Erasmus Experience in Antwerp, Belgium by Koss

Why did you choose to go to Antwerp, Belgium?

Because of a longstanding relationship between my university and the university of Antwerp. Especially in my departments

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

My particular case is 3 months and a scholarship of 1200 euro for it. This is enough to survive for 3 months, but not enough if you lead a party lifestyle.

What is the student lifestyle like in Antwerp?

Diverse. Like everywhere there's different type of people enjoying different things. There is a small language barrier, since Dutch is the main language used, so if you don't know it, you may not be able to participate fully in conversations with locals.

But since almost everyone speaks French and English, it's easy to get by.

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Would you recommend the city and the University of Antwerp to other students?

Wholeheartedly. Belgium as a whole is such a diverse country. Plus there's lots of opportunities to travel all over Europe.

What is the food like?

Fried... they love bread and fries. But you have good restaurants and shops offer almost everything.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Antwerp?

Not really. It was difficult to find something in accordance to my budget, but everyone was really helpful.

How much does it cost to live in Antwerp?

Student accomodation could be as low as 250€ per month to 450-500€.

Average price is 350€ per month.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

Language courses are available. The language may be easier for Germanic language speakers. But its easy to learn basic phrases.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Antwerp from your city?

Plane to Brussels and then bus to Antwerp.

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Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Antwerp?

Bonaparte karaoke club for goofiness and Plein Public for partying.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Antwerp?

Billy's beer bar. Billy is the owner and he's a dog.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The whole city is full of culture. From medieval to modern. There's hidden places in the centre that are amazing. The guitar bar, the cathedral, Albert's park, where there's a building with graffiti, the house of Rubens.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Antwerp in the future?

Try to save up money to travel a lot. Belgium is ideal for visiting all of Europe. You can be in Germany, Amsterdam, France, London in a short time (2 to 4 hours depending on the transport) and lots of students just share money for gas and go by car.