Erasmus Experience in Hamburg, Germany by Daria

Why did you choose to go to Hamburg, Germany?

To be honest my choice was made last minute, but I do not regret it at all. I heard from another student that it is great and just decided to go for it. Needless to say, my option did not let me down.

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

I am an Erasmus student, so it can be either one year or 6 months, so I went for the 6 months option. Since the scholarship depends on the country that you come from, it probably varies from person to person. I would say that it is just enough to pay my rent every month, which is 305 Euros.

What is the student lifestyle like in Hamburg?

I have to say that, until now, my student life in Hamburg has been amazing. Keep in mind though, that I am one of those who decided to take it easy and enjoy my stay here to the full. I party a lot, go out, eat, see different places etc. Obviously, I do not neglect my university work, but having fun for me has been a big part of my stay here. Some other friends that I have are just focused on the university work and I can see how stressed they are. So, apparently it has more to do with the department you are in and your mentality.

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

I would definitely recommend the city to everyone. The university (University of Hamburg) is great, the professors from what I have heard are good as well, though it definitely depends on the department. The nightlife is great, especially for those who like partying and going out in general. The public transport is really convenient as well. The U-bahn and the S-bahn usually come every 8 minutes, but during rush hours it goes down to 4 minutes. The buses are pretty quick as well, especially in the center. The Regionalverkehr could be a bit complicated (if you live kind of far away from the centre), as it could be every 30 minutes or so. At the same time, if you live in the very north (even outside Hamburg), you can use the Eisenbahn (A) or some other trains, that are relatively quick to come but could take up to 20 minutes, considering it is outside of Hamburg.

As a student you will receive a HVV Ticket (Semester-ticket), which is valid for Ringe A to E, that means you can travel with it even a bit outside of Hamburg for "free" (you pay for it with the semester contribution). Never forget the ticket and your ID, because you can be checked on the train at anytime since the entrance to the stations is without any machines that check you. This means that you could get in for free, but it is dangerous. So don't do it. The good thing is that on Fridays, Saturdays and National Holidays the U-bahn and S-bahn are running all night. However, on a normal week day it usually runs until 00:40 a. m. or so. You definitely should download the HVV App, which shows you what transport you need to take if you want to go somewhere and how long it will take you. It also informs you about any delays or any other problems on the spot.

Definitely sign up for the "Piasta Buddy Program" at the University of Hamburg. Then they will find a person for you who can meet you at the airport, get you to your place and show you around the Campus Centre and the city. Find the ESN Hamburg group, as they organise get-togethers for new students, tours and in general some great parties for Erasmus and non Erasmus people (so definitely find them on Facebook, Instagram etc. ) The weather is kind of complicated, as during winter it is extremely rainy. I heard that it is great during summer though.

What is the food like?

To be fair, I have not tried that many German dishes, as the Erasmus community is pretty multicultural. So a lot of the times you end up eating food from other countries. But if you want to try some German food, I have been to "Hofbräu Hamburg". It is a bit expensive, but it was worth the try. The supermarkets are not that expensive and there are a lot of them (Lidl, Netto, Rewe, Penny etc. ).

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Hamburg?

For me it was a bit complicated to find my accommodation, since I had to search last minute (so yes, I did have to pay for it). But in general, if you know that you are not getting a place at the dorms, I would suggest that you start looking online up to 4-5 months prior (just to be sure), because if you have less time than that, it can become quite tough.

How much does it cost to live in Hamburg?

If we are talking about a place to live, it can get pretty costly, as Hamburg by itself is relatively expensive. The cost of the dorms that the university provides is normally around 305 euros, while private dorms could be up to 400 euros. If you want to rent a room, it is yet again quite expensive and normally exceeds 400 euros and can get up to 500 euros (depending on the size). But as I have heard, the fact that we are talking about international students, the prices could go up because of that. So if you have acquaintances or friends, definitely try to get some help from them. But I think the best option are the dorms, since you get to know people, find friends, party and in general be in the centre of everything.

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

German language is complicated by itself, but from what I know there are free courses at the University of Hamburg that you must apply for before going there. You can also take some courses before the official classes start (so for the winter semester that was in September, while the classes start on 14th of October). But you will most probably get that information from your coordinators.

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

Well since I live in Athens, I always travelled with direct flights, which were relatively expensive (200-300 euros). But you can also travel with Ryanair (Athens-Berlin) and from there get the FlixBus for 5 euros and travel to Hamburg directly which will take 4 hours. That is the most inexpensive way I think. In general, if you want to travel, using FlixBus is a great opportunity (just download the app).

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

The nightlife in Hamburg is great. St. Pauli, Reeperbahn are probably the most famous places to party, as there you can find many clubs (paid entrance or free, depending on the day). There are many strip-clubs, places with Spanish and Latin music and many others. I also love going to dorm parties, as there you actually meet many people from Erasmus as well. Finally, Sternschanze is a place with may pubs and bars.