Mobility specification

Country:Germany

Institution:University of Regensburg

City:Regensburg

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2023/2024

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Economics and Administration

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

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?The teaching in Regensburg was at a high level, I liked the way the lectures and seminars were designed. The system was similar to the ESF. What I found a bit disappointing was the lack of interesting business courses in German, because even though I enrolled and studied them in Regensburg together with Germans, the teaching was in English. What I would definitely recommend to everyone is the Scientific Approach to Wellbeing course, where the lectures deal with research focusing on various aspects of wellbeing and then the seminars are practically oriented.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes! They have a great international department that gives welcome information lectures, campus tours and helps with adjustment. Then throughout the semester they had regular meetings over coffee and snacks where there was an opportunity to network and possibly ask questions. They also organised trips to nearby towns and the countryside. The ISNR (International Student Network Regensburg) was also great in Regensburg and they also organised events, trips, dinners together and much more.

Uni Regensburg offers 2 ways to integrate. Either classically one week before the semester starts is orientation week. Or the student arrives about 5 weeks (can't remember exactly) earlier for an intensive German course. There is an orientation week and then 4 weeks of daily German lessons (adapted to the level of the students per group). I took the 2nd option, even though my German was already fine before I arrived, and I would recommend it too. It was definitely not money wasted (the course is paid, but Erasmus students get a discount). It was great to brush up on the language, but I saw the huge benefit of arriving early in that it extended my stay, gave me the space and time to get to know the university environment, see how things work and make friends. We then had a week off between the German course and the start of the semester, which we used to travel and explore the city. This gave us an advantage over those who didn't arrive until the orientation week before the semester, because we were already familiar with the system and it wasn't too much to do at once when we had to start picking courses and making a schedule. We already had friends, we were already oriented in our accommodations, and overall it was better for us. Also, the fact that the weather was still summery during the German course was a big plus, so we enjoyed the city with the sun. During the semester, it wasn't so pleasant and it was a classic German autumn.

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
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)
I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:26000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?The big expenses were before the actual departure for the Erasmus, so I recommend to take that into account. It was around 1000 Euro. The university required you to pay an invoice for a German course (it was voluntary, but I would highly recommend it), a deposit for accommodation and first rent (my rent was 365 Euro/month then) a study fee (not directly tuition, but for administration etc). I didn't have any unexpected expenses during the semester. However, we had to compulsorily set up an account with a German bank (the university helped us with this) because they would not accept payment for dorm rent from non-German Euro accounts. Neither Revolut nor a Czech euro account. I ended up opening a student account with Sparkasse and was completely satisfied.

But what surprised me were the high prices in cafes and restaurants. But eventually I got used to it and accepted it.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?I definitely recommend using Deutschlandticket. It's only paid once a month, students get a big discount, and it allows you to travel on all regional trains throughout Germany and all public transport in all German cities without extra fees or hassle. As a result, my travel expenses weren't that high and I was able to travel a large part of Germany.

Aldi and Lidl are great for grocery shopping, that way the groceries are cheaper, but Rewe and Netto are nice too. I don't recommend Edek because it's expensive.

By studying at a German university, you'll also have German email and thanks to it access to German Amazon Prime for free :).

The university also offers sports for 20 Euro per semester. This made it relatively cheap for me to take dance and yoga classes, for example.

It's great to buy second hand furniture. I used the Whatsapp group and the Telegram group we had in the dorms, where people were selling second-hand stuff for great prices. So I bought a wardrobe, drawers and a rubbish bin. Then I just picked up a shoe rack, a mirror, and a beautiful monster (which made my stay and room more comfortable) for free. I then sold or gave away all the furniture without any problems. It saved me a lot of nerves and money.

🗺 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?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?I searched for connections on the RVV app (public transport, trains, buses) or DB navigator (trains) or google maps ;). I definitely recommend buying a Deutschlandticket every month with the student discount it's super cheap and thanks to it you don't have to buy any more tickets. It is valid for all public transport in all cities in Germany and also for all regional trains. The only downside to public transport in Regensburg is that the night services, as we are used to them from the Brno night buses, hardly work at all. So at night one had to walk. Luckily it's not that far, so about 10-50 min walk and that's it.

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?Definitely Steinerne Brücke and Donau. Dult. Donaustauf. Walhalla. Botanical Garden of the University of Regensburg, Dom, ...

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Anywhere in Germany. The train works best. For me the cool cities (in random order as I remembered them) were Munich, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Berlin, Neuschweinstein Castle, Ingolstadt, Passau, Landshut, Augsburg, Tübingen, Heidelberg, Konstanz (I recommend it a lot) and other towns around Lake Constance, Wurzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bamberg, Ulm, Nuremberg, ... Nature walks are also great, like the hike to the Räuberhohle cave. The Alps are also relatively close by, if that appeals to anyone...

Share your best experience:The best experience cannot be chosen. I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and make friends, I met people from all over the world and I have already visited some of them after returning from Erasmus (e.g. a friend in Finland). I also used the space to travel and discover Germany. Of course the whole stay wasn't all rosy, but I think I managed to make the best of it :).

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Car

Can you pay by card?neutral

What not to forget when packing?By driving (my parents drove me and made a trip out of it), I had an easier time packing. But I definitely recommend using compression bags and garment bags (the kind that you just vacuum the air out of with a vacuum cleaner), it saved me a lot of space and money because I was able to bring, for example, my bedding and winter jackets and sweaters without losing a lot of space. And I also recommend a camera (preferably analog) to capture authentic memories :). I could also use a backpack/small suitcase for weekend trips in Germany. And a secret tip: make sure you brig good thermal underwear. It's good for walking around Christmas markets, hiking and just to stay warm:).

🥳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 in Regensburg was an amazing experience. I discovered many beautiful places in Germany, met great people and practiced my German. Don't hesitate to go abroad! :)