Application

As with every semester abroad, the application is unfortunately associated with a lot of paperwork, but you can get everything done quickly once you have started. MicroEDU always helps you if you don’t understand something, checks all application documents and then sends them to the university yourself. The time until you have a response depends on how early you send the application. So you don’t have to worry if nothing has come after a few weeks. As soon as you have been accepted, you can contact a nice contact person at the university if you have any further questions, for example about registering for individual courses contact, who always answers pretty quickly on Facebook or by email. To apply, you need proof of your English skills. I recommend the DAAD language test because it is very cheap and easy to pass compared to other tests. If at all possible I would try to apply for the visa at the embassy in Essen, as they are the only ones in Germany to issue a multiple-entry visa. That saves a lot of stress if you go to Thailand several times during this period in and out. In addition, the single-entry visa is only valid for 90 days and you have to extend it in Bangkok, which can also be stressful and time-consuming. In our case, about 95% of the people had a single-entry visa. Also, think about applying for BAföG and foreign scholarships (e. g. PROMOS) early enough.

MU University

Short for Mu by ehuacom, the Mahidol University is very old and originally known as the medical university. There are different locations in Bangkok. The campus for economics subjects is called CMMU (College of Management Mahidol University) and is located in the Phaya Thai district. The building and classrooms are more modern than most German universities. Since almost all Thai master’s students have a full-time job, the lectures take place during the week from 6 pm to 9 pm and on weekends. You can choose between two to five courses, most of which had three courses (I had four myself). The courses have a maximum of 30 participants and are quite interactive. The lecturer often asks questions or gives tasks to be solved in groups. Basically, in most courses you have homework, group work, lectures and / or essays. Nevertheless, the effort required is not very high and there is more than enough time to travel and celebrate. All exchange students also had very good grades. I can particularly recommend courses with Dr. Pimpa and Dr. Shannon, because they convey the content in a very interesting and clear way.

Bangkok

Many have told me that Bangkok is a super stressful city and that they can only spend a few days there. I see that quite differently. You quickly get used to the city and find the best means of transport depending on the location and time (taxi, motorcycle taxi, bus, subway, sky train). I also rented a scooter myself to get around for the entire period. I wouldn’t recommend this to everyone because it can actually be very dangerous. I also had a minor accident myself which I luckily survived without major damage.

There are many different ways to spend your free time. For shopping you can go to one of the countless modern and huge malls or to one of the markets. You can find everything from very cheap to luxurious. This also applies to the food. I haven’t cooked myself a single time in the 4 months in Bangkok. You can find street food or cheap restaurants on almost every corner, but also plenty of high-class restaurants. In theory, you can celebrate any day of the week. I would also recommend visiting the most famous temples, going out at least once in a sky bar and doing sports in Lumpini Park (like the locals). What bothered me a little about Bangkok is that there is no center in the true sense of the word. There are many different areas where there is a lot going on, some of which are far away from each other.

The people all over Thailand are very friendly and you should behave like that yourself. Of course you can’t expect German punctuality and accuracy everywhere and you shouldn’t get upset about every little thing. You can’t really do a lot wrong, just be a little cautious. The English language skills of the locals can be very different. I recommend taking the CMMU’s Thai crash course. The few words and sentences you learn there actually help in everyday life. The people in Thailand are also very honest and peaceful. Except for the typical scams that you should find out about in advance, it is really very safe in Thailand. You can also at night cross-country skiing everywhere without hesitation.

The biggest no-gos are any form of disrespect for the king (which is also printed on every banknote, for example) as well as Buddha statues and temples in general.

In terms of price and space, Bangkok is also a great starting point for trips to all over Southeast Asia. There are two international airports and several bus terminals for traveling to other Thai cities. I was in a different place almost every weekend.

Living

You can try to find out a little bit about the offers on the Internet in advance. For all exchange students, however, a contract was only concluded on site. Just book a hostel or hotel to get started and then visit different apartments until one fits. Unfortunately, not every owner likes to rent to exchange students, as they prefer long-term contracts.

Around half of all exchange students have lived in KPN Capital Condo. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the university and it’s quite luxurious. It has a pool on the roof (31st floor) and a small gym. You can get a 2-room apartment for 15,000-18,000 baht per month, depending on the rental period and negotiating skills. Most landlords charged 17,000 baht for a 4-month contract and did not allow negotiations because the demand is said to be very high. The additional costs are very low, even if you have the air conditioning on all the time. You can also look for an apartment a little further away as there is a free shuttle bus (unfortunately I don’t know the route). Of course, it is not more practical to rely on it. There are also apartments well under 400 € (also near the university) that are adequately equipped and modern. I also know a person who lived in a hotel for the entire period, which is comparable in price to the apartments in the Capital. Many students have also formed shared apartments.

Budget

In general, it can be said that Bangkok and Thailand in general are really very cheap compared to Germany. This is especially true for eating, getting around and living. A warm meal is available from around € 1. 40, a very high-quality apartment for just under € 500 warm. Only the alcohol and partly also the entry into night clubs are at a similar price level as in Germany.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I can say that I can unreservedly recommend a semester abroad at the CMMU. As with so many foreign students, it was the best time of my life for me. Worries and concerns about the organizational effort and getting used to the new environment dissolve very quickly as soon as you are there and are replaced by curiosity and joy. If you have any questions, feel free to write to me.