By: Emily Fodge
When Max Keller arrived in Riverside from Southern Germany, he already had his course list mapped out by his university back home. He knew which credits needed to transfer, which computer science requirements he had to complete, and what he hoped to gain academically from studying at UCR Professional and Global Education.
What he couldn’t plan for as easily was how quickly a place thousands of miles from where he grew up would start to feel like home.
The parts of his study abroad experience he remembers most now never appeared in a syllabus: pickup volleyball games at the Student Recreation Center, road trips through Joshua Tree with friends he met at UCR, late nights at The Barn watching passionate Lakers fans react to the game over burgers and live music.
"Coming to California as a computer scientist has been a fantastic experience. UCR checked every box that I wanted from a university abroad. It had research, fantastic weather, cool people, and the beach.”
A Study Abroad Experience Built Around Campus Life
Like many international students in UCR Professional and Global Education’s University Credit Program (UCP), Max was taking courses while building a routine that extended beyond academics.
Through UCP, international students take classes alongside UCR students and live the day-to-day rhythm of campus life in Southern California. Campus events, recreation, eateries, and weekends spent exploring the region all become part of the experience.
For Max, that meant dividing his time between UCR main campus courses and Extension coursework. His classes included macroeconomics, computer science, artificial intelligence, and Project Management Essentials. Outside the classroom, campus life filled in the rest of the experience.
The Student Recreation Center became one of the places he returned to most often. Max said connecting with other students happened naturally through sports, especially through the volleyball club and pickup games at the SRC.
“What struck me the most was how welcoming everyone is. Whenever I mentioned that I was a visiting student from Germany, almost everybody got curious and wanted to talk.”
He hadn’t expected how interested other students would be in where he came from, what university life looked like in Germany, or why he chose to study in California. The parts of himself that felt different often became the easiest way to connect.
The conversations that started at the SRC rarely stayed there. Volleyball practices turned into dinner plans. Conversations after class became weekend trips across Southern California. Before long, students from different countries and backgrounds were experiencing the region together at the exact same stage of life.
Over time, campus life stopped feeling so unfamiliar. Students recognized each other at the SRC, made plans for the weekend between lectures, and returned to the same favorite spots around Riverside without thinking twice about it. The routines that once felt new slowly became part of everyday life.
Southern California Becomes Part of the Experience
Some parts of Southern California looked exactly the way Max had imagined them before arriving. The sunny weather. Palm trees outside campus buildings. The vibrant campus life.
Other parts surprised him more.
“One of my highlights was watching a Lakers game with local fans at The Barn. Eating what I can only describe as a divine burger, that experience felt like a true American experience in Southern California.”
In the center of it all, Riverside often becomes the jumping-off point for places most students have only seen on Instagram before arriving in California.
Max and his friends traveled to San Diego, hiked San Jacinto Mountain, visited Joshua Tree National Park, and made a trip to Las Vegas over Presidents Day weekend. Within a few hours of campus, students could spend time at the Santa Monica pier, snowboard in Big Bear, hike desert trails, or drive into Los Angeles for the night.
“Traveling with people from completely different backgrounds and seeing incredible places in SoCal together was something truly special.”
What Students Carry Forward
By the end of his time abroad, Max saw his experience at UCR as something larger than coursework alone.
“Living in Riverside has been a fantastic experience. Campus life, dining halls, sports and weather all in a way I’ve never experienced before.”
Studying abroad gave him the opportunity to experience a different academic environment while building friendships and routines far from home.
“An experience that is truly broadening my personal and academic horizons.”
Most students arrive focused on academics first: the courses they need, the credits they’ll transfer back home, the experience they hope to gain. Those things matter.
But months later, many of the memories that stay with them come from the parts of the experience they could never fully plan for ahead of time: the friendships they create, the routines they built, the places they explored together, and the feeling of finding community somewhere far from home.
Explore Programs for International Students at UCR Professional and Global Education
UCR Professional and Global Education’s University Credit Program (UCP) gives international students the opportunity to study alongside UCR students while experiencing campus life and Southern California culture firsthand. Students gain academic experience, professional perspective, and access to a welcoming campus community in one of the most dynamic regions in the world.
Whether you’re looking for academic growth, cultural immersion, or the chance to experience life in California, UCR Professional and Global Education offers programs designed to help students feel connected from the moment they arrive.
Interested in studying abroad in Southern California? Explore UCP and other programs for international students.
Max Keller
Home Country: Southern Germany
Student, UCR Professional and Global Education
University Credit Program (UCP)
Specialization: Computer Science
Watch Max's Journey