Mobility specification

Country:Germany

Institution:University of Greifswald

City:Greifswald

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education / Department of German Language and Literature

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?Not really, pretty much the same approach as us, maybe more open!

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, there is an ESN here, so if you are interested and want to integrate as soon as possible, you can go hiking, into the city, or even to a party! There was also an orientation week, where we got to know more about the city and the running of the whole university.

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

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:15000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I was buying a bike, but that's because Greifswald is a very cycling town and is nicely built for it, otherwise I didn't have any unexpected expenses:).

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Definitely choose cheaper shops (e.g. Netto), don't go to the canteen so often, but if you have space to cook for yourself, if you want to travel, buy a D-Ticket (it's worth it even if it's quite expensive).

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?neutral

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Either in the MV Fährt gut app (city public transport - but only 3 lines, because everyone rides a bike:)) or directly in the DB app - DB Navigator (for long-distance connections, but it also shows you connections in the city, buses, trains), tickets can be bought online or in the machines at the station.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?perfect

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?The harbour, the zoo, Wieck - a fishing village a short walk from the centre (about 20 min by bike), the whole university is beautiful, and the town quiet.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Definitely Rügen and the chalk cliffs (the town of Sassnitz - you can get there by train), the entire Usedom coast towards the Polish border - the coast around the Baltic full of spa towns, you can also visit the Ozeaneum in Stralsund (20 min by train from Greifswald).

Share your best experience:Ironically, it was not in Greifswald, but in one spring week when we had a free time and decided to go on a trip to Denmark and Sweden (not far away either). In Sweden we were in a nature reserve and camping, sometime in April so there was hardly anyone there, and the nature was beautiful + we got to know each other more and strengthened relationships. But as for Greifswald, it was definitely picnics in the harbour and with local students and playing games outside, basically all those activities. For me personally there was one more unique experience and that was a steam locomotive ride on the Ruyana from Ostseebad Binz to Göhren (a 1938 locomotive), there really is something for everyone. Well, the weirdest experience was probably when I got a letter in my mailbox saying that I could vote for the city council as a resident of Greifswald for more than 27 days (you have to register at the office), and of course I went to vote, because how many times do you get to do that in a foreign 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?Prepare to pay for radio and TV (about €18/month).

Can you pay by card?neutral

What not to forget when packing?Maybe pack a LAN cable for the dorms as some dorms didn't have wifi router, yes even I was surprised. Then I would take a bike lock, bike lights and maybe a headlamp - if you buy a bike which is probably 100%.

🥳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 realized at Erasmus that I probably won't have this opportunity again in my lifetime, so take it!