Mobility specification

Country:Spain

Institution:Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC)

City:Barcelona

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2021/2022

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Informatics

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?neutral

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Compared to FI, the teaching was more practical, more projects, often in groups, less exams and memorization.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?We didn't have anything going on because of the covid, normally I think there is something.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸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?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Websites Housing Anywhere, Spotahome...

Do you have any tips on how to save money?We saved a lot of money by sharing a room with two people.
Carefour is expensive compared to other supermarkets, Lidl and Mercadona are the best for me. I recommend buying fruit and veg from small stalls and supermarkets, it's usually better and cheaper.

🗺 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?I've seen better

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Search on Google maps, tickets in vending machines at bus stops.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?neutral

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?For me, every possible nook and cranny of Montuic.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Montserrat - just outside Barcelona and it's beautiful.

Share your best experience:At the end we went on a short trek in the Pyrenees and I was very pleasantly surprised. If you like mountains, I'd recommend Andorra in particular, it's beautiful and the tourists are luxuriously catered for - lots of rather luxurious lodges for a free night's stay and an unexpected number of springs.

💅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
Train
Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Some types of public transport tickets are not valid for the airport metro. You can also take the train from the airport, which is valid.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?In Barcelona, 99% of the time the weather is beautiful. However, the apartments are not really prepared for the winter heat, it's pretty cold, there are tiles on the floor and no proper heating, so I recommend warm home clothes and socks.

🥳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?I was looking forward to Erasmus for a long time and in the end it exceeded my expectations, it opened my mind a lot. It would be a shame not to take advantage of the opportunity.