Erasmus Experience in Ravensburg-Weingarten, Germany by Sophie

Why did you choose to go to Ravensburg-Weingarten, Germany?

I decided to go to Ravensburg because the design school there offered me the most opportunities to develop learn and my skills as a designer.

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

My stay in ravensburg lastest 3 months, january-march. I can't remember exactly how much money i recieved from Erasmus, but it covered my rent which was perfect as I still had my student loan to cover my living costs. There is a supermarket called kaufland in ravensburg and there is also a lidl (or maybe it was an aldi, but same thing, cheap!) And there is also a Netto. All of those supermarkets offer all the good foods at good wallet friendly prices.

What is the student lifestyle like in Ravensburg-Weingarten?

The student lifestyle is good, it is more relaxed than the lifestyle I experience in Leeds, UK but the lifestyle in Leeds is party crazy. Ravensburg still has clubs and plenty of pubs and bars to go to and you can still have a great time with friends. We also did alot of things at one anothers houses such as dinner parties and movie nights and these nights were just as good if not better than going out into ravensburg town.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Ravensburg-Weingarten to other students?

Yes, the university were very helpful and supportive.

What is the food like?

The food is good, as I said before the supermarket offers everything. Ťhere are also a large number of restaurants and cafes in Ravensburg that are very good with a wide range of different cuisines e.g. italian, indian, thai, chinese, turkish. There are also a number of brilliant bakeries aswell!

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Ravensburg-Weingarten?

No I did it through the university.

How much does it cost to live in Ravensburg-Weingarten?

No more than it costs me to live here in the UK. It was actually considerably cheaper I would say.

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

I found German quite easy going once I had gotten the hang of it, I did take language lessons in the university and the tutor was very very good!

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Ravensburg-Weingarten from your city?

I flew to ravensburg from London. I flew to friedrichsafain and then I got the train from there to ravensburg. Transport in ravensburg, there is a bus but I would walk to university most days.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There are some lovely places to walk in ravensburg such as to the tower at the top of the hill, from which you get a view over the whole of ravensburg, very beautfil. The lake of constance is not far by bus or train and that is lovely. There is an outdoor heated pool by the lake of constance which is cool.

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

Have fun, embrace it if it's different than usually for you, thats fine. All the students there are really lovely.