Mobility specification

Country:Norway

Institution:University of Agder

City:Kristiansand

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education / Department of Primary 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?it's alright

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?I was enrolled in three courses that usually covered 2-3 hours in one block. At the same time, I had at most one class per day, so it was a bit unusual for me. At MU I have a rather hectic schedule, but again, one subject usually covers about an hour.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, the very first week of arrival was "buddy week", when we divided into small groups with one of the buddy team and did various activities like City tour or Pub Quiz, which you really appreciate at the beginning.
Every Sunday there was a hike in the surrounding countryside, at least once a month there was karaoke, some kind of creative group activity or various quizzes.

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)
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:14500 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Well, to be honest it was more of a mistake on my part, for example when I bought a monthly bus pass at full price and only then found out there was a student one.
It's just really important not to be afraid to ask a lot of questions.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?I would definitely recommend asking people from, for example, the buddy team or the local Erasmus student office first. Most of them have been here longer, so they already have experience, like tips on discount apps or books (literature for classes) and second-hand stuff.
As far as accommodation facilities are concerned, there are swap rooms where outgoing students leave e.g. dishes and new arrivals can take what they want from those things (for free). But it's also about speed, so the first to arrive has a better choice.
For me the cheapest shops were Rema and Kiwi, then the Too Good to go app with discounted food and groceries, and then of course with many student events there was free food, so a good place too.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?As for connections, the best one is Mapy.cz, even non-Czech students use it here.
Bus tickets can only be bought through the AktBillet app - both single and long term, and tip: long term tickets are cheaper than single tickets. There's another app for trains, but buses are the main ones in town.
Anyway, Norway is more or less a cashless country, so they have apps for everything.

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?I definitely recommend the award-winning Kunst Silo gallery, then the surrounding islands like Odderøya or Flekkerøy, Gimle Botanisk museum, the zoo and I highly recommend going on Sunday hikes, which were around the area and you had a better overview of what was there.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?I'd say outside the area, definitely cities like Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Arendal, Prekestolen, Grimstadt...

Share your best experience:Definitely the hike up Prekestolen, which is over three hours by car from Kristiansand, but the feeling at the top is indescribable.

💅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
Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Buy your ticket through Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), they have the cheapest tickets for flights. There's a bus stop right at the airport exit, so that's great. Then when you arrive as an Erasmus student during the first Orientation week, a buddy group will pick you up at the airport or train station.
However, the problem here for me was mainly through the Czech phone number, which didn't work either for ordering a taxi or communicating with the university, so ideally communicating with the uni via email and ordering an Uber instead of a taxi.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Thermal underwear, waterproof jacket, spices (small selection for me), something nicer (e.g. for parties and stuff), rather more thinner clothes and then layer up because it can be cold and snowy as well as warm without clouds, but it depends which season you come, and definitely a raincoat or waterproof boots, because it rains a lot 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?Erasmus has given me a lot of experience, but in a different way than I would have expected. Don't expect what's expected, Erasmus expects.