Erasmus Experience in Madrid, Spain by Alex

Why did you choose to go to Madrid, Spain?

I'm hoping the financial situation will settle eventually - I'm thinking about moving here permanently. It's one of the most pleasant countries I've been to so far.

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

Scolarship is 4 months, and I'm getting around 880 € total. To live a good life here I get about 1000 € a month with everything included, but you can definitely live a lot cheaper.

What is the student lifestyle like in Madrid?

Honestly a bit boring. Lots of the students are very young and still need to figure things out much like the end of highschool. On the other hand, you definitely meet a lot of interesting characters to go on trips with. Finding the ones to go somewhere you enjoy more than just for the drinking is a bit more tricky, but also possible!

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

Absolutely. One downside is that if you do computer science for example, it's a lot of work. My sleep has been minimized, and like this I've managed to do around 70-80% of what the others were doing. Studying film or law or economics seems to keep everything a lot easier.

What is the food like?

Lots of meat, lots of healthy vegetables, lots of fruits. You can live ok for any eating habbit I'd say.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Madrid?

No, but I got lucky. If I were to make a suggestion I'd say it's worth getting a hostel for a week or two and finding a place when you are here directly on idealista.com for example. It's pretty vital you find a place to live that's inhabited by students and not workers.

How much does it cost to live in Madrid?

Just bare essentials: maybe around 400-500€.

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

Madrid has a brimming electronic music scene. Even if you're not into it I suggest giving it a try. Mondo and Fabrik would be the highlights. There are plenty more than that though.

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