Chur is an incredibly beautiful city – truly a hidden gem, especially for nature lovers like me! If you're into sports, this place is a dream come true. In the winter, nearby ski areas offer great slopes for skiing and snowboarding. In the summer, the surroundings become a playground for adults – whether it's downhill biking, climbing, or trail running. For all bouldering enthusiasts, Murgtal and Magic Wood are just about 20 minutes away by car – absolute must-visits!
Studying at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (FHGR) has also been exciting and challenging. The courses are demanding but very well organized and practice oriented. However, I feel that FHGR is especially well-suited for Bachelor students: there are more international students in the bachelor’s programs, and many of the courses are taught in English. In the master’s programs, most courses are in German, which makes it a bit more difficult for international students to connect. Also, the workload in the master’s is quite heavy – combining regular classes with the master's thesis leaves very little time to fully enjoy the semester abroad.
A tip for all future incomings: If possible, try to get a room in the Konvikt student residence! While it’s a bit more expensive, it’s absolutely worth it – that’s where most of the international students live, so it’s much easier to connect with others, even if you're not taking the same courses. I live in the BGS residence, which is more affordable, but it can sometimes feel a bit lonely.
Still, I have no regrets about coming to Chur. I absolutely love my small but amazing Erasmus group. The nature, the learning experience, and especially the sports opportunities here are breathtaking. For active people who love the outdoors, Chur is a top-tier destination – I’d rate the sports scene a solid 10 out of 10!
Fun fact to finish:
If you want to explore Swiss culture through food, try the Käsepass Challenge! The goal is to visit four traditional cheese dairies during your semester, learn about cheese production, and even make your own cheese – a dream come true for cheese lovers! If you complete all four stops and collect the stamps, you’ll be rewarded with a box of delicious cheese. Bonus: the towns where the dairies are located are just as dreamy as the cheese itself!
Lea Kaiser is an incoming student from our partner university IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences. She is studying on the Sustainable Business Development Master's programme at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons for one semester.