KU Leuven

Hello! My name is Nora Dahlström, and I spent my exchange semester at KU Leuven in Belgium, a student town 30 minutes from Brussels. I did my study abroad during spring on the fourth term of the Global Studies program at HLK. Studying abroad was always a goal of mine and one of the main reasons I chose JU was for its extensive exchange options. I saw it as a unique opportunity for personal and academic growth.

Leuven was the perfect student town—small enough to feel welcoming but packed with activities, social life, and a great international community. Most residents were students, and the atmosphere was lively and fun. Belgium’s central location in Europe made it easy to travel; I visited five countries and several new cities during my exchange, including Paris, London, and Amsterdam, all with public transport to a reasonable price. Within Belgium, I explored Brussels, Brugge, and Gent, each city offering something special.

You quickly adapt to your new life abroad. I created a good routine with a great mix of classes, study sessions with friends, and meetups in town, often ending the day at a coffee shop or with friends for a night out. Weekends were packed with travel, whether within Belgium or to nearby countries. I loved the balance of academics and travel during my exchange.

In the matter of academics, KU Leuven was quite challenging. I took seven courses over five months, with all exams in a final exam month. Staying organized and structured was essential for me, but I found the topics and courses to be very fascinating and interesting, especially for my field of study, political and social science. Many of the professors teaching at KU were very prominent researchers and figures in their field; they were inspiring and made the courses so much more interactive and educational, which added to my willingness to learn. Like JU, the university had several faculties representing the different fields of study, however, they were spread across the city, so there was no general campus ground, but I found that this added to the charm of Leuven.

Meeting students from around the world was incredible. Each culture brought new perspectives, making my experience so much richer. My highlight moments were my trip to London that I made with friends that I met in Leuven, where we rented an apartment in Notting Hill and enjoyed all that London had to offer, and then my trip to Paris and Versailles during springtime. And when spring arrived and the weather warmed up, some of my favourite memories were simply meeting friends in town, sitting outside to enjoy ice cream, dinner, or a drink. Relaxing together in the sunshine and savouring each other’s company, those moments truly made my exchange unforgettable.

My best advice for your studies abroad is staying on top of classes, take notes in lectures, listen to the professors and organize your studies. But at the same time, enjoy your time, don’t let the academics get the best of you, travel as much as you can and meet as many people as you can. If you are going to Belgium or Leuven, I’d also suggest getting a bike, while I loved walking, a bike would’ve been handy. Belgium’s public transport is excellent too—another reason travel was so easy.

This exchange semester made me grow as a person, I always say that I returned as a new person, much more independent with new perspectives on life, academic insights, and the best part, a new network of friends all over the world. My absolute best advice is Go! Studying abroad was the best experience of my life, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.