Le Havre
Quick Facts
Average Rent : 100€ – 300€ after CAF
(Student résidence)
Monthly transport pass : 25€
Last passage of public transport : Midnight
Number of Malaysian student : Less than 10
Interviewee : Anniessara SUKCHA
Dhivenya RAJARATHINAM
Q : Why did you choose to do your study in this city and how did it differ from your expectations?
Anniessara : I chose to study in Le Havre as this is where the Le Havre campus of Sciences Po Paris is located. This campus focuses on Europe-Asia affairs, which is something that is important to me as I want to specialise in Southeast Asian politics. As my choice of the city revolves around my academic preference, my expectations are met considering the quality of education that I receive at Sciences Po.
Dhivenya : I chose this city because I wanted to attend a “smaller” IUT that would help me grow at my own pace. I also heard that it was pretty easy to get a well- equipped and reasonably priced accommodation. Besides that, it’s only around 2 hours from Paris and you have a beach! All my expectations were met. Albeit being a relatively small IUT, most of the professors are amazing and of high quality.
Q : What do you like and dislike about this city?
Anniessara : The city offers many amazing experiences, especially involving cultural immersion. You can find cinemas, conservatories, theatres, museums, and concert halls, among many other places of interest. As this city is situated by the sea in the north of France, it is usually wet and windy.
Dhivenya : I like that things are reasonably priced, there are many markets hence groceries are pretty reasonable. Plus Le Havre is very walkable! I mainly disliked the weather in the Northern region.
Q : What were the difficulties that you faced here? How did you overcome them?
Anniessara : During my first year of studies, I stayed on the outskirts of Le Havre. Staying far from the city comes with its inconveniences. This means that I need to take extra precautions when commuting to and from the university.
Dhivenya : I had to deal with the weather. I bought more sweaters and a sturdy umbrella to deal with it.
Q : What did you like to do in the city for leisure purposes?
Anniessara : Go to the beach, try out new restaurants, find spots for sunsets, go to literary cafes, and attend shows.
Dhivenya : I ate a lot of sushi and jogged by the beach. Jogging by the beach is the one thing I miss so much.
Q : How did you find the locals in the city?
Anniessara : The locals in the city are warm and helpful.
Dhivenya : They are really friendly!! I got to pat a lot of dogs
Q : Share your favourite memory in this city/your department.
Anniessara : Lying down by the beach looking at the sunset, watching May B show at Le Volcan, eating fried rice at Saveurs Thai, trying la soupe de poisson at Bistro Parisien, and the list goes on and on. At the university, I was able to truly recognise my real interests as I participated in various events.
Dhivenya : The sunsets and sunrises in Le Havre were the best ones that I’ve seen in my life. As for my department, I had a marvelous experience working on the project. My professors guided me through everything and I learnt a lot.
Q : Where can you get halal food?
Anniessara : There are halal boucheries at Le Rond Point. If you prefer meats from the supermarket, there is always a halal section in every supermarket. I recommend Auchan Mont Gaillard (a 5-minute tram ride from La Gare) for a huge variety of halal food.
Dhivenya : Everywhere!
Sciences Po Paris
campus du Havre
Interviewee : Anniessara SUKCHA (1st and 2nd year of BA in Political Science)
Q : How do you find the teachers and the environment in your department
Anniessara : The teachers are very professional. They treat the students as equals which encourages a healthy learning environment where the teachers and students can correct each other and learn together.
Q : How do you find the international student support in your department/école?
Anniessara : Half of the students at my campus are international students so the support for international students is very strong. There is also the student body (BDE) that welcomes us upon arrival and helps us out with administrative matters such as CAF, Securite Sociale, etc.
Q : Describe the student life (Sports, night life, cultural events)
Anniessara : The student life in Sciences Po LH is very colourful. There are different clubs for each and every individual. It is highly unlikely that you will feel out of place, provided that you actively try to experience the different environments that the clubs have to offer. Club nights and soirees are also held regularly by the BDE. There are also many cultural events where most clubs will be able to showcase the projects that they have been working on throughout the semester (dances, theatres, martial arts, bands, etc.). We also have intercampus events where all Sciences Po Paris campuses come together.
Q : How do you go to class?
Anniessara : 10 min by tram.
IUT Le Havre
Interviewee : Dhivenya RAJARATHINAM (DUT Génie Mécanique et Productique)
Q : How do you find the teachers and the environment in your department
Dhivenya : I really had quality professors. They are super patient and passionate about what they do. Whenever I had questions, they would be happy to answer my emails or even meet with me in between classes to help me. As a student in DUT GMP, the quality of the formation is guaranteed. We had 2 projects which exposed us to design softwares like CATIA and 3Dexperience. I really got a first-hand experience of collaborative designing
Q : How do you find the international student support in your department/école?
Dhivenya : Super. A mentor is assigned to each international student. Mine picked me up at the train station on my first day in Le Havre and helped me throughout all the administrative work (CAF, Visa, SMENO). They organise constant get togethers and trips that are free! I managed to meet a lot of friends via these events.
Q : Describe the student life (Sports, night life, cultural events)
Dhivenya : I made use of the sports programme by signing up for “musculation”. For 30EUR/year, I could go to the university gym which was pretty well- equipped 2-3 times a week! I also did taekwondo there, the environment was lovely. The night life is not bad. On Thursday nights, the bar square is pretty crowded and you have a few clubs as well.
Q : How do you go to class?
Dhivenya : 15 min by trams.
