1.Preparations
I applied to CSUEB through MicroEDU, which went smoothly. MicroEDU gave me all the information I needed for my stay abroad.
1.1 Insurance
We were only obliged to take out health insurance abroad.
I completed mine via the following link: www.protrip.de/95356, because there, among other things, a return transport in case of serious illness is also covered.
1.2 Visa (application duration, place)
You should take care of the visa in good time, as this also takes time. Unfortunately, the whole thing also includes various fees. Finally you have to go to Berlin again to pick up the visa. You should also plan to wait in Berlin.
1.3 Luggage (information on weather)
In California, the sun is almost always shining and it actually never rains.
However, it can get very cold when the sun is gone.
So you should also think of warm clothes. Especially in the winter months it gets just as cold in Northern California as here.
1.4 How to get there (plane, car, train, etc.)
You can either fly to San Francisco or Oakland by plane. From there there is a great connection with the BART (train) to Hayward.
2.1 Accommodation (different options with rating)
There are different options.
Dormitory on campus
Is quite expensive, but you also have full board, which is covered by the cafeteria. There are 4 people living in each of the apartments and each one shares a room. Unfortunately, there are also some rules attached to living there. For example, visitors can only be received after 8 p.m. with permission. There are also cleaning plans that you have to adhere to.
But of course you are directly on campus and the free shuttle service from the university takes you to the next train station in 15 minutes.
Apartment complexes such as City View near the university
. Unfortunately, the apartments are not furnished and are therefore quite expensive. There were 4 of them in one apartment. There is also a pool on the premises that can be used. You walk to the university for about 15-20 minutes.
Apartment complexes in other parts of Hayward eg Metrosix55, which is located directly at Bart Station Hayward South. From here you can get to the university or to San Francisco perfectly. The apartments here are furnished and are still more expensive than in Germany, but still reasonable and cheaper than others. The apartment was also very nicely decorated. There was also a pool and a fitness room.
2.2 Food (costs)
I fully catered for myself and thanks to cheap supermarkets like Safeway, which was just around the corner from us, it is not much more expensive than in Germany. Then you should go to the Farmers Market on Saturdays, where fruit and vegetables are fresh and very cheap.
There are also various fast food shops on campus, where you can always find something.
3. University
3.1 Enrollment
With the help of MicroEDU, enrollment went smoothly. You then have a personal contact person there who can answer all your questions at any time.
3.2 Allocation of courses
It was not that easy, as you could only express your wishes beforehand.
In the end it went like this that we attended all courses for 1 week that sounded interesting, got the signature of the respective lecturer in order to get approval for participation. With the respective code you could then register online after a week. However, this then ran according to the motto first come, first serve, as the places in the courses were limited.
3.3 Recommended courses
I have taken 3 courses and I can recommend the Multinational Business course. The lecturer is very easy to follow and it is also very exciting because she has many specific examples from well-known companies and uses them to discuss the content. I also really enjoyed David Murray’s Financial Management course. D. Murray was a very dedicated lecturer, with a very varied lecture.
3.5 Library – EDP systems
According to MCAT-TEST-CENTERS, the university had its own quite large library, where you could borrow books for a small amount at home or for a few hours in the library free of charge. It was also very easy to study there.
There are group rooms, but also quiet individual places and computer areas, all of which could be used. There was also WiFi on the entire campus, but it didn’t always work that well.
3.7 Cafeteria
There was a cafeteria with a lot of choice, but where you had to pay $ 9 for a buffet. In addition, there was also the opportunity to get all kinds of food in various price ranges in various shops on campus.
3.8 Sports and other leisure activities
There is a very modern gym on campus, which you can enter on a quarterly or monthly basis. The gym really has a lot to offer and has long opening times. It is also possible to take part in one of the university’s sports courses. However, you should visit them in good time at the beginning of the semester, otherwise you might not be able to participate in some of them. There is also a long list of possible sports courses in the course plans. We were allowed to take part in one for free.
3.9 Student
discounts There were student discounts mainly on campus, otherwise rather seldom.
4. Contact options
4.1 Within the university
Mainly through the courses and group work in the courses or through sports courses. But people like to speak to you on campus. The Americans are very open about that.
4.2 Outside of the university
On the one hand through shared apartments, if you go to accommodation on sites like www.craigslist.org or in the evening while partying, or in hostels if you go on a trip.
5. What to see and what to do
There’s a lot to see in California. But my highlights were the cities of San Francisco and San Diego (there especially Pacific Beach with various nightlife options and beautiful beaches). Then you should try to get to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas (very far south). Relatively close to Hayward there are the National Park Yosemite Park and Lake Tahoe. Also 2 beautiful places. In winter, you can even ski on Lake Tahoe.
5.1 Public Transport
In Hayward itself there is the Bart, which goes directly to San Francisco and other cities in the area. On the other hand, there are also buses.
However, the bus system is not entirely transparent and the bus drivers themselves often have no idea. We only used the buses in the greatest emergency.
However, to drive into San Francisco, the Bart is perfect, as it is difficult to find parking spaces in San Francisco.
In San Francisco itself there are also good connections with buses and other train lines. That always worked great.
5.2 Getting
around within the country It is advisable to rent a car within the country as the fuel is very cheap. If you book the car on the German website, renting it is even cheaper than on the American website. There are also several car rental companies in Hayward. You don’t need an international driver’s license for this. The European driving license was always sufficient.
6. Behavioral advice
You shouldn’t be alone in Hayward and San Francisco in the evenings. Especially not in certain areas. Otherwise, the Americans are always very friendly and courteous.
