and systems. Both were fascinating, with very small groups of students, and 3 to 4 teachers. I had no experience in ecology sciences at all, but I was welcomed and actually learned a lot on statistical analysis essential for research in general during a one month project on fish behaviour I did.
In each module I took, I had to present an article, make an oral presentation about the results of our work and return a dossier. By visiting no less than 6 different labs during my stay in Münster, I witnessed the importance of oral skills in the scientific world and found this training excellent.
Even though both practical and theoretical courses are required for a good learning process, I won't hesitate to say that this semester was now the most enrichening of my scholarship.
Besides that, the life quality of the bike-friendliest city of Germany led to a wonderful environment for studying. I will sincerely miss this city and the friends I've met there and will cherish the memories I have."

Veronica from Porto Alegre — © Veronica Alves

Verônica

"Living and studying in Münster has been an amazing experience. Münster is a lovely city, with a high quality of life, where you can find a lot of green areas and cycle ways. Besides, many students live here, so you can find many options of bars and an active nightlife to enjoin with friends. The University has been really receptive and helpful since the beginning. Even as an international student I already feel at home, especially in the Biology Faculty, where we had the opportunity to attend an introductory module before our classes, and where we received full attention and support from the International Office. We also have the possibility to join research groups, which is a great and unique opportunity."

Thais

"I am a biomedical science student from Brazil and I am having the opportunity to study as an exchange student at the University of Münster in Germany. The exchange is enriching for both academic and personal experience and this is amazing for helping me to decide how to deal with the next steps of my life. In the academic aspect, I learned that there are several ways to learn and to teach, so I can mix them to obtain a perfect balance for me. Here, I learned how to be more efficient and fast with my studies. Besides, I met new people, with other cultures and with another way to see the world. Living in Germany I can also visit the beautiful surrounding cities and countries."