Marta, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain, winter semester 2023/24

I was able to choose (and basically had to choose) from various courses from the same faculty, as the faculties are located in different buildings, sometimes situated far away from each other, therefore it wouldn't have been possible to travel from class to class. The offer wasn't very big, but that was more of a personal problem for me,because as a part of my course here in Katowice I have already completed many subjects. The level of English represented by the professors was very high and professional

The academic level overall was (in my opinion) very high- every class included at least one middle term exam, as well as a presentation/essay, group work, individual tasks and the main exam, so there was a lot of work to do. The deadlines were sometimes very short, every task submitted to the learning platfrom went through an anti-plagiarism program, the points obtained during classes were carefully noted ( the same with attendance points) and activity points were really making a difference in the final grade. I would say assignments in general were also very challanging, and overall the requirements for passing these subjects were complicated and hard.

The atmosphere at the university was very correct. Lecturers' attitude towards erasmus students was very normal, we were never treated differently from the regular spanish students ( which unfortunately also sometimes meant the lack of understanding of, let's say- one more abscence at classes). There was only one lecturer who unfortunately made it very difficult to pass the subject, as the students were made to do everything by themselves, without a bit of in-class explenations.

The level of integration with local students was also fine, most of the classes were made up of erasmus students so there weren't that many opportunities to meet spanish students, but once we did- they were very polite and nice. The cooperation with my "buddy" was also okay, truth be told I didn't really need much help with organizational things.

The contact with International Relations was just fine- not too bad, not amazing. A couple of times, to obtain a certain document, writing a couple e-mails during a short period of time was unavoidable.

The costs of living in Oviedo are very affordable, especially in comparison with cities such as Madrid or Barcelona. There are a lot of supermarkets, even the international ones ( Lidl), smaller, more local stores, next to Oviedo there is also a big mall with stores such as Primark, H&M, Ikea etc. Approximate prices are: a pack of buns from Mercadona (12 buns)- around 1.50 euro, a bottle of juice- 0.80/1 euro, a pack of ham/cheese- around 1.50/2 euro. In my mind, the best option for accommodation is looking for a regular flat from a real estate agency, or for a room to share in a regular apartament with some friends. The best website to search for an apartament to rent would be Idealista. An average price for a room in an apartamant would be around 350 euro/month. Don't be afraid to look for flats a bit further from the city center, as they tend to be less expensive and have better quality- the ones located in the strict center are more old and rarely have elevators, for example.

The biggest advantage of my stay was a opportunity to increase my spansih level - I didn't participate in the free spanish course at the beginning of my erasmus, as it was meant only for students with level A1 ( mine is a bit higher). However, the sole opportuntiy to meet some spanish speaking students and befriend them gave me options to improve my language skills.

Unfortunately, the amount of tasks/exams/presentations per class. There were far too many, with short deadlines and they were a lot of times really complicated to fulfill. Overall the academic level was really high.

Kseniia, University of Ljubjana, Slovenia, winter semester 2023/24

Wide variety of subject to choose from very common to very specific, the level of English from professors was on a high level, the study is quiet intensive, each class has own additional obligator seminar and task to complete. Each local student also was speaking English on high level.

The general atmosphere is very inspiring and engaging into subject, every student will for sure learn from every subject, there a lot of cooperation of students.

Thanks so much for International Office for so nice organisation that I really try to help. All information was showed quiet nicely.

If you get a place in dormitory which is quite hard, it would cost around 215 euro, if you choose the room in a flat, you would minimum 350 euro.

The biggest advantage of my stay was structured and clear plan of studies, you always know what are requirements. What I didn’t like was very strict rules of examination organisation. You should register min 5 days before exam and sometimes there are problems in system that you simply cannot register and you have to stress a lot contacting whole day with Dean's office.

Student, Universita degli studi di Milano Bicocca, Italy, winter semester 2023/24

I was allocated in my own department but had an opportunity to choose two maximum courses from different departments; level of language was good enought on every courses; my four courses were in the University and one was blended with online learning, which was a good solution.

All lecturers were understanding and in helpful; my courses were mostly attended by erasmus students so the integration was pretty fast, because all of us were open minded to meet new people

All lecturers were informating us by emails, the contact was mostly up to date. The coordinators and volunteers of the university were amazing and always ready to help with every problem

The cost of living and accommodation in Milan were high; unfortunately the grant were not enough to cover the cost of only accommodation, even if i had really cheap one. There werent many discounts for students, even on the activities provided by ESN, which were quite expensive too.

My university were really cool, the people were great and i had an accomodation nearby. The only disadvantage is that i have to catch up all the previous semester now, because my courses didnt match in the receiving university.

