Erasmus Experience in Ostrava, the Czech Republic by Elena

Why did you choose to go to Ostrava, the Czech Republic?

My friend's cousin had been there the term before for Erasmus and she recommended it to me. Besides, the classes are taught in English, it's very easy to pass the course (at least it was at the teaching faculty), it's one of the cheapest places to go and, being in the middle of Europe, you can travel to a lot of the surrounding countries easily.

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

My grant was for 9 months. The European Union gave me €115 a month for my whole stay, and, because I wasn't getting a grant for the course beforehand, the Ministry of Education gave me €100 a month for eight months. The Andalusian council gave me €125 a month for nine months (the amount you get from the council depends on which country you're going to).

What is the student lifestyle like in Ostrava?

It's really good, there are a lot of Erasmus students, too.

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Would you recommend the city or the University of Ostrava to other students?

Yes, I really liked it here and I have no regrets about having chosen to come here.

What is the food like there?

It's good, in general. Although I almost always cooked my own food and, at any rate, there are the usual fast food places at the shopping centres: McDonald's, KFC, Burger King...

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Was it difficult to find accommodation in Ostrava?

No, in fact the two universities here (the OSU and the VSB-TUO) make it easy to get in contact with the student residences. I was in the Poruba residence, which cost about €90 a month and a lot of Erasmus students lived there, too, so the atmosphere is really good.

How much does it cost to live in Ostrava?

About €400 a month (including travel expenses).

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

Czech is very difficult, I only learned the most basic things. I didn't go on any course, but I did manage to survive here without doing so.

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

I live in Córdoba and flying from Malaga to Bratislava or Krakow with Ryanair is usually the cheapest way and then taking the train from there to Ostrava. Sometimes, there are cheap flights connecting from Malaga to London to Ostrava with Ryanair.

Where would you recommend for a night out in Ostrava?

The pubs on Stodolni street and the Alexandria club.