Laura's Erasmus Experience in Bath, United Kingdom

Why did you choose to go to Bath, United Kingdom?

I wanted to go to England to improve my level of English, and I chose Bath because my university only had two exchange agreements in England - London and Bath. London seemed like too big of a city for me for an Erasmus exchange, and of the people who studied here in Bath, they spoke very highly of it.

How long does your grant last for? How much money do you receive as financial support?

Before, I think the grant rate was slightly higher, but now, it has a duration of 5 months and they give you 400€ a month. The bad thing was, well at least in my case, that they gave me almost all of the money as I was coming home to Spain.

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What is student life like in Bath?

Bath is 100% a university city. It has two relatively big universities, so you see young people everywhere when you are out and about.

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

Yes, I would recommend it. I think Bath is the perfect place to do an Erasmus exchange because it's a very small city, so you can get everywhere on foot, and almost the entire population of the city is made up of young people. The university that I am at, the University of Bath, is great! It's enormous and has absolutely everything: a gym, bars, cafés, supermarkets, etc. In addition to this, during the first week of the semester, they give you a huge range of options for sports clubs/societies/activities that you can sign up to if you want.

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What is the food like in the UK?

The food is the worst thing about the UK. I really don't like English food, and, besides, they only eat pre-cooked food and every kind of horrible sandwich available. So, if you have time, learn to cook!

Was it difficult for you to find accommodation in Bath?

For me, personally, it wasn't difficult because the university gave me a place in one of their student residences, but people do say that it is quite difficult. Although, I now want to move into a house and it's not seeming to be too complicated as there are quite a few houses available to rent. Anyway, they say that the best website to use for looking for houses here is SpareRoom.

How much does it cost to live in Bath?

Bath is quite an expensive place to live; in fact, I think it is the second or third most expensive city in England. You really notice just how much it is with the exchange rate from Euros to Pounds. Anyway, they have discounts if you are a student in some shops or at the cinema. Entrance to nightclubs costs around £3, and there are some really cheap supermarkets (Iceland, for example) in the city centre. Accommodation costs anywhere in the region of £400 and £600 a month.

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What is the language like? Did you go to any language classes at the university?

The language is okay... besides, us Spaniards always just end up sticking together. I think I speak more Spanish here than English.

The university allows you to sign up to free English classes throughout the academic year, and there are also classes that enable you to gain either 'First', 'Advanced', or 'Proficient' level certification. You can also just take these classes for one semester if you want.

What is the cheapest way of getting to Bath from your city?

From Madrid, the cheapest way of getting to Bath, if you book it far enough in advance, is flying to Bristol (because it is a small airport, some days see the prices rise substantially).

From Bristol to Bath, you can take a train (which only takes 10 minutes) or a bus (which takes half an hour). And if you choose not to fly to Bristol, go to London instead and then take a train or bus to Bath from there.

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Which places do you recommend for nightlife in Bath?

I recommend going to Second Bridge, Zero Zero, Komedia, Opa, and XL, just to name a few. The best days for going out are Mondays (although that sounds really strange) and Fridays.

On Mondays, you have to go to Second Bridge nightclub, or for the people who don't want to go 'out out', go to Molloys - it's a bar that has super cheap drinks on Mondays, so it's always full of people. On Wednesdays, there is a Spanish night at Opa, so the music is great for us, especially considering that I don't really like the music that they play here anyway. On Fridays, anything is good, but I personally like going to Second Bridge the most. And, at the university, there is happy hour on Friday afternoons, where the drinks are also really cheap so it's always really busy!

And eating out in Bath? Can you mention your favourite places?

I haven't really eaten out much since coming here, so I can't really say that much about this... But, Nandos is really good, Las Iguanas is a great Mexican place, Bath Sushi is great for those who like sushi, and The Real Italian Pizza is also really good.

And another Italian restaurant, Rustico Bistro, make an amazing lasagna.

And most importantly, there is a McDonalds that is open 24 hours a day, which is key when you have a hangover on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

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And cultural hotspots?

Bath is a really beautiful city, and it's considered to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city centre is really cool, and with it being quite small, you can see almost everything in one day: the Abbey, the Roman Baths, the circus, and Jane Austen's house.

Is there any advice that you want to give to future students in Bath?

The advice that I am going to give you is that, due to the Brits tending to go out much earlier, you have to be in the nightclubs at 10pm because it's impossible to get in otherwise, so try to change your 'Spanish' mindset towards this as soon as possible because we ended up not getting in to places more than once during the first few weeks...

Bring lots of warm clothes because it's extremely cold during the winter, learn to cook, and try to sort out your classes to be later than 9am (you can usually choose) because trying to catch the bus at 8am is the worst time of day. The buses fill up so quickly that they then do not stop further along their routes, which means you'll never get to university. And if you can, sign up to the English classes that the university organises because they are free and they prepare you really well for the Cambridge English exams.

Look for housing earlier rather than later (just in case) and you will have the best time!