Erasmus Experience in Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom by Elien

Why did you choose to go to Newcastle Upon Tyne?

I wanted to go to England to do my intership. And the only choise we had was Newcastle so that is the reason that I ended up here. But I really enjoy it. Beautiful nature and a lot of thing to do. Really student friendly.

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

I'm in Newcastle for 4 months and received money from Erasmus Europe. It was just enough to pay my rent. I was lucky that I had the support of my parents.

What is the student lifestyle like in Newcastle Upon Tyne?

You can do a lot here. You have a lot of places where you can go to if you want to enjoy an evening out. Not only party's but also eating or other things when you are not into party's.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne to other students?

I would deffinitly recommend England but maybe there are better places than here, I don't know, I haven't had the experience of an other city. I like it but it's sometimes expensive and busy with all the traffic.

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What is the food like?

You can eat all different kind of food. I love to cook so I make my own if I have enough time. It's expensive if you are used to eat cheap but you can choose places that are less expensive and than it's good and payable.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Newcastle Upon Tyne?

No, I found it on the Internet. Not easy if you are staying for 4 months but I've found something with patience.

How much does it cost to live in Newcastle Upon Tyne?

It depends on what you need and want to pay for it. I pay £300 and I have everything I need but my room is small and that's the price you pay if you are not paying much. If you want a bigger room that it's between £350-500 I think.

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

I'm not following courses in a University because i'm only doing a placement here. But it is easy to understand te people here. I work with young people and sometimes you need to ask them to talk slowly because of the Geordie accent.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Newcastle Upon Tyne from your city?

You have different ways and it all depents how much you want to pay. I came here with the bus for £30 but it takes you 17 hours so thats a lot. The train is £75 and is 7 hours to get into Belgium, I really enjoyed that. The boat brings you in Amsterdam, but I can't stand the feeling of a boat for that long so that wasn't an option for me. But it's also a good way because it's just £50. I find the plain expensive.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Newcastle Upon Tyne?

Difficult one. There are a lot of good places. The area around The Gate is good, a lot of good places.

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And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Newcastle Upon Tyne?

The places in The Gate and 'the 5 Swans' near the shopping street.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The Sage, The Baltic and The Life centre.

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

Take a look on the internet before you come, find a few good places and take your time to explore the whole city. Ask people from here what they recommend because they really know good spots. English people love to go out so they know the good places. Just enjoy your time and don't do it all at once. Take your time for it ;-)