Erasmus Experience in Munich, Germany by Manon

Why did you choose to go to Munich, Germany?

I chose to go to Munich because I had already visited this city and I must say that I fell in love with this place.

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

Honestly it depends on how long you want to stay ! For the Erasmus grant you must stay at least 3 months and it can last up to 12 months.
However, you should contact your own university or a competent authority to find out which scholarships you can apply for.
I personally receive the Erasmus grant. If you are students it goes from 150€ to 300€ per month depending on your host country. However if you do an internship it goes from 200€ to 450€ always depending on your host country. For my part I will receive about 200€ thanks to the Erasmus grant.

What is the student lifestyle like in Munich?

Right now there is the corona which means that I can’t tell you what student life really looks like at the University of Munich because everything is closed...
But what I can tell you is that there is a lot of personal work, but the teachers are very kind and understanding.
Munich is a very student city there are plenty of people to meet even with the current health situation

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

Absolutely it is a very good university, the atmosphere is very good, the support between students is also very good.
The city is really very nice, there are plenty of things to visit and do I urge you to come to Munich.

What is the food like?

The food is very good, Munich is a very cosmopolitan city which means that no matter where you come from you can find food that looks like the one you have in your own country.
Otherwise the typical food of Munich is very good, there is a lot of meat (which can be annoying for people who have a particular diet). But very honestly everything is very good.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Munich?

Yes Munich is a big city, the quality of life here is very good so the price of accommodation is very high unfortunately. This can be a problem if you don’t have a student apartment. Student apartments are often affordable and well located.
However if you are looking for an apartment yourself the prices are very high.

How much does it cost to live in Munich?

It costs a lot to be honest. Housing is expensive, everyday shopping is relatively cheap. Transport tickets are very expensive but service is very good. I can’t give you an exact price of how much it costs per month to live in Munich because that cost can vary depending on a lot of things, but what I can tell you is that you have to have a good budget.

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

German is not an easy language however if you learn the basics it can help you. People who live in Munich don’t make much effort when it comes to speaking English.
The University of Munich offers courses in German that I strongly advise you ! I took German courses at the University of Munich before my semester and it was really good and it helped me a lot. I had never done German in my life and after a month of German classes at LMU I can manage in everyday life to ask for information or just to discuss a little.

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

Personally I come from France (Dijon) and the simplest and cheapest way to come is by car. However, if you come by car you must have a label on your car that proves that you have the right to drive in the city of Munich. To have this label you must ask the competent authorities.
However, you can come by plane, by train, by bus if it is easier for you.

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

With the current health situation everything is closed so I can not answer this question yet because I have not been able to experience anything.

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

Despite the current sanitary situation, restaurants make take-out meals. There is also an app for getting food delivered called Lieferando.
Honestly I haven’t tried a lot of restaurant yet but the one I’ve tried is called Javi is very good.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There is so many things to visit in Munich. From Marienplatz to the Olympia Park and the Englischer Garten.
There is also a lot of museum and castle in Munich so there is definitely a lot to do, to see and to visit.

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

There are a lot of additional expenses and paperwork to be done. Be careful to do all the administrative steps in time and do not hesitate to ask the professors or officials of foreign students how to do and where to do the papers.
However, I really advise you to come to Munich it is a beautiful city and it is very nice to live there !