Erasmus Experience in Munich, Germany by Nilay

Why did you choose to go to Munich, Germany?

My university in Turkey has agreements with many countries. But, Munich was one step ahead. There are several reasons to choose Munich. Munich has a lot of opportunities in career, education, friendship, and it has a great environment. Excellent universities and colleges and an attractive city with a wide variety of recreational offers.

Munich stands out not only in terms of career planning, but also with its particular attitude towards life and it is always highly placed in the city rankings. Munich is known for this particular mixture of “laptop and lederhosen”, where high-tech and tradition exist side by side, it is this that makes studying in Munich more attractive. So I chose Munich.

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

I was in Germany for 6 months. During this time I received a scholarship from the EU (a grant of 1, 750 euros for 6 months). I think it’s not enough for living in Munich.

What is the student lifestyle like in Munich?

The student lifestyle in Munich is freedom.

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

Yes, of course I recommend the University of Munich. You can be sure that being in the University of Munich will provide you a number of advantages.

What is the food like?

The food in Munich is delicious. You really need to try a dumpling with a pretzel Spezi, Radler, Cola-Weizen are mixed drinks. The last two are beers with sweet sodas (the best).

Traditional Bavarian food is pork and dumplings ("Knödel"), but you should at least once try the world-renowned Bavarian "Weißwurst'' (white sausage) with a Pretzel ("Brezn") in Bavarian and sweet mustard ("Süßer Senf"). There's no place in the universe where they make white sausages the way they do in Munich, and you should enjoy a wheat beer with it on a Sunday morning, preferably "Erdinger Weizen" (Erding is a small town near Munich with at least one good brewery near Munich Airport FJS).

There's also good beef available here, that's on the high end of the line and chicken of course. Not wings, legs or nuggets, but half a chicken or even a whole chicken should be available at any butchery every noon Monday to Friday. You don't eat it with a fork and knife but use your fingers and clean them with a paper napkin.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Munich?

It was really hard for me. I could not find a place to stay until I got to Munich. After a great struggle, I found a place that was away from the center of the Munich, in Gernlinden. I had to pay 500 euro (monthly) for a small and really bad room. Despite all the negative thing one could say about that room, I liked it a lot. I had the good landlord and most importantly I had the perfect housemate.

How much does it cost to live in Munich?

My living costs are about 1000 Euro, monthly.

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

There are a lot of language courses available. But, I don’t have any idea about them because for me social life is a great language course

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

Lufthansa.

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

There is a lot of nightlife in Munich, so you have quite a choice, such as P1, Kultfabrik, Atomic Cafe. And there are regular parties for students or international parties.

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

• Hacker-Pschorr Bräuhaus
• Ratskeller München
• Der Pschorr
• Hofbräuhaus

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

No trip to Munich is complete without visiting these top ten attractions and sights – many of them are in the center of Munich's Old Town and you can easily walk from one landmark to the other.

1. Olympic Stadium



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2. Alte Pinakothek (Museum)
3. Neue Pinakothek (Museum)
4. Pinakothek der Moderne (Museum)
5. Deutsches Museum (German Museum)
6. Residenzpalast (palace)



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7. Viktualienmarkt (market in the center)
8. Englischer Garten (English Garden)
9. Konzentrationslager Dachau (Concentration Camp)
10. Frauenkirche (Church of our holy mother)
11. Marienplatz und Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall)



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12. Neuschwanstein

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

Plan your time well, there is much to see and experience.