Julia, University of Osijek, Croatia, winter semester 2023/24

The subject offer was not really wide but still i found some very interesting subjects and professors. The level of language in which classes were lectured was high. I would love to see more assignments which would require to work in groups.

I loved the attitude of most professors towards Erasmus students. Unfortunately, I was not provided with “buddy”. All integration with local student was initiated by me. Croatian students are not really into making new friends.

Some of formalities  were complicated, the lectures started really late and there was no information about it before.

Costs of living and accommodation were higher than expected, but bearable for student.

The biggest advantage of my stay was Croatian friends i have met.

Anna, VERN' University of Applied Science in Zagreb, Croatia, winter semester 2023/24

They offer really interesting subjects I could choose them out of 3 different faculties (it was possible to mix them). All courses were taught by excellent lecturers with a lot of experience and really good level of English. Most of cases I had to do some kind of written assignments or presentations to get final grade.

There is no possibilities to integrate with local students, because all courses are only with other Erasmus students. The university don't have any organisation who helps exchange students, but you can easily join ESN Zagreb and participate in their events or sign up for Buddy system.

Lecturers and International Office respond pretty fast for emails, answer for all of questions and help in case some problems.

Prices for accommodation starts with 350 Euro per room. There is really good public transportation in Zagreb, so don't worry if it's a bit far from center and university. With student card you have nice discounts in student canteens, for full dinner with beverage, soup and so on I paid less than 2 Euro. If someone wanna cook by himself, prices in shops are a bit more expensive than in Poland.

The biggest advantage was way of teaching, most of courses were dynamic, with a lot of conversations and interactions. Final works were really creative and individual.

The biggest disadvantage was a really low chance to get dormitory, because Erasmus people are the last in queue.

Karolina, ISCAP Politecnico do Porto, Portugal, spring semester 2022/23

Im fully satified with the reciving institution, all started with Orientantion Week when we could meet the univeristy and got the warm welcome and help with all that we needed. The atmosphere on the univeristy was super nice, no stress, good contact both with other students and with lecturers.

The study offer was very broad and International Office super open and helpful, changes in the plan were allowed after checking if we really like the subjects without any problems. Form of classes and assignments were also diversified, it was easy to find something that suits best.

All the formalities were presented really clearly, everyone I got contact with was super helpful and kind and english speaking. Every time i needed anything, I got help with the smile

I have chosen student residence "LIV Student" as acommodation and I am completely satisfied. General cost of leaving was not high, prices simmilar to Polish ones, if not even lower

The biggest advantage of the whole stay was the no stress atmosphere full of good energy.

Julia, HZ University of Applied Science, Netherlands, spring semester 2022/23

Studying in the Netherlands looks different than studying in Poland. One study year is not only divided into 2 semesters, but also to 4 blocks. I was doing the program International Business, so the only subjects I could choose from were from my program. On the second semester there is one main subject “Student Company”. The whole semester we were working on assignments for our student company. My student company consisted of 8 students from different parts of world.

The teachers are really nice, and helpful. To most of the teachers we address by their name. Since we were working in the groups, we were mixed by the university. In every group there were Dutch students, international ones and the exchange, so we all worked together.

 Since I got the option to rent a room at a campus, I didn’t have a problem with looking for the accommodation. The cost of my room was 335 euros per month. Living in the Netherlands is quite expensive. Approximately, for one month you need to have around 250-300 euros, to spend on groceries, going out.

I believe that the biggest advantage of my stay there is the experience I gained. As I said above, me and my group were working on our student company. We created a startup from zero, we struggled to maintain our company, to sell our product. The experience with having my own company was one of the biggest challenges in my whole life.

Student, POLITÉCNICO DO PORTO, Portugal, spring semester 2022/23

In the beginning, I got a few study plans I needed to choose one. I'm currently finishing my bachelor's degree, but I was able to choose one of the master's degree study plans. The most interesting thing for me was that I didn't have to take the exams. I could choose a form of continuous assessment, which I did. I could study subjects which are not available in my polish university. I have to say it's a very nice university.

I was very thankful because i got a buddy, at the beginning it was very helpful and made my life easier. The orientation week was also a good experence.

Costs of living in Portugal in my opinion are actually very similar to the costs in Poland, but unfortunatelly they have problems with housing. Rooms are very expensive.

Student, University of Zagreb, Croatia, spring semester 2022/23

 The lecturers were very friendly and if I didn't know something they answered my questions. I was surprised that the universities only organized an integration week and that was all. The rest of the integration outings were organized by ESN and most required a paid card and an additional fee. My buddy only contacted me at the beginning and he was from another department.

