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International student's opinion

Andrew

Australia

"Depending on where you come from, you might find the climate in Kiel to be less than ideal. But, there are a lot of positives to talk about if you don't feel like complaining: most things are within riding distance, living is relatively cheap (at least compared to cities like Hamburg or countries like Australia), and it has enough uni students to keep it feeling lively. Just remember to look in both directions (not a bad idea if your used to cars travelling on the other side of the road): it will rain a lot, but you'll feel better about studying; the landscape is very flat, but it's easy to ride everywhere; and the people can be quite reserved, but after a few good, cheap German beers they tend to loosen up."

Juan

Chile

"Kiel is a relatively tranquil city with a large student population. The locals are friendly and generally polite. Once you get to know the bus system, you can easily move around the city and explore its stores, pubs and restaurants. At first, it was a bit hard for me to get around because the street layout does not always follow the usual grid pattern of North American cities. But once you get familiar with street names and city landmarks like the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) or Sparkassen-Arena, you would feel a bit like a local. If you get a bicycle, you might like to discover new city routes taking you to surrounding and interesting neighbourhoods. There are also parks and beaches for nature lovers. The weather is very variable and according to the locals is quite normal to have a spring day with rain showers and a few hours of sunshine. Lastly, if you like sailing and to study at a well-known educational institution like CAU, Kiel offers you these options and many more".

Ahmed

Egypt

"My name is Ahmed, I’m from Cairo and i moved to Kiel last year. Kiel is a nice small city to live in with nice beaches. However, the weather isn’t always on your side, it’s quite often rainy and windy, so be prepared with an umbrella and always keep an eye on the weather forecast. Also, it has a great student life, you get to meet people from all over the world, awesome BBQs, and do not miss Kieler Woche! Kiel has a really good transportation network and all transportation is covered by the semester ticket. But, take care! This city sleeps early and quiet. One last thing, if you are doing the Quantitative finance program get ready for a tough ride, but it is totally worth it, the quality of education here makes it worth the effort."

Bright

Ghana

"Kiel; The northern German city is one place full of life. It is a lovely place to live and study with my interesting things to do especially in the Summer. One thing I like about the city is it's diversified landscape ranging from the sea, beaches,  parks, lakes and many green areas including the botanical garden.  The people here are very friendly  making life much easier for me. Moving around the city is less stressful with the option of using busses and ferries  and more importantly the city is bike friendly. There are many sports facilities ranging from indoor to outdoor as well as water sports. Kiel has all you need to live a lively student life."

Anubhav

India

"Kiel's weather is windy and cloudy. We have less sun, so students may need to take vitamin D capsules. It's neither a big city nor small. It has almost everything for everyone. Kiel University is one of the few universities which provide free German classes to internationals. International Center organizes lots of trips and events. But, Kiel University is spread in varios areas of Kiel, which I don't find good."  

Angel

Mexico

"I'm Angel from Mexico finishing my Erasmus Master in Ecohydrology. Kiel is a lovely city, but it takes time to start loving it. Probably as I arrived in October I didn't feel like discovering Kiel due to the weather but once it got warmer I started going around. Kiel is one of greenest cities I've been to, it takes only few minutes by bus/bike/walking to find yourself surrounded by stunning nature. There are so many lakes where you can do kayaking or paddling, so you better get a nice swimsuit. Locals might not be the most welcoming people you can meet, but they're open to get to know you so make an effort to integrate yourself. There are a lot of events going on but not concentrated in one place so sign up for a lot of things on Facebook mainly. If German is not your thing yet, spend some minutes a day learning a bit of the local slang."

Hajar

Oman

"I have been living in Kiel for over 8 months and the things you should know before coming to Kiel are; not to wish Germans “happy birthday” before their birthday as it is a sign of bad luck. Always have cash, because cash is king in Germany. Also, avoid walking or standing in the bicycle lane to not get told off. If you love BBQ then, you are in the right city, nothing better than grilling in parks, beaches or even the university campus!. Two essential words you should know in German “Moin” “Hello” and “Danke” “Thank you”.

Farooqi

Pakistan

"When I first came to Kiel I was only thinking about the cold and the small size of the city. Later I discovered that this small city has a big heart. It has a lot to do in it. Festivals, local coffee places, nature, the beautiful open sea, water sports, beaches, amazing sunsets and sunrises, crazy weather, short but very hot summer, biking tracks, and lots to discover if you have the eagerness for it. Most of all the people of the North are really open and nice. The international student’s community is amazing, crazy and cozy. I found many good friends here and lot of memories which I will always cherish. It’s a city worth spending your time in. Have a nice time when you are here."

