Erasmus Experience in Belfast, United Kingdom by Victor

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

I chose Belfast because it is one of the cheapest cities in the United Kingdom, and I was also interested in its history.

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How long did the scholarship last? How much money did you receive to help you with living costs?

It lasts for 9 months and you receive the grant for more or less 7 of those, with the amount of roughly 300 euros per month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Belfast?

It's really good, the city is full of students, Queens University is very international and you get to know people from all over the world.

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

Yes, provided that you can put up with the almost constant rain or the bad weather.

What is the food like?

Generally the food is quite different although you can eat any kind of food in cheap restaurants, I don't like food from Belfast or typical Irish food. In the supermarkets sometimes it is difficult to find specific ingredients that we have in Spain, such as plain tomato sauce, as there are only pre-prepared pasta sauces.

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Was it difficult to find your accommodation in Belfast?

No, I joined up to the accommodation system run by the university, it was honestly all really easy, you pay when the first term starts and from the first day I had my room.

How much does it cost to live in Belfast?

It costs between £70 weekly to £110 including accommodation. Otherwise, this is all very normal, and it is quite cheap considering the average price of living in the UK.

Is the language easy to get to grips with?

Are there language courses available at the University?

The truth is that I'm doing a good job with the language, although it's true that the Belfast accent is very thick and it's hard to understand it sometimes. The university has really cheap courses that you can attend, starting from almost the first week.

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

You can't fly to Belfast from Madrid, they only have regular planes from Spain to Alicante and Girona. This was a problem because I had to decide on a way to get there. Finally, I flew to Dublin and from Dublin, we went by car to Belfast.

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

I would recommend going to Speakeasy to grab a beer and play pool, Laverys to watch the football or even kick the night off there. And clubs like Limelight or Ollie's are my favourites. Saying that, you have to go there early because this is not Spain.

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Is it good to eat out in Belfast? Can you recommend some good restaurants?

My favourite places are Villa Italia and Maggie Mays, each one in their speciality.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Go to West Belfast to see the murals and the recent history of the city, and don't hesitate to visit the Titanic Belfast attraction, because this is one of the most interesting things to see.

What advice would you give future students heading to Belfast?

You will discover thousands of interesting things, Belfast is a small city but there are so many things to discover, so come here with curiosity... and with umbrellas because it rains a lot.