Mobility specification

Country:Lithuania

Institution:Mykolas Romeris University

City:Vilnius

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2023/2024

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies / Department of Psychology

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?they have tons

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?First of all, I realized how good the quality of my psychology major at FSS is. The service and course offerings made Mykolas Romeris a great choice for an international student. However, the class load was not that enriching, which was compensated by the erasmus life with students from all over the world and the convenient, albeit modest, campus. When I met the Lithuanians, several told me that MRU did not have a very good reputation and people who did not get into Vilnius University were going there.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?The ESN branch was functioning very well, with mainly students from abroad. Almost every week there was an event. Before the beginning of the semester we even had two trips for Erasmus students, which we didn't pay for, if I'm not mistaken.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Other

Special needs - Other:MRU probably had these measures, but I didn't pay attention to them. I only know of the possibility of psychological counselling, which a friend went to and was not happy with it (the counsellor was more focused on studying and getting through the semester than on psychological difficulties).

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:8000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?The lunch menu with soup in the canteen cost €5, which was felt when visited daily.
It was definitely surprising that there is no public transport in Vilnius after midnight. In addition, the city centre was quite far from the MRU campus, so people had to leave early from nightlife venues or buy Bolt, which used to be overpriced sometimes (e.g. at 3 a.m. to get from the centre to the campus, 10 km away, for 20 EUR). It was worth finding a person with a driving licence, filling a car with five people and renting a Bolt car (just like you would rent a Bolt scooter) - such a trip with a full car could then cost easily 1 EUR per person.

Alcohol is more expensive in Lithuania. Therefore, students filled the +++ establishments, which were a great place to meet people from other universities or locals.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?For public transport there is an app called Trafi, where students can get a discount of up to 80% and buy a ticket for several months.

It is definitely worth getting an Iki store card, without it the store is quite expensive. There was also a Lidl and Norfa around campus (I liked that one, it had everything).

There was also a Jammi kebab near Norfa, which was a nice place to eat at night, as it was open 24 hours a day and in every branch in town. Of the restaurants, the London Grill franchise was great. It had several branches around town, the food was cheap and amazingly good.

Supposedly you could negotiate accommodation in the Vilnius University dorms, which were only €50/month (MRU was €100) and were in better condition than MRU.

Internet data is extremely cheap in Lithuania for Czechs, it's definitely worth it to stop paying the Czech tariff and buy a prepaid sim card every month in one of the Lithuanian chain stores (or then recharge e.g. 3 GB in Lithuania + 3 GB in EU for 4 EUR per month).

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?with gestures

How does public transport work in the city?runs like clockwork

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

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?For public transport there is an app called Trafi, where students can get a discount of up to 80% and buy a ticket for several months. However, there is no public transport after midnight (it only runs on special days, like public holidays or festivals).

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?Užupis, an urban district with street art and an interesting history. Parks around Gediminaus Tower, climbing the Hill of Three Crosses. Squares in the city centre. Museums, specifically I went to the MoMuseum and it was great - I think on some days the museums were free. The churches are interesting as for historical reasons Lithuania has churches mostly dating back to the late Renaissance, I also personally found it interesting to visit the cemeteries (especially on All Souls Day).

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Kaunas, Klaipeda, Trakai.

Share your best experience:ESN nights and parties. Night drives through empty Vilnius. Borrowing gloves to each other because of an unexpected cold. Walking around town with a thermos of tea. Evenings in the dorms and in the kitchen. Sliding down a hill on a plastic bag. Sharing humour, opinions and beating each other in inviting to one's country.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?I got off the bus at the most northern stop, but it was still quite a long walk to campus. Moreover, this part of the city was a bit difficult for pedestrians; I was not yet familiar with public transportation.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Thermal wear for underwear and as much wool clothing as possible. Cotton gets wet and cold. At dorms, one could benefit from having their own frying pan and pot (but departing students usually swap or underbid them).

It's important not to forget to take home a glass pint from +++, it's a kind of sport because of which there is a good portion of +++ gear scattered across the nine floors of MRU dorms.

🥳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?With good friends, even the harsh Lithuanian winter can be survived in the warmth.