Mobility specification

Country:Estonia

Institution:University of Tartu

City:Tartu

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2018/2019

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education / Department of Czech Language and Literature

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?they have tons

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?I think the University of Tartu is of a very high standard. I was most convinced by the English C1 course, where the requirements were spread evenly throughout the semester. Thanks to the continuous assignments and tests, the exam period was not as demanding as it usually is at our faculty.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?ESN Tartu is very active in this respect, not only welcoming and saying goodbye to students, but also offering a large number of events throughout the semester. Especially thanks to these events (pub crawl, pool party, karaoke, trips to Lapland, etc.) I made a lot of friends that I still meet today.

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:10000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I was positively surprised by the possibility of foreign trips organized by ESN. I took advantage of the trip to Lapland and St. Petersburg. Although it was an extra expense, I count it among my best memories today.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Estonia is one of the cheaper countries and the cost of living is not much higher than what we are used to in Brno. It depends on how much the student wants to travel and explore during their stay. I myself, even with the help of my parents, tried to invest in almost everything that came up - especially foreign tours and regular ESN events. Thanks to this, I got to experience a lot of new things, but most importantly, I got to socialize.

🗺 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?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Everything in Tartu was within a pleasant walking distance, so I didn't need to use public transport regularly. But if anyone did use public transport, they arranged for a Bussikaart at the kiosk. Tartu also has a great city bike system, which can be easily and cheaply rented through the Tartu Smart Bike app. There are comfortable Elron trains to Tallinn, where you can pay for your ticket with a card in the carriage (or buy online on the Elron website). For travelling around Estonia, I would recommend renting a car, e.g. via the Citybee app.

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?Estonian National Museum, Möku student bar, Krempel café, Kivi bar, the ruins of the cathedral, Vilde ja Vine restaurant for lunch menu, Aparaat, Barlova and the whole Karlova district.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?The capital Tallinn, Viljandi, Alatskivi Castle on Lake Peipsi, Saaremaa Island.

Share your best experience:My favourite memories are of student life in Tartu itself. I fell in love with the city at first sight and I still love going back there. The city has a lot of cultural activities and amazing cafes and bars. But the trip to Lapland was definitely a great experience, and I had the best winter holiday ever (including reindeer and dog sledding, the Northern Lights and a Finnish sauna with an icy natural lake).

💅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

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?My first trip to Tartu was by bus from Prague and I would never make that mistake again. The journey was exhausting. It's much better to take flights from Prague or Vienna to Tallinn and then take a LuxExpress bus or Elron train directly to Tartu. Flights to Riga and then direct buses to Tartu are another option, but it's more time consuming than from Tallinn.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Overall, I recall colder weather, so definitely warm clothes. Estonia is a few degrees cooler than the Czech Republic every year. In the summer, watch out for mosquitoes, there are plenty of them, so get some repellent.

🥳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?The best decision of my life that has moved me forward by leaps and bounds. If you have the chance, go!