7 reasons to go on an Erasmus exchange programme

Erasmus has to be the most popular exchange programme for students in Europe. The programme was started in 1987 and from then it has offered European students the chance to experience student life in any one of the 33 countries included in the programme. The majority of European universities (90% to be exact) participate in the scheme, so it offers a wide range of courses and study programmes for students to choose from. Of course, the programme's popularity has gone up with time, which I've noted among my friends, people I know and classmates.

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I found out about Erasmus from a film called L'auberge espagnole when I was a teenager, when I had a lot of time to watch movies all day. The idea of studying in a foreign country for a period of time was fascinating to me from then onwards, and I put it on my "to-do list" straightaway. When I got to university, I didn't think twice about it and I took advantage of the opportunity.

One of the two languages that I'm studying is English and as I had only started learning it at university, I know from the start that I wanted to become fluent in it after I'd finished my degrees. I knew that I wouldn't be able to do so without spending at least a few months in an English-speaking country, so, for my Erasmus exchange, I set my sights on a semester in Oxford. When I got home, I reminisced about the four months I spent there and I realised that that was the best time I had spent as a student thus far, and it was a truly inspiring experience.

Oxford

There are so many reasons why you should definitely go on an Erasmus exchange, but I've picked out seven that, in my opinion, sum up the "Erasmus spirit"- I'm sure that lots of people who have been Erasmus students will know what I mean.

1. You'll get an idea of what you want to study abroad.

After finishing school, a lot of you might have played with the idea of studying abroad. In fact, it's an important decision and so are all of the doubts and the confusion you might have; you can't always be sure that you actually want to take this important step or not. Studying abroad for a limited time as a part of your Erasmus exchange will help with all of this and then you can see if you would want to do it in the long term.

Paris

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2. You get financial aid.

Every Erasmus student gets a grant, the amount of which depends on the country you come from and the one you're going it. Of course, they tell all the students from the start that the grant won't cover all of your expenses, but, in any case, it's a great help. If you come from a country in Eastern Europe like me, the grant is quite big and it makes studying abroad an affordable experience.

3. You can learn a new language/practice a language that you already know.

As I said before, this was my main reason for going on an Erasmus exchange. And yes, I can say that I owe 60% of my current German skills to the time I spent studying abroad in Austria. Besides, I have a lot of friends that chose countries like Lithuania, Poland, Turkey and Slovakia, and the universities they attended in those countries even offer free language courses. Everyone knows that knowing how to, at least, speak a language is definitely an advantage nowadays. And it doesn't matter which language (or languages) you use during your Erasmus exchange, there's no doubt that you'll improve your communication skills in a foreign language.

Marid

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4. It inspires and motivates you.

There are a lot of students who feel like they lose motivation at a certain point in their career as a student. I'm pretty sure that it happens to most of us. Well, a semester (or a year) of Erasmus is, without a doubt, a huge source of inspiration for your future plans and may even be a turning point for your future career. Taking time to relax and getting out the everyday routine in your home city and university could be the best solution to a lack of motivation.

5. You become more responsible.

A lot of students study in their home city and therefore stay living with their parents or other relatives. Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to what it means to do day-to-day things that adults have to do every day. You'll become more independent, especially as you have to do all of these things in a foreign environment and to deal with different people and mentalities. When you get home, everything will be a piece of cake.

Berlin

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6. You make friends from all over the world.

Friendship is a universal thing in human nature, regardless of language, culture, religion or ethnicity. It's wonderful to know that you have friends outside the borders of your home country, who you'll always be able to visit or who can come to visit you, who you'll always share so much with, even if you can't see them every day.

7. You travel further.

This one is pretty simple. Once you've studied abroad on our exchange programme, travelling becomes a part of your everyday life.

Londres

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