Erasmus Experience in Brussels, Belgium by Sofia

Why did you choose to go to Brussels, Belgium?

Because I know how to speak French but I didn't want to go to France. Also, I have friends in Brussels and I thought that studying in the European capital would be a great thing to put in my curriculum!

Furthermore, it's in the middle of Europe so you are actually one hour away from several coutries you can visit!

Source

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

My scholarship was 3 months and I received 750€ for the whole Erasmus period. It wasn't nearly enough, I couldn't even pay my rent with that amount.

What is the student lifestyle like in Brussels?

It's crazy! There are parties almost every day and people are really friendly and helpful, especially students.

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

Yes, I was actually doing my master thesis in the lab here and everyone was just amazing and helpful all the time.

What is the food like?

Well, I wouldn't consider the typical food around here the "healthiest". As you can imagine they eat a lot of chocolate, waffles, fries, meat and of course drink a lot of beer. But if you're not on a diet, it's the best place to go!

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Brussels?

There are many places available but you have to search a lot to find cheap ones.

How much does it cost to live in Brussels?

For a month, I paid 385€ for the house rent (shared apartment with 2 students not in the city center) plus 250€ more or less for food, transportations, gifts, and other extras.

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

Here they speak both Dutch and French. But 90% of people can also speak English. I was lucky enough to know french already so I could easily communicate with the locals.

Nonetheless, there are a lot of language course available if one wishes to learn the native languages!

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

From Lisbon, the cheapest is definitely by plane.

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

There are so many bars... Delirium, Bar des Amis, Monk, Moeder Lambic, Mezzo, Celtica (for cheap beers) and the list goes on.

For clubs, there is Spirito, bazaar and more!

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

Any truck that sells waffles or fries is a good deal! And there are many of them all around town. If you want to try typical food go to Fin de Siècle or Le vieux Bruxelles.

The famous Maison Antoine for the best fries and Maison Dandoy for the best waffles!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Atomium, Cinquantenaire, parc de Laeken, place de Sainte Catherine, Grand Sablon...