Lecturers very often wrote back the same day on the email. I also had very good contact with the exchange office. I was very annoyed that they did not give the exact dates of exams (times) and room beforehand.

If you get a dormitory, which is very cheap, and eat in the menzas (student cafeterias where students have 60% subsidized meals and a two-course dinner with dessert is about 2 euros) it is very cheap. I, however, preferred to cook on my own and it came out much more expensive than in Poland.

I started classes at noon or afternoon and could sleep in the morning.Very often lecturers were late sometimes even 0.5 hours, or one lecturer did not show up at all for class just someone else was teaching it. One class (exercises) for me had too low level and I felt a little that it was wasting time.

Kinga, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy, winter semester 2022/23

 All classes are in the form of lectures, the level of English is quite high, subjects should be selected from the area to which the university will assign you, I recommend checking and changing if necessary.

The teachers were very kind also the other students, the local one were helpfull and very friendly, the level of integration with local student was insufficient because of their language skills.

All the formalities you have to do by e-mail or online meeting with Bicocca Angeles (students), even you have to register for exams by website.

The costs of living are so high, if you want to rent a room you have to pay at least 500 euros, but If you find something few weeks before coming to Milan you have to pay around 700-900 euros for room per month, the scholarship is not enough even for deposits and service fees (accommodative). The prices in supermarkets are higher than in Poland, but Pizza and Pasta are cheaper in restaurants!

Emilia, Technische Hochschule Brandenburg, Germany, spring semestr 2022/23

I had to choose the courses only from the Master level. Unfortunately, the variety of courses available in English were quite limited.The majority of classes were held offline but during Christmas period the University switched to online teaching. Professors and academic staff were very helpful and the study offer was highly practice orientated.

The atmosphere was really great. The university is very international, students come from different countries so I did not feel as if I was on exchange since most of my peers also travelled to Brandenburg seeking academic education. The integration with local German students may be quite challenging if you don't speak decent German

I lived in the 4-room dorm provided by the Uni. I had one really spacious room to myself, the kitchen and 2 restrooms were shared with other roommates. I paid 260 euro monthly. The scholarship was enough to cover the basic every-day life.

The Best Hing was exploring German culture and meeting people from around the world. The short distance to Berlin (approx. 1h) was really convenient, I spent a lot of time there becoming the real Berliner :). From the academic perspective, I discovered the different approach to academic learning, because all the courses were very practical

My biggest expectation towards this exchange was learning German but unfortunately my German level did not upgrade at all.

Bartosz, VERN' University, Croatia, spring semester 2022/23

Im very satisfied of my exchange university. I could choose subjects from different faculties, but i decided to stay in my main one connected with my field of studies. Maybe the offer could be wider, because only 2 from my obligatory subjects at UE in Katowice were recognized, so i have to catch up a bit. Level of language was on high level. Form of classes were very interesting, because courses were based on conversation. I had plenty of possibilities to talk and this engaged me and made me more interested in topics.

Atmoshere was very good. I got enough attention from my Professors. I didnt have much opportunity to integrate with local students, becasue classes were hold only with erasmus students groups. But I met a lot of really nice people there.

Cost of living were higher than I expected. I thought that Croatia is a little bit more expensive than Poland, but this place is quite expensive. My grant wasnt enough to cover my costs, but I didnt have to give much from myself. Prices in markets are quite high, but there is a plenty possibility to cut your expenses. Around Zagreb you can find few canteens, which offer various and really cheap food.

The biggest avantage was that I could improve my language and I met great people. This stay abroad helped me to open my mind and I think I started thinking a different way. 

Student, Università degli studi di Catania, Italy, winter semester 2022/23

I couldn't really find the same subject which I have in Katowice, but at the end I'm glad I chose university in Catania. I liked especially classes in Italian language, because I had them with all Sicilians, they were no erasmus people. I liked the most classes of management dell'innovazione, we had a lot of activities, lectures, visiting Sicilian companies, projects. Especially going to different companies near Catania was a good experience, I could see all innovations here and compare with Poland. When it comes to English classes, level of English was high, I expected that will be way worse, but also exams were a bit hard. Faculty of economics in Catania is really good.

I prefered classes in Italian, because it was my purpose to improve this language. Thanks to them I also got to know many Italians, what helped me also with my language. Many Sicilians can't speak English, so it was a good opportunity to practice all the time Italian. Just one thing was interesting, that in the International office not everyone could speak English, I know Italian so it was no problem for me, but other students had some difficulties. I liked atmosphere in university in Catania, everyone was kind to me and they wanted me to feel like in home, they were also really helpful. At the end of the course of management dell'innovazione we had an innovation night, which took place in a really beautiful place outside Catania, we presented our projects during the event, there were different people who have their own startups or companies, was a really good experience.

