DAAD Scholarship: Sasi Widuri's Experience participating in the Hochschulsommerkurs (HSK) program in Germany

MUNICH (29/07/2022) - Sasi Widuri is a student of the German Language Education department who received a Hochschulsommerkurs scholarship at Internationale SDI München for a period of 1 month. During her time there, Sasi had the opportunity to learn German directly through intensive courses with native speakers. The SDI München University, where this summer course took place, specializes in intercultural communication and offers bachelor's and master's degree programs. Additionally, the university is renowned for its quality graduates in interpretation and has good job prospects.

Funded by DAAD, the Hochschulsommerkurs activity is organized by Hochschule SDI München through several selection stages. First, prospective participants must take the OnSet test with a minimum result of B1. Then, they must prepare a scholarship application letter, CV, motivational letter, high school diploma, and participation and championship certificates. After that, they submit the files to the designated website and await the announcement. Prospective scholarship recipients not only need to prepare diligently for these efforts, but they also need to pray and study earnestly. This may serve as a good example for others who wish to participate in the same activity in the next opportunity.

Sasi arrived in Frankfurt on June 30, 2022. Coinciding with the program, there were summer promo tickets priced at 9 €. These tickets were very helpful for both native Germans and newcomers due to their very cheap price and could be valid for one month for public transportation such as S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, bus, and regional trains. Upon arrival in Munich, Sasi then stayed in a dormitory. The room Sasi occupied accommodated eight people; two were from Indonesia, three from Kazakhstan, and one each from Mongolia, Tunisia, and the Philippines.

During her time there, Sasi faced challenges in food adaptation as she had to choose halal food every time she wanted to eat because many non-Muslim Germans serve non-halal food. Therefore, to avoid this, Sasi always asked and read the information about food ingredients on the packaging.

Despite facing difficulties, the experience gained by Sasi was very valuable because the course she attended did not only take place inside the classroom, but there were also excursions around the city of Munich. This was very enjoyable because she could learn about the culture firsthand. The experience of interacting directly, learning new things, and honing German language skills with the entire community, other course participants, and professors at Hochschule SDI München was an unforgettable experience for Sasi. (Astri)