Erasmus experience in Frankfurt, Germany by Jeanne

Why did you choose Frankfurt, Germany?

I chose to go to Germany because German is my second language, and I wanted to improve my level. Also, I have already been to Frankfurt during an exchange and I liked it a lot.

How long was your stay? How much grant did you receive whilst you were there?

I was there for 11 months. I arrived on the 1st September and I left at the end of July. I got 400€ a month as a mobility grant, and I got 300€ a month from CROUS. In all, I got 700€ a month, which was more than enough to live comfortably. However, you have to be careful because in some regions, you don't get paid until the middle of the year, or even at the end. So you have to have your own money as a back up.

What is the student life like in Frankfurt?

Frankfurt is quite a young city and very cosmopolitan with a tonne of international students. It is a very nice place to live. Students get quite a few advantages and discounts. For example, if you go to Goethe University, you get free transport across the whole Hessen region (bus, trams, metro, trains... ).

International students generally get on fine in the city and Germans are very welcoming.

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

Yes! I have only had 2 months of lessons but the university is really good. My campus (Westend) is really nice, spacious and well equipped. There are lots of cafes that serve all sorts of food and drink, although it is quite expensive. There are a few libraries but the one that I go to in particularly good: big, spacious tables, each with its own socket and lots of books and journals available in numerous languages. The university system is very different to the one in France, they focus more on the relationship between professors and students here. Most classes consist of a student presenting a topic, followed by a discussion amongst the students and the professors. Every week, we are given texts to read that are discussed the following week. It is a lot of work, especially if the texts are in foreign languages and often, are very long (from 10 to 30 pages long). But despite this, I like studying here and I would definitely recommend it.

As for the city, I also really like it. It is well connected. The public transport is very expensive but with a student card (the Goethe card), it is free and unlimited everywhere in the region. The architecture is quite special: it is a mix of relatively traditional buildings with an extraordinary, modern sky line. There is always a good atmosphere in the street and the Germans are always ready to help no matter what.

What is the food like there?

Sausage, sausage, sausage and beer!

Actually, the food isn't that different to French food that you see in the grocery shops and supermarkets. I still really haven't had the opportunity to eat many specialities but the ones I have tried have been really good: Bratwurst, currywurst, schnitzel, you gotta love meat! During the week, there are markets in the city centre where it is possible to try all the different specialities. At the moment, the Christmas markets are on and so there are loads of Christmas delicacies to try.

Did you struggle finding accommodation in Frankfurt?

Personally, I didn't have any difficulties. I just had to fill out a sheet for my faculty in France, and they took care of arranging the accommodation with the university in Frankfurt. I was assigned a room very quickly. However, I was very lucky and a lot of students weren't so much. You have to do it really far in advance. Some students still didn't have accommodation after a month or two. Or, some people could only get contracts for 1/2 months. If you look a lot then you will find somewhere, still it is difficult, and it is very expensive.

How much does it cost to live in Frankfurt?

Frankfurt is the second most expensive city in Germany after Munich. However, you do not really notice it in day to day life. In fact, some products are cheaper than they are in France. On the other hand, going out for a drink or some food is expensive (except the beer which is extremely cheap). As far as rent is concerned, I live in a university residence and I only pay 250€ a month. But for apartments, it is ridiculously expensive.

How did you find the language? Did you take any language classes?

The university organises language courses. Firstly, there was a month intensive course in September (actual university classes didn't start until October). All international students were split up depending on their level. You get 20 hours of classes a week, for 4 weeks. I found it quite useful and it is a good way to be thrown in the deep end. We mainly learned vocabulary for every day life and some content on more interesting topics. The problem is that all students are mixed, we don't get to learn specific vocabulary for our course. Still, it is very useful. Also, there are courses that run throughout the year. There are German courses that are more aimed at the methodology or other useful things for university (such as presenting an argument... ). I haven't signed up to them but I believe that they are quite good. You can also get credits for them, so it is definitely worth it.

What is the cheapest way to get from your city to Frankfurt?

I live in Bordeaux and there isn't a direct link. The cheapest is the bus. I took a return joruney with Eurolines but it was 24 hours long (7 of those hours I had to wait in Paris for a connection at 10pm at night). You have to be prepared for the long journey. It costs around 80 euros each way if I remember correctly.

However, the most practical way is getting the train, with a change in Paris. With a 12-25 youth card, it can work out really cheap. Also, there is car share, at least for part of the way.

I don't know how much flights cost.

What places would you recommend to go out in Frankfurt?

The Sachsenhausen quarter is a good place to go at night. It's the neighbourhood full of bars. But Germans don't go out that much, and by 10pm they're pretty much empty. They go out much later. People tend to go out in France on Thursdays, here they go out on Wednesdays. In fact, a lot of students go back to their home-towns on Thursdays, because there are rarely classes on Fridays. Still, in the town centre and in Sachsenhausen, there are lots of clubs (but none I would really recommend at the minute). Quite a lot of flat parties takes place in the student residencies too. Also, Erasmus organisations arrange events at least every week for Erasmus students with reduced entrance and drink prices, which is really fun.

Do you have any advice to future students going to Frankfurt?

I have only been here 3 months. But at the moment, what I can advise, is to choose to stay for a whole year rather than just one semester (too short to learn a language, too frustrating also because you leave to early to acclimatise to the culture and the city etc. ). Secondly, I think you should make a conscious effort to make friends outside of the Erasmus community. There are so many events organised by international students and they're great, you will meet people from all over the world. However, you must be careful because you might not get to meet as many locals and get the chance to practice your language (we mostly spoke in English). I will add more tips when I think of some more!