Erasmus Experience in Tarragona, Spain by Maddie

Why did you choose to go to Tarragona, Spain?

It was close to Barcelona and the beach

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

I was here for a full academic year and received a 600 euro/month stipend, but it’s not the same for everyone. It depends on your school and how much you pay there vs the cost of the school here

What is the student lifestyle like in Tarragona?

URV is not a great school in my opinion. It’s not meant for english speaking students because the teachers are not fluent enough and the class structure is very different from american schools. especially if you are taking any major classes or ones that are important to you-I wouldn’t recommend. I don’t feel like I learned the subjects and the test/class material never match up. Student life around finals is very hectic because the pass rate is extremely low. Also there’s 3 separate campuses and 2 are far from the city center

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

No I wouldn’t. At least not to american students. I was one of 5 and I felt really exiled. They also speak a lot of catalan here so when I tried to use my Spanish around town I got a lot of dirty looks and rude responses. The town is very small and boring, you do the same thing every weekend. There are two clubs that students go to, and a few bars. I preferred the bars but doing it every weekend gets old.

What is the food like?

A lot of fried food. People love the papas braves. And paella.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Tarragona?

It didn’t cost me to find my accommodation..? It just cost me to live there?

How much does it cost to live in Tarragona?

Ranges from as low as 175-400. Depends where you want to live and which amenities are important to you.

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

Nope. Catalan is very difficult-it’s like a mix of French and Spanish and it’s hard. There are language classes available yes

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

The bus system is probably your best option. The student package is only 20 euros for a month so that’s convenient. But often it’s very crowded and everyone on the bus is always sick and coughing so eventually I got a bike to save my wallet and health.

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

Plaza de la font is the main square where you can sit outside and enjoy drinks and tapas. People are usually here from 10-1 and then go to one of the two clubs, highland or totem. Then they party there until as late as 6am. It's the exact same scene every single weekend, it never changes. There is a cool bar in the marina though that’s very laid back. Inside. You can play pool. It’s nice.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Tarragona?

There’s basically 4 cuisines: tapas/Spanish, sushi, Chinese, and kebabs. Not a ton

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

I’d recommend going to a bigger city honestly! Somewhere more evolved and with more to do. This town is very slow and lacks a lot of advancements In my opinion. Also if you don't speak fluent Spanish I'd recommend not coming here. I passed a fluency exam and I still could not function here.