Marija

Serbia

"I came to Kiel to do research for my thesis and I was quite happy with the fact that cold weather will keep me inside and more concentrate on my studies. Surprisingly, that was not the case. Kiel offers so many outdoors activities, so I found myself on beach or forest more often than not. Beside being wind paradise Kiel is in fact student city, everything is subordinated to young and active-bike lanes, barbeque spots, flea markets, etc. Huge portion of the city are green areas; in only 15 minutes by foot from my house I can get to 4 different parks (one with deers, woooho). Probably the highlight of everyone’s year is Kiel Week (Kieler Woche) in June. It is ten days filled with concerts, sailing completions, international food degustation and other activities. I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble but, yes, it always rains. To sum up- if we hibernate during winter and wake up with first bumblebees, Kiel is pretty cool place to be."

Lishani

Sri Lanka

"Kiel... One of the nice, remarkable destinations I would be able to reach. This is my first time in Germany. Its only about 4 months that I have been in Kiel so far.  But I feel like I have been here for a long time. Within very short time Kiel became as my home. Beautiful gardens with water fountains, University and friends from different countries have made my time in Kiel precious. Not knowing German Language was not a barrier to explore Kiel for me.  Endless social gatherings, happening Friday evenings and weekend barbecues helped me to enjoy stay in Kiel a lot. Kieler-Woche was one of the great experiences for me as international student. Since the summer semester is about to end, it’s time for me to go to my next destination. I would be happier if I have more time to spend in Kiel. I will miss Kiel a lot."

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Sate

Bangladesh

"Kiel – the first port city I lived for a while. I arrived in Kiel in mid February, 2016 to start a thesis project. During my stay here, I spent a lot of time outside. What I loved about the city are the numerous beautiful open spaces including parks and lakes. Even the cemetery is like a botanical garden with different kinds of trees some of which have their scientific names written over it. Deer run through some parks, while in Kronshagen (within 2 km of the university Campus) there is a park where you can see some European and American Bison. Then there is the seaside, with different beaches around 10-20 minutes of bus or ferry ride away. Another thing I noticed about Kiel, are the beautiful gardens that most houses have, many with flowering plants, each species with its own timing – one flower finishes and another begins – a continuous surprise. It’s a relatively flat city, which is why you would see many people commuting on bicycles. However, I must say that one thing is a continuous pain on my ears – the endless screaming of seagulls – especially during the breeding season, and be careful, they may attack you if you come close to their offspring, some of which hangout near the open fields in the campus!"

Amanda

Brazil

"Being here for the last 3 months, I find Kiel a very nice city regarding green areas and outdoor activities. There are many nice street markets, coffee shops, parks and nearby beaches to visit during the weekends. On the other hand, public transportation is not so good, as the bus schedules and routes make it difficult to get to some parts of the city, especially at night and on Sundays. And I guess that is why Kiel is a bike city!"

Lucy

China

“Before coming to Kiel, I've had many expectations about this unknown city. But I've never imagined that it could be such more then expected. Turning around the corner and discovering a delicate house; coming across a stranger who smiles at me; having my lost cell phone returned, Kiel keeps surprising me ever since the first day I have arrived.

Just like I could hardly tell what the weather would be like here in 24 hours, I hardly forecast what would surprise me again tomorrow. But coming here is one of my wisest choice I've ever made.”

Stathis

Greece

"Although we are facing strange weather phenomena in Kiel, I would never choose another city for doing my master!"

María

Guatemala

"My days in Kiel were like a roller coaster…. but I will ride over and over!! I stayed over spring and summer, at the beginning was a little bit hard with the weather but then summer came and things around the city change completely (parties, more outside activities and also the mood of people). You might find a little bit hard establishing a friendship with Germans but once you find them you got them for life! Anyway, don’t worry because you will be surrounded with warm & lovely international students. Kiel is a good city to change habits, like getting a bicycle instead of the always taking a bus or eat more healthy with all of the sustainable options in the city markets. My only advice is: be curious!!! Kiel has allot of things to offer, just be patient and never forget your rain jacket."