Communication wasn't the simplest and in general organization. But when it comes to emails, I always got answers really fast, so it wasn't a problem. Just it's another culture, and they have another hours of working and rules.

Accommodation wasn't so expensive. Sicilia is in general not expansive comparing to other regions in Italy. I divided a room with other girl and I had to pay for about 250€ for a month. If I would choose my own room, price would be higher. But calculating euro to złoty, it was expensive for me still. Food is not super cheap, I also noticed inflation during my erasmus here.

The biggest advantage of my stay was improving my language skills, having more motivation to life also I started to think more about my future and about business in general. Also a really beautiful thing was knowing true Sicilians and also all international people from all around the world.

Student, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands, winter semester 2022/23

The general atmosphere was awesome. The lectures were way more practical than at home university, which I really like. ESN team organized many interesting activities for students. There was no way to be bored.

Level of language was very high - in general Dutches can speak really good English. I was able to choose various faculties due to my interests. All classes were on campus. However, one subject was about business cases and we were obligate to visit e.g. office, foundation etc. Most of my subjects ended in group or individual portfolios. The way that host university conducted the classes was the best for me. Why? They focused on learning by doing practical assignments. Thanks to this, I learned a lot more and the knowledge stayed with me.

There was no problems for me to contact with international reactions office or my coordinator. We had a special group on teams to contact with my coordinator and every two or three days he was sending us some important informations.

The amount of scholarship is defiantly not enough for the Netherlands. The costs of living is a bit more expensive compered to Poland. Doing grocery shopping is also the same, but prices in restaurants and cafes are more expensive. I used to spend about 800 euros per month. However, it was possible because my accommodation (student housing) was pretty cheap. Usually prices are around 800-1000 euro for room with bathroom and kitchen.

The biggest disadvantage was the fact that I had to come back to my home university. I'm really glad that I had opportunity to study there.

Myroslava, University of Patras, Greece, spring semester 2021/22

Erasmus was great experience. I completely recommend it.

The Erasmus atmosphere was the best. Connecting friendly and open people everywhere, it doesn't matter where I have been. Lecturers were very helpful. It is true that the organisation in the country itself is very weak and it takes a long time to wait for the answer from lecturers. Erasmus is also a time when everyone tries to be more open and make friends in a short time. About local students I would like to say, that they are open to foreign students and helped if I needed anything. The biggest advantage of my stay were friendly and helpful people.

I was able to choose subjects from various faculties (my is Economy , but also I choosed from Business administration). Level of language was B1-B2. Most of the subjects took the form of lectures, discussions and writing assignments or making project.

I was staying in an Erasmus hotel. I had a choice of a single room for 120 euro / month or a double room for 90 euro. The room had a separate bathroom, fridge, kettle, cabinets, study tables, beds. I had a fairly large room. I had free food at the university (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Other costs depend on the way of your lifestyle.

Dominika, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, spring semester 2021/22

In general, the atmosphere at the faculty was friendly and calm (you know from the beginning what you need to do, no stress at the end). I always received an answer to my every email very quickly. Also, the uni buddies program is working well (there was a weekly meeting and a goodbye party).

I could choose subjects from all the subjects taught in English at the School of Economics and Business in Ljubljana. All of them were prepared in English. Also, the teachers' English was excellent, both in spoken and written. All materials were prepared in English as well. All the formalities were done without any problems. Communication with International Relations always was done in one week.

The cost of living (food, transport) is similar to the one in Katowice (if you cook or use boni - student meal discount). Accommodation is the biggest problem. If you want to stay in the dormitory, you need to send an application as soon as possible. I was lucky enough to get a dormitory. The kitchen and bathroom are shared by four people, five minutes away from the faculty, everything was new, small, but cosy. The monthly bus ticket is only 20 euros, and the rent of the city bike is 1 euro for one year. Unfortunately, the city bikes were hard to get (only two stations at the faculty), but you can buy a second-hand bike for only 30 euros and resell it after your term.

Natalia, ISCAP - Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto, Portugal, spring semester 2021/22

The lecturers were friendly and nice, always ready to help with problems and explain everything and they spoke fluent English. I had quite a good interaction with local students as I chose classes which portuguese students attend too. My buddy was helpful and I met her a couple of times for dinner too :). As a bonus we had a student organisation helping erasmus participants-they organised many trips and social gatherings.

