Erasmus Experience in Brussels, Belgium, by Nhan

Why did you choose to go to Brussels, Belgium?

Actually i didn't really choose Brussels. It depends pretty much on the internship opportunities that i can find.

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

I got the scholarship for a year, i received on average around 450 euros per month to cover the living cost.

What is the student lifestyle like in Brussels?

I went here for a traineeship so i couldn't tell much about student life in Brussels, i was hanging out with others trainees and the lifestyle of a trainee is pretty much about work. You go to work everyday from 8 am or 9am until 6 pm or sometimes 7 pm. Some people prefer to hangout afterwork everyday to have a drink, eat out and go back to their home just to sleep. I prefer to go back home to relax and spend time with some of my roommates.

In Brussels, thursday night usually is the night to have a drink after work in Place de Luxembourg or Flaggy...

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

I would recommend the city to other students as it is a really interesting from the international point of view. This is the place where you can meet people from around Europe and discover their cultures if you like.

I did not go to university here so i cannot tell anything about it.

What is the food like?

Belgian likes fried stuffs, so the fries is definitely worth to try. You probably heard a lot about belgian chocolate, that is true as well, it is really delicious together with waffle and beers. Take time to taste all the beers here, gonna take a while.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Brussels?

I was lucky to find the accommodation through friends but there are many Facebook groups to help students so i don't think you need to use agency for that.

How much does it cost to live in Brussels?

I would say around 700 euros per month is ok to live if you don't go out too much and you manage to find student accommodation with good price.

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

Again, i cannot comment on this.

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

Only by plane cause my university is in Oulu Finland.

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

I couldn't answer this one cause i always be back home before the metro stops working, and the last metros are at midnight. But there are night bus if you want to hang out a bit later.

I think it depends on the area that you want to hang out.

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

I couldn't recall the name, but in the city center there are many places offer good food with reasonable price.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

From Brussels, it is really easy to travel to other city like Gent, Grugge or Antwerp.

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

Be open-minded and be prepared.