UCSD Reviews (7)
Preparation of the study visit
Obtaining a visa
In order to obtain a student visa for the USA, one must apply to one of the representations of the US embassy in Germany. After paying various fees, you will be given an appointment to appear at the embassy. These appointments are not to be seen as fixed interview appointments, but only serve to straighten out the applicant appointments over the morning. It is therefore advisable to arrive at the embassy as early as possible. My visa interview was only about explaining where and why I would like to study in San Diego and showing that my studies are financed there. The applicant normally receives the visa within a few days, but in exceptional cases this can take up to three months, especially if applicants have recently changed their citizenship.
Luggage shipping
Since the Lufthansa allowed for ticket purchases before 01.01.2010 a luggage limit of two suitcases with up to 23 kg, this was not a problem for me. For shipping from the USA, USPS (US Postal Service) is recommended.
Money transfer
In principle, it is easy to pay by credit card in the USA. This is the preferred method of payment, especially in supermarkets, petrol stations and restaurants. When buying a car and paying for rent, however, preference is given to cash or a cashier’s check. For this it is strongly recommended to open an account with an American bank. Since Bank of America is a cooperation partner of Deutsche Bank, money transfers and withdrawals at the BoA machines are free. Keep in mind, however, that the US ATMs have a daily withdrawal limit of around USD 800. This can cause problems if you want to buy a car and pay your rent within a week. At the beginning of the rental period, a monthly rent is usually due as a deposit and the first monthly rent.
Matriculation
The application deadline for foreign students in the USA is usually very shortly before the actual start of studies, usually 1-2 months in advance. Acceptance provides a lot of useful information about visa acquisition, the university, the city, and the US study model. Most of this information is available again on the day of registration. As a foreign student at UCSD is not seen as a full-fledged student (“extension student”), you do not receive a university account and therefore cannot register for courses in advance. Therefore, you have to look for courses that you are interested in from the course database – it is essential to pay attention to the length of the waiting list. If this has already been several students, your chances of getting a place in this course decrease. If there is no or a short waiting list, you attend the first lecture hour and then ask the professor to be allowed to participate in the course. In some courses, the basic knowledge that is required in this course must be proven, in most of them you will be admitted without any problems. After three weeks at the latest, you must have decided on at least three courses of 4 units each and register them with the extension. For each course at the Graduate Level, UCSD charges an additional fee and, if applicable, a fee for laboratories or computer rooms. After three weeks at the latest, you must have decided on at least three courses of 4 units each and register them with the extension. For each course at the Graduate Level, UCSD charges an additional fee and, if applicable, a fee for laboratories or computer rooms. After three weeks at the latest, you must have decided on at least three courses of 4 units each and register them with the extension. For each course at the Graduate Level, UCSD charges an additional fee and, if applicable, a fee for laboratories or computer rooms.
Lectures
The UCSD courses in the fields of computer science and business administration are basically divided into two categories: application-oriented (project-oriented) and lecture-oriented. The former are very much designed for independent work, which should be followed through the entire semester. During this time, interim results are presented and graded on an ongoing basis. In some cases, there is an exam at the end. The lecture-oriented courses of the UCSD are very similar to those in Germany: In addition to the weekly lectures, several exercises are offered, which are also assessed – their grade is also included in the final grade. In addition, tutorials for the lectures and for exam preparation are offered. In addition to the classic exams at the end of the semester (“finals”), most courses also have exams at the middle of the semester (“midterms”). The exercises mostly consist of very labor-intensive problem sets and should by no means be underestimated, as the deadlines at American universities are sometimes very strict. I estimate the general workload during the semester to be much higher than in Germany. In return, the exam is also more complex, but simpler. I estimate the general workload during the semester to be much higher than in Germany. In return, the exam is also more complex, but simpler. I estimate the general workload during the semester to be much higher than in Germany. In return, the exam is also more complex, but simpler. Check iamaccepted to see more reviews from current students.
Situation at the place of study
Although there is ample living space in San Diego, the high demand means that the rental price is high. In the student town of “La Jolla Village” near the UCSD, we had to pay $ 1650 plus additional costs for an apartment (2 ZKB with living room). We therefore decided to look for another roommate via Craigslist, who finally moved into the living room. The high monthly rent is largely due to the short rental period. If you are traveling alone to the USA, it is advisable to first look for shared apartments through Craigslist, as these have usually existed for a long time and pay much lower monthly rents.
Another popular residential area is Pacific Beach, which is located on the beach. This is in direct proximity to the beach, but the price is considerably more expensive than La Jolla Village; 1-5 km from the beach the prices are about the same. Another residential area that is recommended is “Clairemont Mesa”. With PB and Clairemont, however, it should be noted that a bus trip to UCSD can take up to an hour.
A car is generally indispensable in the United States. For stays of 10 weeks or more, it is more worth buying a used car (Craigslist) than renting one. The private sale is usually quite uncomplicated, even if the registration at the motor vehicle office (“DMV”) is a bit time-consuming.
Leisure time
UCSD itself offers numerous events such as visits to amusement parks, theme parks or visits to baseball games. The cultural center of San Diego with bars and clubs is downtown – otherwise Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach are good places to go out. There are very, very few places to go out in La Jolla Village.
In – for American standards – closer to San Diego there are numerous cities and sights that are worth a visit. These include Los Angeles, Santa Babara, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Death Valley, Sequoia National Park and Yosemite National Park. Las Vegas can be easily reached by car because of the “short” travel time (5 hours) and can be used as a starting point due to the low hotel prices during the week (approx. $ 50 per room).
