Erasmus Experience in London, United Kingdom by Laura

Why did you choose to go to London, United Kingdom?

I did choose it because I started to love London since the first time I visited it two years ago. I somehow like English culture and I thought I'd also be a great opportunity to improve my English, make new friends a live a new experience

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

I just asked for the half of the scholarship, this is, four months. I received around 400 euros, 100 per month. Not enough to cover the living costs at all.

What is the student lifestyle like in London?

I guess it's similar as any other in Europe: people like to chat in cafes between classes, go clubbing, drink, have dinner together, study in the library or not study at all, haha. In my campus (that was located in Egham, Surrey, not in London itself) there were some cafes (some of them were clubs at night), a handy store in which you could buy goodies and food that you needed (in case you couldn't go to the main supermarkets), two different libraries, and some other places that were helpful for students. There were as well many different societies dedicated to sport, languages, culture, leisure activities...

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

As I said, I wasn't based in London but I was just a 30 minute long ride from there. I guess living in London can be somehow different(more exciting than Egham, of course) but maybe a bit more stressful and expensive (but not too much, Egham was expensive too). London is a wonderful city and I cannot not recommend it, but it has its disadvantages. However, I suppose that universities that take part in University of London category of universities have some similarities. I would recommend it in general

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What is the food like?

It depends on your budget and your willingness to try new tastes. If you want cheap food, you're going to find bad food. If you want to save some of your monthly budget to eat well, you can do it for sure because supermarkets offer a huge variety of vegetables, meat, veggies... Well maybe fruit and vegetables are not as good as they could be (at least compared to my country, Spain) but neither it's horrible. Any kind of sweets are great. I'll advise you to learn some cooking, it's very useful if you don't want to eat ready-made food (you can do almost any dish). Try asiatic food. It's great to have that variety in just one place.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in London?

Yes, it was difficult because the landlords and state agents usually requiere a long-term contract (minimum 10 months) and I was staying only for four months. I managed to find a landlady that lived with her family and rented one of her kids' room, he was studing abroad.

How much does it cost to live in London?

I only can talk about Egham, but I guess in London it's similar if not even more expensive. The average montly rent costs between 350-500 pounds for a single room. You have to take into account the eating expenses (30-40 pounds per week if you eat a home), other things you may need and transport (such as Oyster card). I had to take the bus everyday to go to campus, and each fare costed between 1. 60 and 2. 40 pounds. If you're lucky you may not need to take a public transport.

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

I didn't find it difficult because I was already used to the British accent beforehand. Once you get it, it's easier. I had some professors that had a crystal clear accent and you could understand everything they said. And yes, there were language courses available, especially focused in essay writing, to make you get used to the formal language and the particular structure of the essays.

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

Low-cost flights from Madrid

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

I couldn't hang out at night too much, just one night that we go to Soho. It's worth having a walk by there at least and see the great variety of people.

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

Asiatic restaurants, any one from abroad. Chinatown is the best place to eat cheap and well. There might be many English pubs with good food, but I don't know any. If you need fast food and you don't like McDonald's and that kind of stuff, try Prêt-à-Manger and places like that.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

All the museums (V&A, British Museum, National gallery, National portrait gallery, Tate, Tate modern... ), streets for shopping, emblematic places, Camden Town, Hampstead Heath... A lot of them. There's a magazine distribuited in London with a list of things to do during the week, it's really helpful if you are looking for alternatives to do instead of visiting the typical tourist places.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to future students who are going to London?

Enjoy it in every way. Try to talk in English as much as you can, British people appreciate it and it will make you easier to get on with them. Administrate well your money, London is a really capitalist city and you may need money for almost everything, but having a short budget doesn't prevent you from enjoying it. And go with an open mind and no prejudices.