Mobility specification

Country:Norway

Institution:University of Inland Norway

City:Elverum

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2023/2024

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education / Department of Social 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

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)
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:15000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

Do you have any tips on how to save money?In Norway, it would definitely be Holdbart, a discount grocery store with discounted food and also various cleaning products. Then there's also a pretty widespread trend of secondhand shops with all sorts of stuff, like kitchen equipments, which is also pretty handy because, for example, my dorm kitchen was unequipped.

🗺 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?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?For trains all over Norway it's an app called You and all tickets can be bought online. Then for buses it can vary by county, so it's good to keep an eye on that when travelling. For Innlandet, where Hamar is located, the Entur app worked. Then for travelling around Oslo you need an app called Ruter.

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?Hamar is a smaller town, but beautiful, and I never got tired of walking around it. For me it's probably mainly Mjøsa, Norway's largest lake, on the shores of which Hamar is situated, it's really beautiful.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?From the surrounding area, definitely a trip to Lillehammer to see the waterfalls and the ski jump or of course Oslo, both about an hour train ride from Hamar. On a broader scale around Norway I would definitely not skip visiting at least one national park, there really is so much to choose from. Then Trondheim, Bergen and Tromsø are all worth a visit!

Share your best experience:It's a bit of a Norwegian cliché, but it must be how my classmates and I first saw the Northern Lights. It was even more special since the locals told us that there wasn't much of that possibility in Hamar, as it is after all quite far south. We even managed to see it twice during our stay, the first time in September and the second time in November, and both were amazing experiences!

💅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

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Arriving in Oslo, the train journey to Hamar is no problem at all, as there is a train directly from Gardemoen to Hamar. However, the earlier you buy your ticket the cheaper it will be, so maybe just watch out for that.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Warm, but most importantly, WATERPROOF clothing is must have for Norway, especially if you are planning on going on trips. I came there during the summer, so the weather was still nice at the beginning of my stay, but later in the winter sometimes the north wind got really harsh. But if you forget to pack such equipment, I recommend Sports Outlet, where you can get cool outdoor and sports stuff at really good prices!

🥳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?In my opinion, Erasmus is an opportunity not to be denied, so don't be afraid to go to Hamar (or anywhere else), by all means! Or feel free to be scared, but you know what: If you're scared to do it, do it scared!