Erasmus Experience in Birmingham, United Kingdom by Marta

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

Because I wanted to stay in an English speaking city.

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

I received about 300 euros from my Erasmus grant and some more help from my family.

What is the student lifestyle like in Birmingham?

I used to live in Selly Oak, which is a neighbourhood in which most students live so there were quite a lot of things to do.

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

I really liked the University of Birmingham. Teachers and staff in general are very helpful and i learned a lot.

The city might not be the most beautiful in England but it is a quite important one so there is a lot of things to do. It is greatly communicated with other cities within the UK and with the rest of the world because the airport is quite close to the city.

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What is the food like?

Mostly typical British food but there are also lots of Indian, Italian and Chinese restaurants and the prices are good.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Birmingham?

No, there are plenty of houses for rental near the university. I strongly recommend you to look for the accommodation once you have arrived and not on the internet (you will only have to stay at a hotel for one or two nights).

How much does it cost to live in Birmingham?

I paid 180 pounds for a big room plus water, electricity and internet.

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

The University offers free courses to Erasmus. The accent may result a little bit difficult to understand at the beginning.

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

By plane. There are several companies to Birmingham from Alicante and Murcia.

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

In Selly Oak I really liked Bristol Pear and a nearby one whose name I can remember. In the city centre I liked Gatecrusher.

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

Nearby the university there was a place calles The Goose which offers good food and in the city centre there are plenty of places to visit.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

In the 02 arena there are good concerts.

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

You should take advantage of the good railway, bus and plane communications to visit other parts of the Uk and Ireland. And go to the welcome activities because they tell you very interesting information.