Erasmus Experience in Nottingham, United Kingdom by Larissa

Why did you choose to go to Nottingham, United Kingdom?

I chose to go to Nottingham, because I fell in love with the scenery there, but also due to the University of Nottingham which offers excellent courses in almost all the different subject areas.

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

I received the grant for a semester, one part of which when I arrived (after having completed the necessary steps to receive it) and the rest once I had finished my Erasmus stay.

What is the student lifestyle like in Nottingham?

The student life in Nottingham is really lively!

It is a place where you can meet people from all over the world, and the student clubs and societies help you and often organise events so that all the lovely people can meet up and spend some quality time together; ranging from cultural trips to simply having breakfast, lunch or dinner on campus.

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

Yes, 100%!

I didn't want to end up being in a city-centre as popular and teeming with people as London (even though the journey there from my home region would have been easier). Nottingham is a calm and beautiful city, we are surrounded by nature.

What do you think of the food?

Being a big fan of Asian food, I was well catered to. Even though it seemed like it wasn't authentic cuisine, I liked it.

I wasn't a big fan of the traditional English dishes, however, be ready to eat apples in every way possible!

Was it difficult to find your accommodation in Nottingham?

In some ways, yes.

The university had a good choice of accommodation, but the idea of living with a stranger (and especially sharing a bathroom with them) didn't appeal to me.

So I found some people who were offering small house-shares, however, it is rare to find these here, or the rents for them are really high.

So I settled on an agency which offered host families and I don't regret my decision at all!

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How much does it cost to live in Nottingham?

The nearer the accommodation is to the university and the city centre, the more expensive the rent is, this is why house-sharing is basically inevitable.

In terms of food or even clothes, there are lots of discount supermarkets and sometimes clothes shops.

However, you need to pay attention to the exchange rate, for me, the euro is weaker than the pound.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Did you attend a university language course?

I didn't go to a language course and the English here is a lot easier to understand. The locals don't have a strong accent, however, there may come a time when you meet someone from Yorkshire or London... and that is a whole other story.

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

From Paris to Nottingham, the bus is the cheapest way to get there, but you have to prepare yourself, as we are talking about at least an 11-hour long journey.

So, you can combine the train (the Eurostar) and then the bus from London to Nottingham (roughly 3 hours).

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

I love RnB and trap music, it's the best music for getting in the party mood, so I would recommend PomPom, Pryzm and Ink in terms of night clubs (although the last one is usually way too full).

What's it like to eat out in Nottingham? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

My favourite spots are... Street Thai food in the city-centre, it has amazing decor and the food is delicious!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Wollaton Park is really amazing due to its scenery and there is also a castle you can visit. There is also Nottingham Castle and the statue of Robin Hood. And if you study on the University Park Campus, there is the Trent Building and the lake just in front of if which are worthwhile seeing.

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

It's a really incredible experience, you get to meet people from all over the globe and study serenely thanks to the relaxing settings.