Discover what a semester abroad looks like through the eyes of our students.
Carolina is an exchange student at École Polytechnique coming from King's College in London where she studies Computer Science. Originally from Portugal, she has lived and studied in London her whole life. Let’s discover about her exchange year at l’X!
Why did you choose to do an exchange program at École Polytechnique?
École Polytechnique seemed very different from King's College and that’s definitely what attracted me here. The school’s high rankings and its focus on the technical areas of science showed me that I would be with a group of people with similar interests.
In addition, I knew that coming abroad to France would be a great way for me to improve my French, since I had taken classes in secondary school, and I know how important and useful learning languages can be. École Polytechnique offers French classes for international students, so even though the Bachelor’s program is in English, I am still learning a great deal of French.
How did you find out about the Bachelor’s program? In your opinion, what are its main benefits?
I learned about the Bachelor’s Program during my research for my studies abroad. I had never heard of the university before, however after speaking to multiple friends and colleagues who had lived in France, I learned about how well known the institution was and about its high standards in teaching. In addition, the smaller class sizes are definitely a benefit in my opinion. Coming from a program with about 300 people in each lecture, it was definitely a welcomed change. It really helps you to be more open in asking questions and understanding material. Moreover, I really enjoy how secluded from the busy world the campus is. It’s a very calm campus and really allows me to focus on my studies and my friends.
Would you recommend this program to someone interested in pursuing science studies?
I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is unsure of which specific major they want to follow. It was indeed amazing to see how the first years have the opportunity to get a taste for each major and how they are allowed to experience it fully before deciding to take it on as a major. The Bachelor’s Program is the perfect environment for pursuing a passion in scientific studies since you are surrounded by students who are just as passionate about it as you are, and staff who dedicate their lives to the subjects they are teaching.
Could you please tell us more about your exchange year at École Polytechnique?
I came to École Polytechnique with another student from King’s College, although we did not meet before we arrived here. I wasn’t very sure what to expect from life at École Polytechnique, but I’ve been very happy here. Living on campus, in a student accommodation, in a secluded area of France was a big change for me, especially since I came from a busy city where I lived with my parents!
Due to the nature of our courses at King’s College, we do not get transferred credits for our degrees, which means that I can happily spend the year trying out new subjects that École Polytechnique has to offer. For example, in the spring semester I am taking Biology and Philosophy of Science and Tech, which are topics I wouldn't have been so easily able to integrate into my learning and timetables back at King's College. The module in Biology is both interesting and will be useful in my goal for a career in computational biology.
What are the main strengths of both institutions?
Both institutions have many benefits. Being a scientific university, École Polytechnique has a much more specialised approach in mathematics and engineering, and since everyone at the university has similar interests in science and technology, that’s very beneficial. Furthermore, being a secluded campus, l’X and all of the facilities it has to offer, is just a really great learning environment. King's College, on the other hand, is a city university in the heart of London which comes with the perks of having many businesses around and a very active social life, but also all the distractions that go along with it.
What will you do after your exchange year at École Polytechnique? Do you have any professional career goal?
After I finish the semester here at École Polytechnique, I’ll have one year left at King’s College. During my final year, I intend on specialising in Artificial Intelligence. Following graduation, I intend on pursuing a Master’s in Computational Biology or Digital Biology. I am very interested in having a career where I can use my knowledge of computer science to aid in the world of health and medicine.