The study offer was good, there was quite a broad variety of subjects, an option to choose language courses and their levels.

The contact with the International Office was always very good, they were responding to e-mails quickly, and the head of the office even helped me a couple of times while the office was closed. The lecturers were also very helpful and always available.

I found my accommodation with the help of my university. It was a private university housing. The landlady was amazing and has taken care of me really well. The cost of this housing was around 350 euro a month, depending on the water and electricity bills. This left me with about 150 euro a moth for living. The grant definitely covered most of my expenses, but I had to use my own savings for going out to the city, travelling, etc.

The best thing about Erasmus was meeting many people from different countries, learning in English which helped me improve my skills with this language and experiencing another type of teaching.

Hanna, University of Patras, Greece, winter semester 2021/22

The classes were conducted entirely in English, some subjects we had with Greek students and others only with Erasmus students. The subjects were opened even if there were only two people on the subject. I chose the subjects from the faculties of economics, business and administration, and I had the opportunity to choose a course in Modern Greek Language and Greek culture at the department of culture.

Cheap dormitory - 130 euro single room, 90 euro double room. The cost of the apartment is around 250-350 euro. In the canteen they serve free meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner for all Erasmus. Rather, the scholarship should be enough.

Very good cooperation and help from the local ESN. The teachers were friendly and helpful, they quickly replied to the e-mail and helped to solve the problems. Local students very willing and open to meet Erasmus students.

Jan, University of Catania, Italy, winter semester 2021/22

Totally recommend Catania and Sicily as a place to live. Not only it helped me to make a lot of friends from all over Europe, but also I was able to make huge progress in terms of my Italian in a relatively short period. It was certainly the best time of my life.

I was able to choose subjects from the department of economy, both in English and Italian. Classes in Italy are in the form of lectures, but there is an interaction between the professor and students and also on some subjects there were guests invited which were talking about their professional experience. There was even a possibility to attend trips to companies on one subject. Generally, the lectures were kind and at the university all the people were trying to help us. A certain dose of patience was needed – in Sicily everybody has a lot of time, they don't operate in a rush :)

Costs of living and accommodation, of course, are bigger than in Poland, but Catania compared to the north of Italy is really cheap. It isn't hard to find accommodation for less than 250 euros, the rest depends on the lifestyle, but I would say that everything is affordable.

The biggest advantages were student organizations that take care of Erasmus and organize activities for them, friendly people and a city which gives a lot of social opportunities.

Karolina, Technical University of Munich, Germany, winter semester 2021/22

Studies at TUM are held on very high level. I attended courses only in English, level of this language here is really good because there are many international students. Lecturers speak English fluently, everything was clear. I could have chosen courses from different faculties (only in 40%), 60% of courses had to be chosen from the department TUM School of Management. Attitude of the lecturers was kind, all of them are really helpful.

I have met some German students (from ESN), but I was meeting mainly international students. Cooperation with buddy was good, he explained me some issues at the beginning of my stay. They really care about international students, they are always happy to help. Coordinators replay to mails quickly.

Costs of living are high, Munich is the most expensive city in Germany. Money from Erasmus is not enough, so it’s worth to be aware that it is needed to add something from your pocket. If you get a student dorm, you’re lucky because finding a room in Munich is really challenging, renting a room is expensive.
 

Wiktoria, „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania, winter semester 2021/22

I could choose classes outside from the main faculty. The list of English based courses was really impressive. Some of the classes can be conducted even with only one student. Professors put a lot of effort into satisfying students' needs.

For those speaking French at certain faculties there are also classes in this language. All the professors I had a chance to have classes with were really nice, with a positive attitude towards foreign students. They were curious about our opinions and experiences, they made us a part of the group.

The integration with local students was more difficult because all the classes during the past semester were in the online form. However, I still managed to meet with some of my classmates. For any student of any university in Iasi there is a possibility of getting a buddy. It is not obligatory and only students that want to will get one. Mine was a really great person. Everything regarding the communication was satisfying for me. I had many questions and doubts but both coordinators and professors were really patient with explaining everything to me. I got all the help needed.

I rented a one room apartment. The prices vary, depending on the location. It can be 200 EUR as well as 400 EUR per month, depending on what someone is looking for. As far as I know the cost of living in the dorm was really low. It was less than 100 EUR per month. Regarding all the costs, the prices are similar to Poland, and especially Katowice. Iasi is a similar size city so the prices I consider to be very alike.
 

Karolina, École de Management de Normandie, France, winter semester 2021/22

The Erasmus students were very welcomed at university and everyone wanted to help them in every problem they had. There wasn’t much of a choice regarding choosing subjects, but generally classes and teachers were really good. The communication with the university was a bit difficult but in the end everything was possible to make.

