Erasmus Experience in Budapest, Hungary, by Laurie

Why did you choose to go to Budapest, Hungary?

I chose to go to Budapest because I had heard the previous Erasmus experiences and because I went there for 1 week on vacation, I liked it very much.

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How long is your stay? What is the amount of aid you receive?

I stayed for 10 months. I received 1500€ from the CROUS (scholarship from my department) 1500€ from Erasmus and 1600€ from mobility aid (exchange in my city).

How is the student atmosphere in Budapest?

Great, couldn't be better, lots of parties, festivals, events, people are open and there are students from all over the world.

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

Of course, I would recommend this city to everyone!

My university (Budapest Business School) is good for some courses... but I think some teachers are not very serious as well as many students.

How is food in this country?

Lots of fast food, but also a lot of very good restaurants. And it's not expensive! The goulash soup (typical of the country) is very good, as well as Paprika chicken.

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Have you had difficulty finding accommodation in Budapest?

No, I got a flat from a former Erasmus students who lives in the same city as me in France, but I think it is very easy to find accommodation here thanks to Facebook groups and real estate agencies.

What is the cost of living in Budapest?

For food it's the same as in France, a little bit cheaper maybe. But for the rest, evenings, restaurants, bars, activities, telephone, pass transport, everything is much cheaper!

How is learning the language? Have you been to language courses organized by the university?

All my courses are in English, this allowed me to improve. I also have 3 hours of Hungarian classes a week, this is an option I chose because I find it interesting to know the basics of the country where I live.

What is the most economical way to get to Budapest from your city?

The plane, it's a 2h drive from my city (Le Havre) to Paris Beauvais & then 2h by plane from Paris Beauvais to Budapest!

What places would you recommend to party in Budapest?

Otkert, Hello Baby, Doboz, BOB, Morisson 1, Szimpla, Kuplung...

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And to eat in Budapest? What are your favorite places?

Paprika Vendeglo, Rustico, Drum café, school canteens, Tom George...

And what cultural visits do you recommend?

The Parliament, National Museum, Basilica, Citadella, Fishermen's bastion, Szechenyi baths...

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Advice for future students in Budapest?

Do not exchange money at the airport these are very bad exchange rates, you should go to GOLD CHANGE, there are several in the city center and they often have the best rate. If you want to withdraw euros, you have to go to the OTP bank of Deak it is the only one that owns a distributor of euros, then you can exchange these euros in a bureau de change, this way you won't lose that much money. Because if you withdraw directly from the distributors of the forints, they also have a not very high rate ...