Erasmus Experience in Budapest, Hungary by Emil

Why did you choose to go to Budapest, Hungary?

Ι chose Budapest because of the quality of the University for my field and for the good reputation this city has for its life.

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

From February till end of June! I received about 350€ per month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Budapest?

A lot of events, parties, bars, alcohol, groups of friends hanging out at their apartments. You will never get bored!

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

Of course! Everyone would love Budapest!

What is the food like?

The Hungarian food is not that great. It is quite fatty and the quality is quite poor, but you can get a lot of international food as well. But I recommend cooking home for yourself.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Budapest?

The rents in Budapest are very cheap compared to other countries, but for Erasmus students they make you pay much more, so I suggest you find your accomodation via Hungarian sites and pages with prices for Hungarian people.

How much does it cost to live in Budapest?

It depends your lifestyle. Everything is quite cheap in Budapest but that's the problem, you don't realise when you overdo it with spending money. It doesn't cost much if you're careful with what you spend.

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

No, the Hungarian language is very hard to learn, and a lot of Hungarians don't speak English that good. My University offered a Hungarian course and I took it, but once per week is not enough to master the Hungarian language and be able to speak it or understand it.

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

By plane.

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

Difficult! There are a lot of options! In my opinion, the best bar is Szimpla, the ruin pub, but if you want to go dancing you should go to an event in the Akvárium, or Corvin club, or Instant, depending on your kind of music.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Gellert Hill, with the best view in Budapest, the Castle, the Parliament, the Basilica and also a bit farther from Budapest the Elisabeth Lookout, a tower in the forest with a great view. But just walking along the Danube in the twilight is wonderful.

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

Communicate, meet new people, share stories, learn some of their languages, don't piss off the Hungarians they don't seem to like foreigners. And in the beginning never say no to going out, whatever that is, that's the best way to socialise! Be open to everything, experiment, and just try to have a lot of fun!