The money that we get from home university was only to cover accommodation and the rest of the cost of life was on the student side.
 

Student, Fachhochschule des BFI Wien, Austria, winter semester 2021/22         

In my opinion Vienna is a really expensive city. For sure scholarship is not enough to cover all costs. But there are many possibilities for accommodation. It is possible to find something cheaper.

As I was an ARIMA student I had classes in the afternoons and I studied with part-time students. I had a really international group. People were helpful and outgoing. I did not have problems with coordination of International Relations. In general the professors were nice and helpful, but one professor did not provide us with the final assignment and there was a delayith obtaining the grade with obtaining the grade.
 

Student, Univeristy of Agder, Norway, summer semester 2020/2021

Norway is a beautiful, developed country with amazing nature. The level of English is surprisingly high in the whole country. The lecturers were friendly and open-minded. I could choose subjects from a particular faculty as well as language courses. At the begining we were assigned a "buddy", some buddies were more active than the others, but there was always someone willing to help. Organization at UiA is on high level, we received all needed instructions and assistance just after our arrival. Even during the obligatory quarantine, they planned some activities for us so that nobody felt lonely. There was plenty of information published on Facebook group, which were updated daily. 

Student organization SIA in Norway works very effectively, despite many obstacles (covid, changing restrictions) they organized various attractions for students, we had a lot of options, face-to-face and when it was impossible online; like fishing competition with a money prize and catch of fish permission in the region, paintball, trampoline park, mini golf, various meetings with free food, cinema, bonfire, zoo, crocheting, painting and Easter holiday attractions. There were also Monday free breakfasts organized for students in the university canteen (they were available for a period of time). 

The costs of living in Norway are high. The university offers good-quality dormitories and cafes, shop and canteen with prices suitable for a students' pocket (relatively low as for Norway).

Tadeusz, Portugal, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, winter semester 2020/ 2021

Huge advantage of my stay was a possibility to visit Portugal, including Porto, Algarve or the Azores. It also gave me a chance to find myself in a new situation, completely new environment and around new people. I made friends with people from other countries and continents. I improved my English and learnt basics of Portuguese.

Costs of living are low, in comparison with big cities. You can eat out for 5-10 euros, depending on your preferences. In financial terms I received more than I spent. I recommend it.

Lecturers are very friendly for foreign students, they explain clearly the assgnment requirements, in case of difficulties they invite students for consultations, even via ZOOM on request. Erasmus students could participate in classes from different courses, depending on preferences. Lecturers speak English very well, although sometimes with a specific accent, but rather nobody had difficulties with understanding. 

Bartosz, Słowacja, Comenius University in Bratislava, semester letni 2019/2020

There was a fexibility in the selection of subjects, thanks to that I was able to study at two different faculties. The approach of the lectureres was generally really positive. Integration was on the average level. Formalities were done quickly and smoothly. Each e-mail was responded within a few minutes.

Prices for products and services- about 10% higher than in Poland. Costs of accommodation in the dormitory were realtively low (about 70 EURO monthly). 

Advantages- interesting classes, effectively working ESN, discounts for meals in the cateen. The biggest disadvantage was low standard of accommodation.

Student, Italy, Università degli Studi di Catania, winter semester 2019/2020

70% of subjects had to be from my faculty. I studied and took exams together with Italian students. The Italians are open and helpful. Atmosphere on the classes is different: there is a constant discussion and questions. You can see the involvement of students. Cantania is definately less expensive than the north of Italy,  but it is still advisable to have some savings. Thre is really plenty of things to visit and try ;)

Student, Niemcy, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes, winter semester 2019/2020

Unfortunately I could not choose subjects from the whole offer. Still the university did its best to suit it to my needs. Students were very nice and helpful. Costs of living and accommodation were higher than in Poland, but reasonable. I had a chance to get to know a different way of giving classes as well as differnet culture and mentality of people.  

Damian, Greece, University of Ioannina, winter semester 2019/2020

Classes were organized mostly in the self-studying form, it means that I maintained contact with the lecturers by consulting self-made projects. Lecturers have a partner approach towards the students, they were very helpful and offered many materials and support needed fort the subject assignment. I got to know many practical tools e.g. for getting the information sources.

Integration with local students was possible mainly due to effective work of ESN. Also the developed facilities of the university (free gym, many cafes) enable exchange students to meet new people.