Edel

Ireland

"Kiel seemed a bit small at first, but after I became integrated I found some interesting things to do. There is a vibrant student community and constant events to keep you busy."

Yume

Japan

"I came here in April 2016. I find  Kiel so nice. This small city is safe and people are so kind. I think Kiel has good environment for comfortable studies. The climate of summer is awesome. In this season, hours of sunshine is so long, because Kiel is located on high latitudes. There are some beaches along a coastline where we can enjoy the sunshine. In June „Kieler Woche (Kiel Week), is held. It is a big sailing festival that many live concerts and events are given.  CAU is also good. They fully  support us, international students, through a lot of orientation and events or parties." 

Milly

Namibia

"I arrived in Kiel on a Sunday and just about everything is closed on a Sunday, but you get used to that. The personality of the city certainly manifests as you explore the (sometimes) hidden treasures. I love Kiel because it has so much to offer, with lovely warm people, several parks, libraries, beaches and interesting events every week, you will never be bored. Just get yourself a raincoat or umbrella and you are good to go."

Aleksandra

Poland

"Kiel is the first city, where I was truly on my own and the people from all around the world made it feel like home."

Alina

Russia

"Kiel is a small cozy town in Germany with all the advantages of a big city, you can find here everything you want: cafes, bars, festivals and variety of events, nice coast of the Baltic Sea, big campus at the university with fitness center, swimming pool and coffee shops. Don't be afraid about the weather, you just need right clothes :)"

Iryna

Ukraine

"Kiel is a very special place to live in. For me it is a perfectly sized city where you can get anywhere by bike within half an hour at most. It has charmed me with its Nordic maritime atmosphere, the fjord, the seagulls that will likely wake you up in the morning and massive cruise liners whose horns you hear from anywhere in town. Even more, it is a very lively place for implementing your ideas related to sustainability, as there are lots of different great projects going on in town and lots of opportunities."

Justin

USA

"Kiel has come to etch a special place in my heart. I’ve been living here for almost a year now, just finishing my second semester and I’m still discovering new things I love about the city all the time. Though, at first, it was pretty difficult to make the transition not knowing much German or anyone my age, but before long I met a lot of cool people in my program who became good friends and the laughs soon began to outweigh the upsets. Sometimes life can still be a struggle, of course, but when it is I just remind myself of my motto for living here: 'nothing is as simple as it may seem, but everything can be as light as you let it be'."

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Lodewijk

Belgium

"For me Kiel was surprisingly more welcoming then I would of expected. The summer semester is full of bbq's and the people want to get out of their houses. A little city which I can feel very quickly very familiar, which is good when here for only 6 months. I also got to know the countryside around Kiel while I found a job with a sheep farm. On the picture you can see my colleague sue".

Meike

Canada

"I came to Kiel in September-2015, about 9 months ago. The weather here is not always great, but it is a lot of fun. You can wear raincoats and rain boots. Kiel is pretty great. There are a lot of bike paths, I think this is my favourite thing about the place. You can bike along the harbor or in the parks. And you can do things like rowing and sailing. You can join the rowing team or you can try it for free. And the program (Environmental Management) is very interdisciplinary. If you do not know what you want yet, you can try everything."

Edwin

England

"I arrived in Kiel at the start of October 2016, since then I have been amazed by how quickly time has gone by! When I first had the idea of doing my Master’s in Germany many of my friends and family asked the same question: “How are you going to cope with the language, you don’t speak any German!”. Fortunately for me it has been extremely easy to settle into Kiel and get by just using English. It’s easy for me to say that as a native speaker but many of my other international friends have had similar experiences, plus the free German evening classes offered by the university help to bridge the gap!

As someone who has little experience with living in cities or urban living, I found Kiel a lovely place to live in thanks to the wide and open streets and multitude of trees and green spaces. Additionally the location of my classes at GEOMAR is very pleasant due to the institute being sandwiched between the harbour promenade and the old botanical gardens.

The ease of settling into life in Kiel and the green feel of the city, not forgetting the vibrant student lifestyle, really has made my time so far in Kiel a memorable and enjoyable one; I would not hesitate to recommend living here to fellow international students!"

