Mobility specification

Country:Portugal

Institution:University of Madeira

City:Funchal

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education / Department 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?none

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?All subjects are taught in Portuguese, so I was assigned homework (essays, written assignments, e-portfolio creation). Completing them was the only criterion for getting credits, no exam followed, at most a presentation of my work in English in front of my Portuguese classmates. However, this could not be downloaded to all subjects and majors, some of my friends there took exams, wrote tests.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, there is a person called Diogo who works with the university and facilitates various activities for the students, primarily in the early stages of their stay. For 30€ you can get a membership with him, which makes it easy to participate in many events and activities such as canyoning, surfing, football, beach volleyball, pub trail, bachata course, pizza making workshop, etc. However, there are no orientation days, no "Erasmus buddies" concept.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
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?Whatsapp group where all Erasmus students are added by the foreign coordinator about 2 months before the start of their stay. It includes students from previous semesters who share tips.

WARNING - I heard about a lady who was looking for accommodation, I think, through Airbnb, and when she arrived there was no house there, it was a scam.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Deposit of two rents, which I paid one month before departure (one rent: 10 200 CZK).

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Get a tax number (NIF), then take it to the bus agency and get a bus pass (people <23 years old ride for free all over the island, people >23 years old don't ride for free, but it's still more convenient.
Next, look for housing so that you can walk from the nighttime sit-downs in downtown Funchal, as the buses don't run at night (from about midnight to 6am). I lived 10 mins by bus from the centre (Praça da Autonomia), but it was about 1hr and 20mins away on foot, which forced me to pay Bolts frequently.

🗺 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?mostly fine

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

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?I found Google Maps most useful for getting around Funchal and Rome2Rio or Horarios to Funchal for longer intercity routes.
You can buy a ticket for €2-3 from the driver (it's not transferable e.g. hourly, it's simply for the time from boarding to alighting only for the one bus on which I bought it, regardless of whether I'm going 1 or 20 stops). Better to get a tax number in the first week of Erasmus (Serviço de Finanças do Funchal institution) and then use it to get a GIRO bus card (Horarios institution). You can't get there much on foot or by bicycle because of the hilly terrain, and it's usually necessary to change trains at least once.

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?All possible viewpoints that can be easily found on Google Maps under the word Miradouro (e.g. Miradouro Pico dos Barcelos)
Rocky beaches + piers (Praia Formosa, Praia do Almirante Reis)
Promenades (Promenade da Praia Formosa, Promanade do Lido)
Parks (Santa Catarina, Jardim Municipal, Santa Luzia, Praça do Povo)
Cafés (Motya, Art Corner)
My fav snackbar: Bella 5
For a drink at a good price (100 Montaditos, A Poncharia, Super Poncha, Restaurante Barra Azul)

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Mountains: Pico do Areeiro, Pico Grande, Pico Ruivo

Trail along the cliffs from Caniçal via Boca do Risco to Porto da Cruz

Levadas: Caldeirao Verde, Ribeiro Frio, from Monte to Pico Alto, from Funchal (Sao Martinho) to Camara de Lobos

Ferry to Porto Santo island, rent bikes here and ride around (ideally be there for 2-3 days).

Fanal, Porto Moniz, Santana

Share your best experience:YOU CAN'T SAY ONE! Hitchhiking around the island in 1 afternoon (race in pairs, "hitchhiking challenge", stops along the way + sidequests).
Car rental and a 2-day roadtrip around the island.
Weekend in Porto Santo (biking, hiking, Airbnb stay with six friends).
Birthday celebrated on (for me) the most challenging hike: Curral das Freiras - Pico Grande - Boca da Corrida.
New Year's Eve (absolutely breathtaking fireworks!).
Surfing

💅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

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Pack a small suitcase scale (hanging scale) - we weigh your suitcase at home before you leave, but during your stay some things get damaged, thrown away, new ones bought + souvenirs etc. and the scale changes. The end of Erasmus is fraught with an oppressive feeling, and this extra stress is unnecessary. Sea shoes, some kind of mat/blanket for sitting on a rocky beach, something against mosquitoes, a thermometer are useful.

🥳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 best six months of my life. ❤️I think Madeira has set the bar very high for my future travels!