Bronte – University of Leeds – England
Semester 1, 2025
Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Business
Hi, my name is Bronte, and I’ve just come back from the best semester ever at the University of Leeds. Whilst I would say it doesn’t matter wherever you go on exchange – you’ll end up with lifelong friends, a travelled country list envious of all your friends, and a thousand funny stories regardless – I don’t think it gets any better than a semester at Leeds.
Here’s my hot tips to make the most of your exchange semester:
Subjects
I study a dual degree of engineering and business at QUT, and I chose to study only business subjects on exchange. If you have electives that’s even easier to get subjects approved, but I definitely found out of the two degrees it was easier to get direct matches for business subjects than engineering, and I found the workload a lot lighter. I would also aim to pick subjects that have 100% assessment pieces – this means you only have 3 or 4 pieces of assessment for the whole semester. I did this, and was able to travel heaps during the semester, and then put my head down for a couple weeks and it was easy to get that 40% pass. Just a tip!
You can go alone!
I had a lot of my friends ask me how I could go live on the other side of the world on my own, but I think they underestimate how easy it is to find friends on exchange. Especially at Leeds, there were so many exchange students all in the same boat, looking for friends and looking to make the most of their exchange experience, so you find yourself with friends pretty quickly, and it’s your very own experience to bring back home.
Accommodation
I stayed in Charles Morris Hall at Leeds, and I was very very happy with my accommodation. It was on campus, and whilst a little more expensive than some other accommodations, I found it very worthwhile having access to a washing machine and dryer in my kitchen, being able to prepare my own food, and having my own bathroom. Being on campus was also so ideal because everything was right there – campus bar, grocery store, gym, all your classes etc.
Say yes!
For the best experience on exchange, you want to be saying yes to everything, and from the get-go! I met some of my closest friends on the first night I got to Leeds because I ran into some other Aussie exchange students I had never met, and they invited me out. I said yes even though I was a bit tired, and I had the best night and made a whole bunch of friends in the first 12 hours of me being at the university.
If you can afford it… do the ski trip!
I was lucky and knew some people who had been on exchange in Leeds in previous semesters, and they all advised me to go on the Easter university ski trip. Tickets go on sale before the semester actually starts, so you have to know about it before hand. It may be scary booking before you know anyone going, but trust me, you will meet people going (join the Ski society) and it will be the best week of your life. I had only skied once before and I still had the best time and it is one of my favourite memories from my entire semester in Leeds.
Travel
I recommend travelling whenever you can. It is so easy to travel from your base in the UK (flix buses, cheap flights, trains etc.) so I think you need to make the most of it. I did heaps of travel throughout the semester and here’s how:
– Don’t worry about planning too much ahead – you’ll meet other exchange students who want to travel (again say yes and stay open! You’ll find yourself on the coolest trips – I went to Morocco with girls I didn’t know that well and had the best time)
– Keep an eye on Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights – just do a few days somewhere
– Use the month off! In Leeds you get the entire month of April off, which is heaps of time to travel. This is when I did the ski trip and then went on to do Spain and Portugal.
But don’t forget to also experience Leeds, and the UK. Give yourself time to really soak up the city you’re living in and feel like a local. It’s a place you’ll miss so definitely make the most of it.
Overall, in my opinion, there’s nothing better than exchange. Living somewhere else when you’re young and the most free of responsibility you’ll ever be is an opportunity you do not want to miss. So… go to Leeds!
Find out more on how you can apply: Student Exchange
