Erasmus Experience in Madrid, Spain by Marie

Why did you choose to go to Madrid, Spain?

I decided to come to Madrid in order to study a Master in International Tourism in a well known school. This choice to come to Madrid was for 2 reasons once to learn a new language Spanish and on the other hand to study in a Capital which welcomes thousands of tourists and which is also very fun and interesting!

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

I didn’t get any scholarship because the program I was enrolled into didn’t allow to get one.

What is the student lifestyle like in Madrid?

It’s very cool! More than in Belgium! Here I go to school from 9 to 2pm and then I have the whole afternoon to enjoy, study or do something new! I can go to lunch with some friends or go for a walk in the Retiro park, go shopping or visit new places in the big city of Madrid.

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

I would because it is a great experience for foreign students in order to meet new friends, have a good quality of educational programs at school, to have free time with your friends to go for a drink or go shopping. It is also very easy because you have access to the public transportations which is very easy to from one point to another.

What is the food like?

The food is good! What is really fun is when you go for a drink and get tapas in almost every bar of Madrid! Sometimes you can have lunch just with that!

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Madrid?

I was quite hard to find a good place and affordable in Madrid. The sooner you start looking before coming the better it is but I found a room where I feel confortable even if it is not as cheap as I would have thought.

How much does it cost to live in Madrid?

Well it depends how often you go out with your friends or in with neighborhood you live in. Anyway I would say 600€ a month in the center of Madrid would be the average with the accommodation, food, drinks included.

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

The program I m enrolled into in given in English and outside I try to speak Spanish as much as I can but in my school yes French lessons are given for the students who want to attend.

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

Since I live close to my school I walk 15 minutes every day to go to school but I would say the cheapest is to get the public transportation card for the whole city and you pay 20€ a month under 25 years old.

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

I don’t really often go out but if I do with my friends we go in bars or clubs in la Latina, Masalaña or elsewhere. There are many many places to go out here in Madrid!

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

There are a lot of different restaurants with many types of different food. In the neighborhood of Chueca you can find good places or in Salamanca too.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Plenty! Such as Puerta Del Sol, the Royal Palace, Temple Debodt, El Retiro park....

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

I would tell them to not hesitate because that is a nice experience but another advice would be to get to Madrid at least 2 weeks before the start of the school in order to look for accommodation because it takes a lot of time and finally to enjoy their time in Madrid as mush as they can!