Mobility specification

Country:United Kingdom

Institution:University of Derby

City:Derby

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies / Department of Media Studies and Journalism

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?no

Does the university offer enough courses in English?neutral

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?2 foreign credits = 1 MU credit

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?I was surprised that it was a completely different ecosystem than I was used to at MU. Each course had 2 big graded exams at the end and the work during the semester was based on the recommended activities. Many of the seminar classes also served as ,,just" co-work, which I found a bit unnecessary. Teachers were also commonly addressed by first name.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?This is not only exclusive to international (Erasmus) students, but the university offers an orientation week, fairs and a rich programme of student events organised by the senior students themselves with free entry (included in the price of the dormitory).

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special aids and technologies (e.g., text-to-speech software, hearing aids)
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Crisis intervention
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)

💸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?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I was surprised that it is possible to leave 14,000 CZK per month for a dorm - and this was the cheapest option even for locals, comparable in quality to a better student apartment in Brno.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?I'm afraid I don't.

🗺 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?I've seen better

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

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

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?terrible

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Definitely the local park. It's as big as the whole city, so you can't miss it. It's a beautiful place with woods, lakes and lots of busy and quiet paths. There's also a meadow nearby where horses graze.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Definitely to the neighbouring towns and especially to London! It's just under two hours by train direct and you can take in the sights in the off-season.

Share your best experience:The best experience was definitely getting to know the locals. You get to know how things work in the country, make a lot of new friends and broaden your horizons in many ways. But if I had to pick one moment, it would be curling up with other students in front of the dorms and sipping hot chocolate with marshmallows outside while snow fell over our heads.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?yes

Where can it be arranged?Online on the official website.

What is needed?Mostly just passport data.

How long does it take approximately?In half an hour.

How did you get to the place?Plane
Train
Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Don't complicate your trip unnecessarily, especially when it comes to flights. There are several flights directly to Derby (East Midlands Airport), you just need to look in other countries around the Czech Republic (Poland, Germany, etc.). It's also good to know that there is another Derby in Australia, also with an airport, so don't get confused. :)

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?A knife. Easily forgotten during packing, but almost impossible to buy here for safety reasons. I also highly recommend packing all prescription medications, contact lenses, etc. so that they cover the entire length of your stay even with a reserve. The local medical system is set up in such a way that it is virtually impossible to get anything on prescription here.

🥳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?The hardest part of the whole stay was the paperwork and the slight panic right at the beginning. Once you get over that, it only gets better.