Erasmus Experience in Marburg, Germany by Daniel

Why did you choose to go to Marburg, Germany?

It's a great city and the research group is great. The Germans in the department are very nice and supportive and always help once you ask.

Source

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

Well, I have a 3 years scholarship for a phd but that depends on where you get it from and the purpose. You can also apply to several other sources of funding once it does not conflict with any existing scholarship. well with mine, I get to live a normal comfortable life and also get to save some, but it all depends on the individual and the situation. when you, for instance, have an empty room for a start, then you would have to spend some more to get it furnished.

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

I would encourage other students to look towards Marburg because of the niceness of the city, the university is high standard oriented and the lecturers are nice. They have the facilities that make learning enjoyable. The international students office is very supportive and always willing to help out.

Source

What is the food like?

For food, i will say that it depends on the individual, as an African, it was difficult to find African meals but I found shops that had most of my ingredients and that makes it okay for me to enjoy home made food. They have nice German foods too. There are lots of other dishes from other countries being served in most restaurants. It would be good for one willing to try out different dishes, I enjoy some German meals

What did it cost you to find your accommodation in Marburg?

For accommodation, I will say start searching ahead of your trip to Marburg. It is a bit difficult to find during the semester and best to find towards the end of the semesters. Some students can offer their rooms for shorts periods and one can use such to look for better places once in Marburg. The international office also assists international students with that. For the cost i will say that it depends on the individual and the requirements. For a standard student room, i think the price is usually between 190-300 euros and that will depend on the size and other facilities included like electricity, heating, water, internet and phone.

Source

How much does it cost to live in Marburg?

Cost of living would depend on the individual that is if one would self prepare meals or would want to eat out, personally i make my own food and eat out once in a while and i think not everyone would be okay with that. Once you pay the semester fee you get a transport ticket, so all you will spend on is mostly food... sorry I cannot put a figure to this question.

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

The language; hmmm, I will say that requires dedication and motivation to learn but not as difficult as i expected when i started. The university language centre runs affordable and at times free language courses. Some scholarship agencies, like DAAD, would support with the language course as well.

Source

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

It's cheapest to travel by bus to Marburg, One can also come by any of the several train types to Marburg. From Frankfurt, its easiest and economically sound coming with a train. It does not cost much to board a regional train from Frankfurt to Marburg.

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

At night, one can have a good time sitting by the Lahn river - lots of sitting places along it- or visit any of the so many pubs - called Cafe- for a cold drink or warm beverage. some of the guys meet in Cafes to watch football over drinks. You can also stroll through the many beautiful walkways through the city. They wonderfully placed cinemas which are also nice places to be at night.

Source

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

There are too many restaurants and Cafes one can get a good meal. I would notmention names but they are all over the 'Altstadt' - Old town- and 'Oberstadt' - Upper town- and along all major streets. One can find places for almost all types of Asian, European and American foods

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The castle 'Schloss' here in Marburg is a nice place to be where one can stand and have a good view of the whole city. The Elizabeth 'Kirche' is another great view.

N. B. : with the student ticket, one can travel to a lot of nice places outside Marburg at virtually no cost. This will help you visit towns like Giessen, Kassel, Goettingen, Frankfurt etc. You will love you stay here, that I can boldly say.

Source

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

search for accommodation ahead of your trip so that at least one is aware of the destination here. there are lots of social media groups where one can befriend students here in Marburg. It's more helpful and pleasant when you have a friend. Don't worry so much about the language, English is universal and friends would help you learn the language in no time.

Source