LYU Qing, a master’s student from the Graduate School of Sport Sciences went on an exchange program at KU Leuven from September 2022 to February 2023. This program was based on a bilateral collaboration agreement between the two institutions and was sponsored by the Top Global University (TGU) Program.
Please read about his experience below!
1. About the exchange program
On this program I have learned many things about Europe, including daily life, about studying there, and about the culture. In this report, I will share with you my experience and introduce the university, as well as the local student life. The greatest part of this program is that you can meet many exchange students at KU Leuven who come from all around the world. These students speak different languages, having different cultural backgrounds, and play different sports, and all of them are really good people and represent the top level of study skills of their own countries. Also, this exchange program helps exchange students reduce the pressure of daily life in Europe, you can get receive a lot of support from Tokorozawa Office at Waseda even when you are in the Europe.
2. About KU Leuven
In fact, Leuven is a small town, and you can ride a bike to finish a tour of the whole town in 1 hour (maybe). All the Leuven town is based around KU Leuven. KU Leuven was built in 1425 and it is a quite ancient religious university. Because the official language of Leuven is Dutch, most students at KU Leuven can speak Dutch. But don’t worry, KU Leuven also has English programs and I feel that Leuven’s English offerings are at quite a high level. KU Leuven is a really famous university, and because everyone at the university can speak English, this influence of KU Leuven means nearly everyone in the surrounding city of Leuven can speak English too!
However, I want to say the dorm in KU Leuven is really competitive to apply for! If you plan to apply for the exchange program and pass the application, you need to start your application for the dormitory as soon as possible. In Japan, normally the new semester starts from April, but in Europe it starts from September. So, the dormitory application is normally from May in Europe.
3. About studying at KU Leuven
The academic level of classes I took at KU Leuven was relatively high. I was a little bit worried about at the beginning of the program, but I could receive academic advice from the local student office. By studying hard, I was able to pass all the classes I registered.
I am in sport business management major in Waseda. At KU Leuven, my host school was the graduate school of Sport Sciences, but I was allowed to take business classes provided by the business school there. These classes helped me to deepen my knowledge in business administration field.
My advice to future exchange students is do not worry if you cannot understand the knowledge in English or you can’t remember all the things from your class. There is always a review video after class. You also can bring your computer to the classroom to take notes.
4. Life in Leuven
When I first arrived in Leuven, I thought it was kind of inconvenient, because there are not as many convenience stores in Europe as there are in Japan, and the big market will close for all of Sunday. But you still can buy things in the small express stores until 8 pm or at Asian markets. Also, having a bicycle can help you go everywhere in Leuven.
For food, the most famous foods in Belgium are three things: waffles, chocolates, and fries. By the way there is a funny story of fries. All around the world, fries are usually called “french fries.” But in fact, this is a misunderstanding. The truth is a Belgian chef went to America and was misunderstood by local people that he was from France (because the official language is French) and his fries were really good. So then, everyone called fries “french fries.” So please do not say French fries in Belgium, say Belgian fries. Oh, and do not forget to try the Belgian beer!
Another feature I would like to point out about KU Leuven is that there are so many activities to help you to fit in. For one week before the semester starts, there are orientation days activities. During those days you can make new friends and do sports together, and fit into the new life at KU Leuven. Also, there is a 24 hour running activity. Students will each run for one round in a big relay that lasts 24 hours. If you’d like you can join the running, but if you don’t you can still enjoy the festival! Hamburgers were sold for only 1€!
I experienced the passion of supporting soccer world cup in my stay. At that time, the outer market was really crowded. However, Leuven has high public security and it is a college town. I felt very safe during the global sport event. Also, if you want to go travel with some new friends, you can just join a travel group. Groups will set different plans to go travel around Europe.
Because I like to play basketball, I joined a Chinese basketball team and won the third level of the Belgium Chinese basketball league. Just like that, even if you are into different sports, you can also join various sports groups! It’s all just for fun and no pressure!
During Christmas and new year time there will be a Christmas market. Especially during new year time, Leuven has a countdown activity. If you choose winter time for your exchange, don’t forget to join this big party.
5. To conclude
In all, I had a really good time in KU Leuven. And I met so many friends there. I made great improvements to both my English and Japanese. And I learned about so many different cultures. I will remember this exchange study time for all my life. I Hope in the future I will get the chance to go back to Leuven again. And I hope to meet my friends again sometime somewhere in this big world!!! And I hope people who participate in this exchange program in the future will also enjoy their time and life at KU Leuven! Oops, do not forget to study!