Bleuenn

France

"Erasmus Law student, I spent 2 semesters in kiel this year 2015/2016. I am really glad to have chosen Kiel to do my erasmus. At first Kiel is a student-city, not so expensive to live. Concerning the university, I found that the professors are at first in general really helpful and available for students (take time to answer to our questions etc) and I have also been really well received at Kiel (coordinator, international center, lektorat etc), everytime I had a question I found someone to answer. I've also noticed the hudge effort that the University made for students; especially to encourage them to participate in a lot of activities, or meet other students. This includes especially foreigns students with for example the 'studdy buddy program'".

Debby

Hong Kong

''The time I arrived Kiel is Autumn. The whole city is coloured with withering yellow leaves. The winter is tough and grey here, everyone expecting the awesome summer to come. While spring comes, birds and greenies are back. All the people chill out in the parks or on the street. Then, we meet the time to the beach.

Tips to survive in Kiel: Walking is too tired, driving is too short, take a bike and cycle around! Stay close with your friends in winter, try not to take too many classes in summer. Don't forget to get water-proof clothes and bags for sudden rain. There the cozy lovely life you will have.

Enjoy!"

Zhursun

Kyrgyzstan

"Kiel is situated right on the Baltic Sea, it is the last stop on one of the waterways in the world, the Kiel Canal. The presence of sea is everywhere in town and gives you a feeling of big blue eternity.  In Kyrgyzstan, there is no sea; we have only rivers and lakes.  Now I am enjoying living and studying in Kiel close to the Baltic Sea. There are many interesting places for opening the natural sightseeing, delicious food, cultural events, and sports activities in city and its surrounding places. When the weather is good, many citizens prefer just take a walk by the Förde or visit the nearest beach Laboe/Strande . These places are good for relaxing and enjoying beautiful view of the sea.

Also, one of the huge and magnificent events in Kiel is Kieler Woche. It is well-known for a variety of international sailing events and celebrating.  

Kiel is very convenient, beautiful, green and quite an university town. Here, there are not many traffics jams like in the big cities. The university offers lots of interesting modules, subjects and field trips.

The most important thing in Kiel is that, this city is most bicycle-friendly city in northern Germany. All the locations in the city are convenient to reach by bike."

Dotun

Nigeria

"Well, for me, Kiel has been great! The people are nice and lovely. The weather for me here is perfect because I like cold weather, but I guess the whole Germany is usually cold, so if you don't like cold weather, you better have a lot of jackets. The studies so hard and tasking but all in all, it has been a fantastic experience for me."

Selma

Spain

"My Erasmus experience in Kiel has been so far an amazing experience. I have learnt a lot, specialy from the great deal of different cultures I got to know. At the beginning it was a little bit difficult because everything was new for me. However, in just one week, I knew that I was about to start one of the best experiences of my life. In this 9 moths I met many people, some of which have become very close friends. Thanks to the Erasmus experience, I learnt how to take responsability for myself, how to deal with defficult situations and, above all, how to be independent. During my erasmus, I traveled a lot, I laughed a lot and I enjoyed a lot.

The city is beautiful and people here are nice and willing to help. The city is not too big and it has big green areas as well as sea. The gratest thing in Kiel is the Kiel-Week, an awesome event that host more than 3 million people. I just can say I loved it.

The quality of education in the university, at least in the English seminar, is quite good. I had very qualified and professional teachers. How ever it was a little bit difficult to handle the website to choose the courses I wanted to take.

In short, Erasmus in Kiel is an experience I warmly recommend."

Reem

Syria

"'Do not expect too much and be prepared'
In Kiel you will not find the hustle and bustle of those big cities, so when you come don't compare it with other places.

However, there are things to enjoy here! On the top of them, peace and quiet.
Of course, it is good also to start training the word (always prepared) starting with its rainy weather and ending with the exams in the university."

Quynh

Vietnam

"I have been in Kiel since October 2015. Now I am a PhD student of Law Faculty, Kiel University. What I am doing everyday are reading and writing. It is quite boring, isn't it? But I like it very much. My Professor is very kind and I also have good colleagues who help me a lot with my research. About the city, Kiel is small and the people here are friendly. And you can see from my photo, it is not always sunny in Kiel but we have a very beautiful seaside, that makes Kiel different from other cities in Germany. In Kiel, I have only one small problem with the food. It is not so tasty. And to be honest, I don't like the food in Mensa at all. In my opinion, Kiel is a nice place to stay and of course, Kiel University is a good place to study. And I hope that you will enjoy your time here ."

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