Erasmus Experience in Groningen, Netherlands by Inês

Why did you choose to go to Groningen, Netherlands?

I choosed Groningen because i always wanted to do an exchange programme in Netherlands and the RUG was well recommended in my area of study. I also had good recommendations from friends and other students that went abroad to Groningen in previous years, about the city and the university.

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

5/6 months

I will receive around 1000€

What is the student lifestyle like in Groningen?

It's good, the classes are great and the teachers try to involve the students in the lessons, making things more interesting.

You have a lot of things to read and study, sometimes too much, but if you organize the stuff, you're able to do it.

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

Yes, i absolutely do. Groningen is a really friendly city, pacific, you have a lot of students here, the city really has a welcoming vibe.

The University is also really good, the organization, the lessons, the study material, the facilities. In the beginning might be complicated, because the university has a lot of buildings, but after the initial adaptation, it's fine

What is the food like?

It's normal, you can find good places to it, not really cheap but the food is normal.

You have to try the stroopwafels at vismarkt, the fries.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Groningen?

No, it was easy because i'm staying at a residence, Korno, so i just had to rent a room in the SSH page.

There are a lot of facebook groups about accommodation in Groningen, that are helpful for people that don't want to go to a residence.

How much does it cost to live in Groningen?

Depends of a lot of things: the accomodation, food, trips, university material, going out, events...

Also depends of the month, in the beginning ou have to spend more money

But isn't cheap, 500/600€ per month i think

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

It is, most of the people here talk english, so if you know english, you won't have any problems with talking and understanding others.

I think they have language courses, but i'm not doing any, so don't really know much about it.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Groningen from your city?

Plane (to Eindhoven) and train/bus

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Groningen?

Almost all of the bars are located on the same area, so just go to the bars streets next to the Grootmarkt. You also have kokomo