Mobility specification

Country:Spain

Institution:European University of Valencia

City:Valencia

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Medicine / Dept. of Stomatology / St. Anne's University Hospital

Study level abroad:Master

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?it's alright

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The teaching is very much focused on work during the school year, which is not usual in my field at the Faculty of Medicine. Throughout the semester you will have group projects, presentations, assessed work on practicums, clinical cases, etc. The final grade takes into account all of these activities that you have to complete for a certain number of points, and then according to the importance of each part, they compile your final grade.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?We had an orientation day and the school provides a few clubs you can join, but it's no big deal. So we mostly sought socialization through Erasmus groups or other universities. UE doesn't even have its own ESN organization unfortunately.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:18000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Internet portals, I have a good experience with the Idealista website. There are an awful lot of them, but it's always a bit of a risk if you don't get cheated and the photos match reality.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?In our field of dentistry, one must be prepared to purchase custom appliances depending on the subject matter from impression spoons to articulator and turbinate. These are very expensive matters and may affect your choice of subject. Other unexpected expenses were related to activities and travel alone - there are an awful lot of things to experience and try, so it's clear that the whole trip will end up costing a lot.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?A lot of people used the Too good to go app for food, I would definitely use a bike for transport (either buy your own or a yearly valenbisi subscription) + mobilis 31 card for free transport (but you need to allow a few weeks to get it and in that case buy a SUMA 10 card for 10 rides). There are WhatsApp groups where other students sell a lot of stuff, you need to keep track of that and then of course in Valencia every day there is a street market in some other part of the city where they sell different things but mainly clothes.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?neutral

How does public transport work in the city?neutral

And what about transport outside the city?I've seen better

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?I still found Google Maps to be the best for connections. You can buy a ticket on the bus by attaching your card, and on the metro and at the bus stop for the shuttle (there are machines - for the shuttle, be sure to check your card at the bus stop before you get on). But it's best to buy a multi-ride card (I recommend SUMA 10) that is valid for all connections. You'll be using zone A the most, but if you go somewhere further afield you'd better check the zones, there are 3 (Albufera is still in zone A, even though it's far away). Watch out for the airport - it's zone C and you need a different ticket.
Interesting fact - you only board the bus through the front door, some bus drivers may give you a nice shout out if you get on at the back.
Overall the service isn't bad, but there are often strikes and during holidays etc the timetables are horribly messed up and there's nowhere to look up actual departure times etc. It's most worthwhile taking the metro and the saloon, buses take an awfully long time. Well, at night you're left with just the bike.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Albufera sunset + walk (+ it's just the distance to run a half marathon :) )
Oceanographic Museum
Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias
The main square
Túria park
Beach with sunrise
Umbracle summer party

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Montanejos, Xativa, Chulilla, PortAventura
Andalucia, Barcelona, Madrid, surrounding islands

Share your best experience:Impossible to choose just one. Every day we had an activity, travel, sports.....It was life at 100% and so every single day was a great experience.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?If you arrive by night plane, beware - there is no metro late at night.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?It is important to remember that most flats do not have heating, so in the winter months (up to March) it can be very cold in the flat - it is better to have some warmer clothes with you and to get an external heater if there is none.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?Erasmus were the best months of my life. Be open to new experiences, people and life and it will change you.