Erasmus Experience in Cluj-Napoca, Romania - by Richard

Why did you choose to go to Cluj-Napoca, Romania?

One of the most beautiful part of Europe is Transylvania. Lots of different cultures in one single place: the Romanian, the Hungarian, the German... As well as lots of different religions which have been there for the last few centuries... Amazing nature, beautiful mountains, little villages.

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

I went four weeks in advance because I got EILC (an intensive language course), and after the semester I stayed there for an additional month for holiday and summer courses, so I have been there for 7 months. I got 300€ for the language course and 2000€ for the whole semester.

What is the student lifestyle like in Cluj-Napoca?

It depends on the University, usually at the Babes-Bolyai students had more free time and easy exams, while at the Technical University you need to study more, especially for the Architectural Faculty.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Cluj-Napoca to other students?

I studied at the Technical University, at the Architectural Faculty; the lectures were in Romanian (usually French, Spanish and Italian students can understand a lot, and after the language course even more), but the personal consultation can be in English, French or Hungarian, depending on the teachers.

What is the food like?

The food is really good in restaurants: they offer traditional Romanian and traditional Hungarian. In shops the vegetables and cheese are not so cheap and good, it's better to go to the market. But you can buy other stuff in Kaufland, Auchan, Profi, Lidl.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Cluj-Napoca?

As I took a 4 weeks language course, I got a dormitory for that time. I had four weeks to look for it. I tried with my 2 friends from the language course an agency, it costed 180€, but in the winter time it was the best option, probably in September/October it's easier and cheaper to find a flat. There are around 100. 000 students in Cluj, so pretty lots of people looking for a flat.

How much does it cost to live in Cluj-Napoca?

It depends on the University, if you study at the Babes-Bolyai you can get a dormitory for 40€ per month, if not then it can cost around 120-150€, it depends on the room and on the flat. So all together with some travel costs around 400-500€ a month.

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

The language basically is not so difficult if you speak Italian, French or Spanish. The words and the pronunciation are easy, but grammar is a bit difficult. I recommend the EILC course of the Babes-Bolyai or the language course of the University. As far as I know the Babes-Bolyai and the Technical University have language courses.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Cluj-Napoca from your city?

To me the easiest way was by train from Budapest, there are 4 trains each day, but there is also a bus from Budapest airport, it costs around 20 euros, and it takes around 7 hours.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Cluj-Napoca?

There's really plenty of pubs and clubs, discover them all.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Cluj-Napoca?

Agape in the Strada Juliu Maniu is a kind of cheap place, canteen style, local food.

The Bulgakov is also a nice place, but a bit more expensive. For pizza I would suggest PizzaDeville. There are lots of good places worth visiting them. Try every time a new place.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

In Cluj you can visit lots of nice churches, almost every week there is something in the city center: exhibitions, concerts, festivals. On Facebook you can find some groups where you can get information about the upcoming events.

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

Enjoy your time there and travel a lot in Transylvania!

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