Experience Erasmus in Budapest, Hungary with Alice

Why did you choose to go to Budapest, Hungary?

I chose to go to Budapest because of agreements between the BME and my school in France that allowed me to take the courses that I wanted.

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How long was your stay? How much aid did you receive?

I stayed for 6 months (February to June). I received 230€ of aid per month thanks to an Erasmus scholarship.

How was the student culture/ ambiance in Budapest?

There were a lot of foreign students in Budapest, so there was something for everybody! The low cost of living allows (a lot of) partying, but also the ability to travel across Europe.

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

Yes.

How was the food in the country?

It's very easy to eat poorly: there are cheap pizzas and kebabs everywhere. I found Hungarian food to be very spicy (they are very proud of their paprika). A thing that I miss: there are practically no preserves in the supermarket (which forces you to cook! ).

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Did you have trouble finding housing in Budapest?

I used the agency SRS to secure lodging in advance. I do not recommend them: they are dishonest, the apartment was in a bad state, no one would respond to my e-mails, they are expensive compared to market prices (300€ all bills included in the center of Budapest)... it's a SCAM! It's very easy to find housing on the spot, thanks to Facebook, and you can avoid bad surprises...

What is the cost of living in Budapest?

300€ for housing + 170€-190€ to live comfortably.

What was your experience learning the language? Did you have a course organized by the university?

I did not learn Hungarian (it's very different from other European languages and very difficult) but one has the possibility.

What's the cheapest way to travel to Budapest from your city?

By plane.

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What places do you recommend for partying in Budapest?

There are plenty of bars. I recommend going to the A38 boat that is a concert hall/ bar/ nightclub that specializes in indie-rock and is frequented by locals.

Can you give advice for future students going to Budapest?

Go there! (but do not use SRS)