Mobility specification

Country:France

Institution:Sciences Po Paris

City:Paris

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2023/2024

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies / Department of International Relations and European Studies

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?yes

Can you give an example?The credits that were written for the courses at the university were all accepted. So even a 10-credit course was fully recognized back at MUNI.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?In many ways the teaching differed from MUNI. All lectures and seminars had compulsory attendance. In case of absence, only a doctor's excuse was accepted. Each class was assigned a reading where there was always a discussion. The lecturers often called on everyone to express themselves. Perhaps the most shocking was the actual grading, where they did not grade A-F, but 0-20, with 20 being the highest grade. It had a catch though, getting a 20 was almost impossible. The mentality in France is that, 18 is for the best student in the class, 19 is for the teacher and 20 is for God. And even if the teacher wanted to give 20 to a student, he would have to justify it to the committee. Also, if he gave too many good grades, the committee had the right to lower it for the student. So a grade of 11-15 was considered very good, although somewhat depressing for us foreign students.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?There was the possibility of an orientation week before the start of the semester.

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?Getting on any Sciences track after was almost impossible. Priority was given to students with special needs, masters and doctoral students. So we had to look outside for an alternative. I found accommodation within CLJT (accommodation specific to students or young newcomers). So I stayed right in the city centre - CLJT La Vigie, a short walk from Notre-Dame. The accommodation cost me about 380€ per month and included breakfast and dinner. La Vigie is specifically for girls only, so I felt comfortable and safe.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Transportation is very expensive. A monthly subscription would cost around 7 thousand crowns. That's why I decided to walk to school (about 45 minutes away). Individual tickets cost about 2€ in the days before the Olympics, and I bought those on impulse when I needed to get to the other side of town. And in general, accommodation in Paris is very expensive. In other cities in France, it would cost at least half as much.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?The best option is to get used to walking everywhere (at least where you can). At the end of my stay, it felt like an hour walk to my destination was almost around the corner.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?not at all

How does public transport work in the city?neutral

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?I used apps like Citymapper, IDF Mobilité or simply Google maps. You can buy a card for €10, which you can top up with up to 10 rides at a discount of about €3/4. So instead of 20€ I was paying about 17€ for 10 rides. There are ticket booths at every metro stop.
PS: if you take the metro and mark your ticket, DON'T PULL IT. Very often there was a traffic control at the metro exit.

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

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?perfect

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?There are monuments on every corner in Paris. So I'll recommend some "must see" beyond the obvious ones like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. The Montparnasse skyscraper has a great view of the city on the top floor, best to get there before sunset to see the Eiffel Tower light up. Then, for example, the Dior museum, the le Marais district (for me the most authentic part of Paris), and in winter the Christmas stalls in the Jardin des Tuileries, and if you like military history then the Hôtel des Invalides. In warm sunny weather, then all sorts of gardens.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Outside Paris as day trips: the Monet Gardens in Giverny, the Château de Versailles or le Mont-Saint-Michel.

Share your best experience:With the student organization BDE Sciences Po we went on a day trip to Normandy to Étretat. Transportation was provided and the views of the cliffs were priceless.

💅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?Ryanair only flies to Beauvais, a city outside Paris that can only be reached by bus. The journey takes hours, or even two, depending on the traffic situation and especially if there are no farmers with tractors on the road.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Nothing specific is needed. We're not packing any courage in the trunk.

🥳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?Rien n'est impossible - nothing is impossible.