Erasmus Experience in Szeged, Hungary by Mariana

Why did you choose to go to Szeged, Macaristan?

I chose Hungary because, as a South American, Europe had always been a big mystery to me, and one of the countries that I knew less about was Hungary, which made me even more curious. Besides, it is well located. I mean, it is easy to visit other countries from Hungary. Choosing Szeged was a decision based on my course (Biology), which I had heard that is well regarded here. Besides, I am that kind of person that enjoys cities that are not too small and not too big. So Szeged just sounded perfect for me.

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

My scholarship has a 1 year duration and I spend, in average, 500 EUR each month (including renting, all the bills, feeding, entertainment... everything).

What is the student lifestyle like in Szeged?

I always hear people from Szeged saying that "this is a university city". Szeged is full of pubs and young interesting people, so its easy for students to have fun. Besides, there is a big and very useful library (near pubs, of course) in the city center, a gorgeous theatre, museums... In other words: you will never get bored!

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

Yes! I admit that I was afraid at first because I knew absolutely nothing about Szeged. And it turned out that I couldn't be happier with my choice. Living (and studying) here has been, with no doubt, one of the best experiences I've ever had in my life so far.

What is the food like?

If you search for "Szeged" I am sure you will find the words "szálami" and "páprika", they just love it! And if you put sour cream on them, you're practically a Szegedian :D

No, I'm kidding. You will find a lot of spicy food in Szeged, breaded chicken (breaded chicken everywhere) or pork, soups (goulash), a piece of heaven called Kenyérlángosn and many others.

You can find some examples here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/anitabadejo/hungarian-foods-the-world-should-know

Hungarian's cousine includes a lot of delicious tipical food but, if somehow you just don't like it, you can always find some pizza places, fast food restaurants, chinese restaurants, etc.

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

Ok, I am not going to lie. Hungarian language is (very) hard! And there are a lot of people in Szeged that can't speak english, so this might be the biggest barrier you will find here. However, most of the people, even though they can't understand you, try their best to communicate.

There are english courses available in the University, sometimes even free ones. If you try to contact your coordinator I am sure they will help you with that if you are really interested.