Accommodation in the dormitory cost 65€ monthly. The university also offers 3 free meals. The transport is expensive though. You can easily make a living out of the scholarship, the university was also so flexible that I could work online during the whole semester. I strongly recommend due to the economic (in my opinion the cheapest Erasmus) but also touristic aspects of Greece- plenty of places to visit and nice weather during the whole winter.

Karol, Austria, Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt, winter semester 2019/2020

Great people, great lecturers, great approach, practicioners from big corporations. Everything went smoothly and without any problems, they are helpful but they are quite reserved. Accommodation is terrible but they say that from the next semester/year it will be great. The dorms are in the center, near the university. People in the dorms are from all around the world and they are fantastic! 

Jakub, Finland, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, summer semester 2018/2019  

The approach of the lecturers to the student was completely different, i.e., during the first class, they asked us to call them by their first name, which made our relationship a little different, more friendly, which resulted in much better cooperation. The form of conducted classes and credits was very good, reliable and interesting. Finland is quite an expensive country, so that it can be difficult without prior preparation.

Magdalena, Italy, Universita' degli studi di Siena, summer semester 2018/2019 

I think the atmosphere at the university is very good. Students and university staff are very helpful (however, most of them did not speak English fluently). When I arrived, the communication was very good. Everything was clearly presented at the organizational meeting, including the location of all facilities. The bureau at the partner university does not reply to emails quickly, so it is better to go to the bureau in person. If the dormitory is located in the city center or near the university, this is a good choice, but if not, I recommend finding a private apartment. The cost of living in Siena is quite high because it is a tourist destination, so you need to have some extra pocket money, apart from your scholarship, especially if you are thinking about traveling. If you have an ESN card, there are discounts on Flixbus (15%), so it's a good idea to get the card.

Katarzyna Italy, Universita degli studi di Siena, summer semester 2018/2019 

The classes were not divided into lectures and exercises as it is in Poland. It is up to the professor whether the day's classes will be conducted in the form of exercises or lectures. Most credits are written (test, open assignment, or essay written at home). The atmosphere is very good. Lecturers and other students are very helpful (they will explain everything, show you how the university works). We also received a lot of support from ESN Siena. They organized many meetings so that we could get to know other exchange students better and integrate with them. The biggest advantage was that Siena is a small town and it is easy to get everywhere, but at the same time, you cannot get bored there. It is a typical student town, so there are many events.

Student, Germany, Technische Universität München, summer semester 2018/2019

The university provides good communication with students, even though there are many of them. The lecturers are nice, open-minded, you can see that they are there for a student, not to do their job and go home. It is not very common to meet local students because international students are in the majority. A lot of information is sent by e-mail, reminding of upcoming events. Communication with lecturers is possible through the Moodle platform. The lecturers efficiently use the tools on the platform and respond to messages.

Student, Spain, Universidad de Granada, summer semester 2018/2019

The lecturers are very kind and helpful, they understand the situation of the student participating in the exchange program, but they do not treat the Erasmus students any more favorably. The cooperation with the mentor was very poor. Form of classes: exercises and lectures, a form of credit: depends on the subject and the teacher; I had tests, final exam or final project in the form of a presentation. The average cost of living, very similar to those in Poland, when it comes to shopping; no dormitories; renting a room from 200-400 euros depending on the location.

Denys, Greece, University of West Attica, summer semester 2018/2019

Almost all the courses I have chosen were no longer offered upon my arrival. Nobody had any problems with the lecturers. Studying wasn't very hard. Renting a room costs about 250€. Free food. A monthly student ticket (all types of public transport) costs €15.

Kamil, Greece, University of Ioannina, winter semester 2018/2019

Very nice university staff. They organized trips to nearby tourist attractions and organized time after studying. The lecturers were helpful and always offered explanations of difficult topics after class, ESN was in contact with Erasmus students; they organized a time for us so that we could integrate with local people. We had a free student canteen, lunches weren't great, but nobody complained. There was a kitchen in the dormitory. As a rule, single rooms of a fairly good standard were provided.

Student, Spain, Universidade de Vigo, winter semester 2018/2019

The atmosphere is wonderful. The incredible climate of the campus, which is located in the mountains. And the city is at the seaside, too. ESN organization, which organizes a lot of events for Erasmus, is very active. The attitude of lecturers towards visitors is very positive. The cost of living is extremely cheap compared to other regions of Spain. Comparable to life in Poland. I managed to rent an apartment with a terrace for 150€ and I had 2 brilliant roommates. There were a wardrobe and a double bed in the room. Bus tickets cost €0.65 when you apply for a bus card. I could list the advantages endlessly: amazing people from all over the world, cheap trips to Spain, Portugal and Morocco, the most beautiful beaches in Vigo, an island that looks like the Caribbean, to which you can sail from Vigo in 30 minutes by boat.

