Erasmus Experience in Lisbon, Portugal by Zen

Why did you choose to go to Lisbon, Portugal?

My course offers 2 destination to go: Lisboa and Barcelona. I didn't really know what to expect and what to choose between the 2 cities, but I ended up choosing LIsboa

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

I stayed there for a year, with an Eramus Mundus (for master student) scholarship. You can live there happily with less money to be honest.

What is the student lifestyle like in Lisbon?

Not many classes, long coffee time with tiny cup :) (I love Portuguese coffee), and (almost always) free Friday. As a student, things are pretty much easy, but sometimes school can be quite demanding :)

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

Definitely!

What is the food like?

Not very special. They do have some specialties, but in the end, it's still bread, potato and meet

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Lisbon?

I took an apartment from the list that the International student office sent us before going. The landlord is very helpful (he picked me up @ the airport when I came). The price can be cheaper if you try looking outside, but I was happy with my place.

How much does it cost to live in Lisbon?

You can manage with 500Euro a month including rent.

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

The school provided us with free language courses, and they were all in the evening (6pm) so they would not clash with your schooling. I guess it would be very easy for Spanish, Italian people. Portuguese is fun to learn, and the local people would be very happy if you can say some words :)

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

I took a long flight from Asia, and it was cheap.

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

You will see people talk a lot about Bairo Alto. Nice place.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Lisbon?

...

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Castelo de São Jorge, Belem, Alfama....

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

If you love sunshine, Lisboa is the place to go