Erasmus Experience in Bergen, Norway by Maya

Why did you choose to go to Bergen, Norway?

Norway always appealed to me because of its nature. And additionally, their culture is similar to mine, so it wouldn't be too much of a difficulty to settle down.

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

My Erasmus scholarship runs for 6 months. As Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world, I get to maximum amount, 300Euros a month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Bergen?

Bergen is a student city. There are many student-run places that offer "cheap" food/drinks (compared to normal bars/restaurants). Many exchange students live in a student housing a little outside the city (Fantoft) but the public transport is easy to use.

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

Yes and No. Yes to Bergen and Norway in general! It is great, beautiful and once the sun comes out, there is no place like this!

But the University of Bergen is not that great, at least not for my degree (BSc Psychology). Although Bergen is supposed to be really good in psychology, I had hardly any good/useful lectures. Most of the curriculum here is made out of readings. So I have basically stopped going to lectures... Many lecturers have surprisingly many problems with English, although most students are extremely fluent.

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What is the food like?

The food is similar to the UK and Germany. However, prices are a lot higher, especially for meat, fish and dairy products. In general, Norwegians eat more vegetables than British people.

As a vegetarian, it is really hard to find good meat-alternatives. Tofu is only found in the one health food store Bergen has and its price is ridiculous.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Bergen?

Not at all. The student organisation (SIB) offers student accommodation throughout the city. But exchange students mostly get put into Fantoft (or Alrek), even if they hadn't put it down as a choice. This is quite sad, as there is hardly any Norwegians here in Fantoft.

How much does it cost to live in Bergen?

I pay 3150NOK a month. That is approx. 340 euros or 270£. But as Fantoft is quite outside the city centre, you need to add a travelcard (2500NOK).

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

As a native German, Norwegian isn't too hard to understand. Naturally the reading is a lot easier to understand than the actual conversations. The university offered different levels of Norwegian courses.

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

By plane!

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

I like the student-run places, where you don't have to pay entry. So my friends and I go to Lille a lot, but it tends to get crowded on the weekend. We also like BrukBar a lot. Tidi is another student place, but it attracts a very young audience, which is sometimes a little annoying. For beers we go to Kaos or the Kvartere.

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

Restaurants are ridiculously expensive here. The only place I have been is "Cafe Spesial" and the Kvartere. Both places are affordable.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Bryggen is usually said to be a "must-do". Other than that, I liked the KODE museum, which is free for students on Thursdays. However, Norwegians like the outdoors a lot, so they tend to hike up mountains rather than going to museums.

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

Bergen/Norway is more expensive than I expected it. And I expected it to be bad. I spend around 1100Euros a month and that is normal. I would recommend saving up for traveling around Norway (so worth it! ). And enjoy the outdoors, if its snowy or sunny, rainy or windy, Norway is beautiful whenever.