Mobility specification

Country:France

Institution:The French National Library and Information Science School

City:Villeurbanne

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Arts / Department of Information and Library Studies

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

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The schedule - I'm used to having the same subjects every week, but here they were different each week and I had to keep an eye on Celcat for changes. I couldn't get used to the length for a long time - I usually had two 3hour lectures each day, with an hour or two lunch break in between. I had quite a problem concentrating for those three hours, the breaks were quite short and I was really exhausted at the end of the day.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?No. We had a couple of meetings for international students - one meeting where we introduced ourselves and one where we took pictures, but it wasn't a format that helped us establish relationships; it also didn't help us integrate into the student body in general.

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 examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Right from the beginning I was surprised that I had to subscribe to wifi, and that I would also pay for the washing machine and dryer - I was only counting on paying extra for electricity and insurance. I also had some health problems during my stay; I had the urgent care for free as a European, but not the medication of course.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?My favorite is to walk everywhere and save money on transportation; however, in a big city this is tiring and not always feasible.

🗺 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?There are always ticket machines at the entrances to the metro, but you can also buy tickets with a credit card on each line. I searched for public transport connections via Google Maps, but there are also apps; the train one, for example, tends to also find the best route to the train 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?Definitely the point de confluence, where the rivers that flow through Lyon meet; then the old town, the Basilique de Fourviere, the Tete d'Or park, the square by the Hotel de Ville, etc.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Annecy, Marseille or Grenoble

Share your best experience:I can't really choose, but my top picks include a visit to the Musée de confluence, the fete de lumiere and a very political drag show.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Train
Bus

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?In Lyon, at least in my experience, the weather tends to fluctuate freaquently, so you have to prepare both for the heat and the cold.

🥳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?Challenging, but also empowering and enriching. Le jeu en valait la chandelle :)