Angelika, Germany, Europe - Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), winter semester 2018/2019

The university is very friendly to the student, lecturers are helpful, but they rarely reply to e-mails. About 25% of students are foreigners, most of them are regular students. All classes are held with regular students, so integration is very high.

Bożena, Spain, CEU San Pablo en Madrid, summer semester 2018/2019

Very good relations with professors and university employees. Everybody calls the professors by their first name and they are always willing to help. Theoretically, there is one mentor per faculty for Erasmus students, but practically there is not. There are no buddies-mentors either.

Zofia, Spain, Oviedo University, summer semester 2018/2019

The biggest advantage of staying at a partner university and participating in the Erasmus program is the people I have met here. The people we meet during the exchange immediately become our Erasmus family, with whom we spend every free moment and experience one of the best adventures. Participation in the exchange greatly increases our self-confidence, allows us to deal with problems better, we become more spontaneous, open and tolerant. The language is also improving. I took classes in Spanish and English, and although it was very difficult to overcome the difficulties at first and start speaking Spanish, now I miss everyday contact with Spanish after coming back home. We should enjoy every moment spent on the Erasmus student exchange, because it ends quickly, and as soon as we return home, we miss it.

Marta, Italy, LIUC Universita Carlo Cattaneo, winter semester 2018/2019

When we arrived, we were getting used to the new place for two weeks – we were greeted by very nice employees of the international exchange bureau and students from the ESN organization. They organized various events for us, which allowed us to integrate with other Erasmus students. In the dormitory, all the exchange students also lived on one floor, so we were very integrated. Unfortunately, this limited the integration with local students to a minimum – there were no events that would allow us to get to know each other better. Usually, all events and parties were organized separately for foreign and local students.

Student, Belgium, HELMo Liège Belgium, winter semester 2018/2019

They provide educational materials free of charge (which was a great plus), the Belgian Culture course offered trips around Belgium and a chance to get to know the culture and other Erasmus students. Coordinators were always available; there was no problem to arrange something. You have to look for a flat on your own; the university does not have dormitories.

Student, Greece, University of Patras, summer semester 2018/2019

There was an opportunity to learn the Greek language. I had credits as projects, open questions.
If the university decides to grant student dormitories, the accommodation is cheap (90-120€). I've traveled a lot. Greece is not an expensive country. I liked everything. Teachers were always helpful. I'd love to go there again.

Iryna, Spain, Universitat de Valencia, summer semester 2018/2019

There were no problems and the lecturers were able to arrange everything and they were very helpful. This whole university is one big advantage.

Karolina, Italy, University degli Studi di Pavia, summer semester 2018/2019

The atmosphere was very good; I did not have any problems with contact with the Erasmus office or the coordinator. My buddy-mentor fulfilled his task diligently, so I highly recommend him. Getting to know people from all over Europe, a high level of education, the ability to travel all over Italy, a sense of Italian culture and language.

Aleksandra, Austria, FH des BFI Wien, summer semester 2018/2019

The lecturers were respectful and understanding towards the students; they always listened and were willing to discuss. Integration with local students: you could meet them during classes, they were very nice and helpful, but usually they were working people, studying in the evenings, so they did not have much time. Overall the whole ESN was very helpful and we had a group on WhatsApp, where all Erasmus students and their mentors were present, so the communication was good. Ms. Anne Schitter was very helpful; she always tried to do her best to solve issues between the university and Erasmus students. Besides, she quickly replied to emails and was always very nice.

Patrycja, Belgium, HOWEST, summer semester 2018/2019

The atmosphere was very good, the lecturers were very friendly and the local students were helpful. A practical approach to teaching. Everything was very expensive. Unfortunately, there are no dormitories there and I had to look for accommodation on my own.

Kinga, Slovenia, Univerza v Mariboru, winter semester 2018/2019

Unfortunately, there were no classes with local students. The lecturers were fine, only one of the lecturers upset the Erasmus students. The contact was easy, but sometimes it took a long time to resolve a problematic situation. The Erasmus+ scholarship is enough to cover the cost of living and accommodation in Slovenia.

Klaudia, Belgium, Karel de Grote Hogeschool Antwerpen, winter semester 2018/2019

The coordinators, the lecturers, and the local students are friendly to the exchange students. There are many meetings organized by the coordinators, so there is no problem with integration between the exchange students, but it is hard to get to know the local students, because they do not participate in such meetings, and most of the activities are only for exchange students, only some activities involve mixed groups. Renting a room costs 350-450 Euros per month. The food costs 100-150 Euros per month.