Erasmus Experience in Brussels, Belgium by Sara

Why did you choose to go to Brussels, Belgium?

Because I had contact with researchers in ULB.

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

3 months. 350€ per month for 2 months (which is basically nothing).

What is the student lifestyle like in Brussels?

I didn't experience much of it because I was doing an Erasmus + (post-master) internship, my friends are older and I'm not very into college parties. However, it seemed quite cool.

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

Yes, I would.

What is the food like?

I am a vegetarian, so I cannot talk about the traditional food but there are a lot of different options. Eating in restaurants is, in general, expensive, but there are always cheap alternatives.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Brussels?

More or less, because I would only stay for 3 months (usually owners ask for a minimum stay of 6 months) and I didn't have a lot of money.

How much does it cost to live in Brussels?

Renting is very expensive and transportation is also not cheap I must say. It's in the medium-high range.

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

Yes, there are language courses and most people speak English. It really depends on the background of the person. For speakers of a Latin language (such as myself) French is not difficult to learn. I suppose that for other nationalities it can be harder.

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

By plane.

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

It really depends on your tastes and actually Brussels has a lot to offer. But I would definitely recommend Celtica for cheap pints, Delirium Cafe to try different types of beer and Boonefooi for having a beer and dancing a little.

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

Perroquet, Peck, Houtsiplou.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

You can easily find it on any website. There are various cathedrals, museums (Magritte, Comic Strip, Fine Arts, etc. ), but you may also visit the following places:

Grand Place

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Cinquantenaire

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Porte de Hal

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And in Laeken neighbourhood:

Atomium

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Royal Castle

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Chinese Building

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Japanese Tower

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It is also very cheap to visit cities such as Gent and Bruges if you are under 26 years.

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

Keep in mind that taxis are really expensive.