Erasmus Experience in Baku, Azerbaijan by Mahyar

Why did you choose to go to Baku, Azerbaijan?

It's a great country to study in.the safety is good enough to live alone also the cost of living is reasonable and the city has good features for foreign students.azari people are kind and you usually can trust them.the city is pretty calm and you can be sure that you are in free.generally the country is developing in different fields such as tourism, education, political situations and so on.

What is the student lifestyle like in Baku?

I can say that you have all features that a student needs.
You can find calm libraries to study in.also if you wanna learn new languages cheaply and easily, you'll be able to find good teachers in different languages such as Russian, German, English, French and so on.
You can be sure about the place that you wanna stay in.if you want to stay in dormitory you can find private and state dormitories with suitable price.these dormitories provide Food, gym, sports stadium, library, security, heating, cooling and sanitation facilities.
Also if you want to stay in your own house you always can find buildings that are clean and new buildings.
Communication with landlords isn't that though.cause this city is approximately full of foreign students so landlords know how to communicate with them.
there are some other options too such as hostels near the university which you are studying in.
Buying your requirements can be done easily because the majority of streets in Baku have large and occupied shopping stores.You can also buy in installments and pay small amount per month.
About the transportation,baku has full facilities in this field.you can choose between subway, telephone taxis, internet taxis,bus and so on.they all are fast and cheap.but if you want to use subway or bus you have to buy baki cards to pay through them.
Also if you want to travel to other countries you can go by bus and train to countries that are near Baku and by airplane to all countries.(wether it's far or near).

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

Yes :)
Universities of Baku are developing and yearly the teaching system of them is getting better.also it's cheaper than other universities that have equal features.
One of the most important points about azarbaijan's universities is that the degree and diploma of them is recognised and admitted in the majority of international universities so you can apply for other universities easily.

What is the food like?

You can have both traditional and foreign foods.
There are many restaurants and fast foods in all parts of Baku that you can buy food.
The price of food depends.
Eating in tourist places is a little bit expensive but generally the prices are reasonable.
Also if you don't want to eat out you can buy the ingredients and cook at home.most of ingredients can be found in stores.
There are other restaurants that have "take away" feature too.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Baku?

Yes.
If you are strange in Baku there are some guys who can find house for you.after concluding the contract you should pay to them but it doesn't cost that much.
Sometimes you can talk to the landlord directly so it's not necessary to employ someone else to find house for you.also there are some websites such tapAz that you can see a huge collection of houses and choose one of them.

How much does it cost to live in Baku?

It depends.
Generally it consts 400-500 dollar per month.
If you live in dormitory or use public transport that can be cheaper.

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

Yes.there are several language courses in universities.
Like azarbaijani, Russian' German and English.
If you take azari course at the end of it you will be able to speak in azari.the teachers teach in English or Russian and they are kind and patient and do their best for you to teach azari.

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

Commonly there are several places that you can go at night but 3 of them are more interesting and enjoyable.
The old city of Baku is pretty beautiful.you can see old buildings and traditional shopping stores or restaurants or take several photos.
The second one is sahil.the weather is really good and you can walk along the beach and enjoy.also it's safe enough and there are protective fences so you can walk comfortably.there is a huge chess screen that many people come at night and play together there.also if you like cactus you can see small cactus gardens near Sahil.
Finding food, coffee,tea etc is easy in Sahil cause in front of the Sahil many coffee shops,fast food and restaurants can be seen.
The third place is tarqove.it's a big region that is full of restaurant, shopping centers and coffeeshops.it is so beautiful in Christmas cause there are many interesting entertainments such as robotics playing and so on.

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

Baku is the city of foods.
The best restaurants are located in tarqove region but if you don't want to pay much you can try other restaurants in city.
Such as azari,Persian,Arabic,Indian, Chinese and other types of restaurants

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Baku has different historacal centers and museums.
The most famous one is old city.
Also you can go to heydar alieve museum.it is full of old and new painting from azarbaijan and other nations.
Also there are beautiful historacal cities around Baku that can be good for traveling and visiting.
If you are a serious fan of books you can go to heydar alieve library and buy your favourite book.
Also if you like movies you can try cinemas too.and if you don't know azari well you can watch them with English subtitle.