Mobility specification

Country:Norway

Institution:University of Bergen

City:Bergen

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?neutral

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Greater emphasis on autonomous student research / a more "academic" approach (not necessarily always an advantage).

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?I didn't notice much, rather the exchange student association was more active in these matters.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special aids and technologies (e.g., text-to-speech software, hearing aids)
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?A beer for 15 € will not please.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Shop mainly at Rema1000 or Kiwi and cook for yourself. Meny is too expensive and not to mention 24/7 expresses. When there are discounts, buy in bulk (30 cans of tuna always comes in handy). Although hard for us, abstinence pays off here and they only sell alcohol (anything harder than beer) in specialty shops. They make you pay - the cheapest bottle of vodka is 50 €.

🗺 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?Each municipality has its own app, Skyss specifically in Bergen. It's worth buying a half-year student pass right away.

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?All the mountains around Bergen, in May (I think) there is a "marathon" where you have to walk all 7 mountains in one day. It's a real challenge, but you can train for it.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Lofoten, Lofoten, Lofoten. Train trip from Bergen to Myrdal. In addition, I also saw Tromsø, Bodø, Oslo and Trondheim. I would only recommend Trondheim, I didn't like the others, but that's a personal opinion.

Share your best experience:Definitely a trip in the winter to the small Finnish village of Kilpisjärvi and a subsequent hike up the sacred Sámi mountain accompanied by the Northern Lights. I was lucky with the weather though, no need to expect much, one is easily disappointed.

💅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?Bergen is tiny, so it takes about 25 minutes to get from the airport to the dorm by shuttle, and 45 minutes to the city centre. If you want to drink/smoke, take full advantage of the duty free shop at the airport, but they have quotas. Everywhere else will just be more expensive after that. And don't buy aquavit, it's even worse booze. Heck, Norwegians are almost completely cash-less. It's really hard to get any, but they don't really need it either. Even at the mountain lodges you can pay by card. One more thing: Take advantage of BUA (preferably a branch of Skattkammeret), a free rental shop for all outdoor equipment. You just need a Norwegian phone number, so find a buddy who has one. Final note: It's raining. Like seriously, it's raining and windy all the time. Bergen is one of the rainiest cities in Europe. When the sun shines, drop everything and run outside.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Extra money, it really comes in handy. If you think you have enough, you don't. Norway is really expensive. Hence some rain gear. Or not, you just get used to it after a while. And sunscreen will probably be unnecessary. But you can buy everything there, just to remind you again, at a pretty high price.

🥳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 part of undergraduate study. If I had planned it better, I would have extended my stay for one more semester.