Mobility specification

Country:Mexico

Institution:University of Guadalajara

City:Guadalajara

Program:Partner universities

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓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?neutral

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?I was able to take Spanish language classes as an online course at CUCEA for credit. My CUCSH faculty offered a non-credit course to international students that was taught by a local Spanish language student. There was also the option of taking a Spanish language course at the university's language school, this course had to be paid for by the student.
As I am an English language student, I cannot assess whether there would have been a sufficient number of courses taught in English for students in other disciplines.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The teaching at Universidad de Guadalajara is of high quality, and several projects and assignments were given in my field of study during the semester. Attendance was compulsory, a student could have 2 absences in a semester. The classes were conducted like a seminar, the Mexican students were very active and had good knowledge.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?The university offers an orientation day, which takes place in the first week of classes. I did not attend it. There is a mandatory faculty information seminar regarding semester organization such as course registration. There are many events within the university, but they are not specifically organized for international students, they are for all students. For me as an international student, the university offered tickets to a classical music concert and the performance was a powerful cultural experience.

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?The University does not offer accommodation. The student finds his/her own accommodation. There are many student houses in Guadalajara that offer rooms for rent. However, it cannot be relied on that only international students will live in the house, the owner will rent a room to anyone. Sometimes he even lives in the house himself. I have experience with two rental companies - Casa Morelos Student Housing and Conexion. The student must realize that in student houses he will not have the comfort he is used to from CR (especially the noise in the house and from the street, the houses in the center are old). The most modern accommodation can be found outside the centre in newer neighbourhoods, but it is quite expensive and furthermore such accommodation may not be on the metro line, which I consider crucial for getting around the city. It's a good idea to see if there is a supermarket or market close to the accommodation, as well as OXXO or 7 Eleven stores. Don't be lured into a house with a pool, the pool is likely to be dirty. I don't recommend choosing a room near the common areas (kitchen, living room, terrace).

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Not surprised. Maybe realizing that distances in the city are long and there is no student discount on fares. Bread that resembles Czech bread is expensive and hard to find. I had to go to the Carmele cafe in the Arcos Vallarta area of town to get it or go to La Comer supermarket (Fresko and City Market). There is no potable water in Mexico, some houses already have potable water included, in other places the student gets his own water. When the washing machines in the house broke down, I visited the public laundry. You can use UBER for transportation, but I didn't find it cheap. I found the subway and bus to be the most convenient safe transportation.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Some food can also be purchased at the pharmacy Farmacia Guadalajara, at a better price than in a supermarket. It is cheapest to buy at the market. I recommend a visit to the cinema, which is cheap. In the city it is possible to buy everything one needs, but one has to find it in the big city. One must take into account that the cheaper the accommodation, the less quality it will be.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Connections around the city can be found in the Moovit app, you don't have to buy a ticket, you can top up your public transport card in vending machines or in the OXXO shop, all in cash. On some buses you can pay with change, but only on some buses. Tickets outside the city are bought online or physically at the counter at the bus station.

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?Historic centre of Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque district, Zapopan Centro Basilica, Bosque Colomos Park. Traditional Sunday markets in the Tonalá district.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Mexico City.

Share your best experience:Traditional celebration of Easter in a Mexican family. I also want to highlight the character of the Mexicans, who were very good-hearted, helpful and always tried to help me with everything.

💅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?The price of a one-way ticket Europe - Mexico ranges from 12 000 to 42 000 CZK, so I recommend buying it as soon as the student is nominated for the stay. I have not seen the price of the ticket drop over time, on the contrary the price has gone up significantly.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?I recommend keeping a blanket from the plane, it will come in handy on air conditioned buses if one is traveling. To be calmer, I recommend vaccinations.

🥳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?I want to go back to Guadalajara. I met great people, improved my language.