Erasmus Experience in Freiburg, Germany by Moisés

Why did you choose to go to Freiburg, Germany?

I chose Freiburg because of a recommendation from a good friend of mine, who was there for Erasmus the previous year. I was sure that I wanted to go to Germany and when I started to look for information about Freiburg I fell in love with the place a little more every time I saw it. It was a paradise for any student, a wealth of culture, a good university, a multicultural atmosphere, in the middle of the Black Forest and with a great climate and the highest sunshine hours in the whole of Germany.

Freiburg Cathedral

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How long was your scholarship? How much money did you receive to help you out?

My scholarship lasted 9 months, and I stayed for 10, I had no choice but to continue studying in Spain, but the experience was so wonderful that I wanted to stay there longer. Freiburg is a paradise for anyone, the beauty of the landscape, the people, the university atmosphere and the quality of life make it a great choice.

The city of Freiburg

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What is the student life like in Freiburg?

It's absolutely fantastic, it's an excellent student town, not only because of the university, but also as an Erasmus destination, as it receives many exchange students from all continents. The multicultural wealth of Freiburg is really super for any young person who wants to experience the Erasmus lifestyle.

Freiburg is a university city

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

I would fully recommend it, ideally it's good to know some basic German in order to understand people there, although everyone speaks English and you will find a lot of classes taught in English, although it is obvious that the German-taught classes are far more varied. In any case, you will have to conquer your fears about the language and by combining English and French you will learn a lot.

A street in Freiburg

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What is the country's food like?

It is quite different from that of Spain, you will discover fruits and vegetables that you never knew existed, so much that even the name does not have a Spanish translation because they do not exist here. It is also a city where ecology is a way of life, foods are natural and very varied.

Food in Freiburg is very varied

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How is finding acommodation in Freiburg?

Studentenwerk is the name of the university's accommodation office, and they are always really helpful. In my case I secured a residence with great students, with a really great multicultural atmosphere and surrounded by nature. It is undoubtedly the best option, situated right by the university with other students.

The University of Freiburg

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What is the cost of living like in Freiburg?

Not expensive, it's cheaper than a lot of Spanish cities. In my case, the student residence cost roughly 215 euros a month. In total I spent about 500 euros including a lot of travelling, as I was in the center of Europe so it would a crime not to take advantage of this and travel to the surrounding countries. Those who prefer to just stay in Freiburg will spend far less money.

Freiburg by night

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What is the language like? Did your university offer a language course?

The language school offers courses, in a wide range of languages. They are very dynamic courses where you learn a lot. You take a test at the beginning to assess you level and are assigned your group. In my case I took courses in German and English, but there was a lot more on offer if you wanted to study other languages. Of course, I highly recommended it.

What is the cheapest way of getting to Freiburg from your city?

The best way is to get to Basel Airport (Switzerland), from there there is a bus that drops you off at the Freiburg train station. From my city the cheapest option and the best combination was with EasyJet, sometimes I flew directly from Málaga, but the great majority were via Madrid, flying from Jerez to Madrid with Iberia and from Madrid to Basel with Easyjet.

It's quite easy to get to Freiburg

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What places would you recommend for a night out in Freiburg?

There are a lot of places, in Freiburg there was a party in one of the bars, Mondays Waldsee, Tuesday Mudom bar, etc, Tacheles, Kamikaze, Karma, White Rabbit... every night theres a different party in a different venue.

What about eating out in Freiburg? What are your favourite places?

In the centre there are a lot of different places to eat, food from every country, the Turkish restaurant next to the university in Bertoldsbrunnen is especially memorable. Everyone ate in the 'Mensa', which is the university canteen, paying with the university card that you had to top up with money on machines before entering, and then directly take the card inside. There is a lot of food variety.

A café in Freiburg

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What about for a cultural visit?

• Go up to Scholossberg, from the top of the mountains you can get the best view of Freiburg
• The market on the cathedral square
• The riverside
• Martinstor
• Schwabentor
• The old gates of the city
• The Black Forest
• Titisee lake
• Other surrounding cities such as Stuttgart, Heidelberg or Karlsruhe

Heidelberg is a city near to Freiburg

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Lake Titisee is close by to Freiburg

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The black forest

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The market on the cathedral square

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Do not hesitate to choose this city, as it has a great university atmosphere, a really good climate with lots of sunny days, not nearly as cold as the German stereotype that exists. It has very good connections with other Central European countries, the people are very friendly and everyone tries to help you. It is also one of the oldest universities in Germany so has more prestige. Undoubtedly, you will not be mistaken to choose Freiburg.

For anything else you need I am available to help you.