Mobility specification

Country:Belgium

Institution:Vrije University Brussel

City:Brussels

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2023/2024

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Economics and Administration

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?no

Does the university offer enough courses in English?they have tons

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?Marketing at MUNI for 8 credits was accepted for Strategic Marketing at VUB for 6 credits.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The teaching was very much illustrated by (historical) examples from practice, the theory rather just complemented it. At ECON MUNI I see it the other way around.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Orientation week is only in the fall semester, in the spring semester there is only Orientation day, other activities were not organized by the university as such, but this agenda was represented by the local ESN section.

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:22000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?I strongly advise against Facebook groups - they are 90% scams. I'd recommend the accommodation I stayed at - Van Orley Student house. It's a home for international students and there's a great community of like-minded people who want to make the most of their semester abroad.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Accommodation in Brussels is one of the most expensive in Europe.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Staying in Van Orley student house, instead of 600+ euros I paid only 480 for a double room.

🗺 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?Search for connections on Google maps, buy a yearly public transport ticket for 20 euros!

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

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?mostly fine

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Grand Place, Manneken Pis, St. Michael & St. Gudula Cathedral, Mont des Arts, Royal Palace of Brussels, Atomium, parks, museums.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, Dinant, Namur.

Share your best experience:Day trip to Luxembourg with friends from Van Orley.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Charleroi airport is an hour from Brussels and a bus ticket from the airport to the centre costs quite a lot.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Rain boots and clothing.

🥳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?Brussels, as the heart of Europe, is a great place from which to travel to the surrounding countries and its international culture welcomes every Erasmus student!