Erasmus Experience in Brno, Czech Republic by Maxime

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Why did you choose to go to Brno, Czech Republic?

Firstly, I wanted to discover an Eastern European country because I had never been to. Secondly, I chose it because of limitations concerning money: the cost of life in Czech Republic is lower than in my home country, which allowed me to travel across Eastern Europe.

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

I received from agreements of my region in my home country an amount of 500€ less or more. Moreover, I'll receive an additional part of 200€.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Brno?

The student lifestyle in Brno is really relaxed. You don't have many courses, so you can enjoy traditional Czech beers, hang out with friends, do all kind of sports or activities etc...

The cheap costs of transports allow you to travel and visit countries around Czech Republic and even more far.

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

Well, I will recommend the city only if you're going in an Erasmus context. Because you don't have so many things to do in Brno finally that's why it is better to be surrounded by other erasmus students. For the university case, I won't recommend it because to be honest I found the Academic level quite low, next to the one I use to have in my home country. Sometimes the English speaking level of some teachers wasn't that understandable.

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What is the food like?

The food is like quite healthy. Czech Republic is a country supporting the environment and the local production so that you can find some fresh & good home-made products. Fruits & vegetables in supermarkets are of course better when the summer is coming. One thing that I appreciated a lot living in Brno was the food delivery service that offer some companies in CZ, you have plenty of choice.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Brno?

No, accomodation was really cheap in Brno, even much cheaper when living in dormitories, which is a must when you're on erasmus experience.

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How much does it cost to live in Brno?

Not that much. Brno won't cost you a lot to live in peacefully and without making too many concessions. Because Brno is quite cheap in term of cost of life, You can easily allow yourself to visit a city/country 1 week end out of 2 minimum, or also make some activities like lasergame, karting, indoor soccer, paintball etc...

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

The Czech language is quite hard to understand and also to speak when you speak a latin language. But there are some Czech courses that you can follow like I did to learn the basis and being able to speak in situations of everyday life.

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

From Lyon (FRANCE), the easiest way to go to Brno is to take a low-cost plane from Lyon to Prague, and then take a Student Agency bus from Prague to Brno. It is better to take the bus from Prague to Brno because it is more convenient and comfortable if you have too much luggage than the train. Besides, going by bus from Prague to Brno takes the same time than if you went by train.

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

On a night out in Brno, you must go to the 2 FACES CLUB simply because it is the biggest and the most famous one, where usually every student is hanging out. Also if you appreciate elctronical music you can go to the Vibe Club or to the Exit club where you'll find some electro/house/deep/techno music. For the before, you must go to the Charlie's bar which is a typical Czech one in underground.

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

For eating I'll recommend the PEGAS restaurant where you'll find some traditional czech food and also traditional czech beer, the restaurant owns its own brewed beer, so you can admire in there the tank of beers.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

You can visit the castle on the top of the hill, but then it is better to take transport to move away from Brno. You have a beautiful lake 20 minutes away from Brno in tram, where you can enjoy the sun, chill with friends playing soccer or beach volley next to the water.

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

Well, I have a strong advice to give. If you're open minded, just don't be surprised by the fact that Czech people don't like that much strangers, you're not welcome and you could face sometimes some acts of racism, like I faced with a Morroccan friend and it finished in a fight with local people. Nationalism & extremism are really present in Czech Republic, unfortunately.