Mobility specification

Country:Spain

Institution:University of Zaragoza

City:Zaragoza

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Medicine / General Medicine

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?yes

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?As I am studying medicine, I really appreciated the organization of clinical internships in the hospital. Each student was assigned to one doctor who worked only with him/her during the internship, so the teaching was much more individual. On the other hand, what I greatly disliked was the examination period in Spanish universities. Students have pre-determined exam dates and it is possible to have up to 3 exams in one week. I prefer to be able to choose the dates of the exams and plan my own study time for each subject.

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:16000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Personally, I recommend idealista.com, where there are really countless offers and no added service fees like the sites recommended by e.g. the university. However, it is important to take into account that there is a risk of false offers and therefore to check them carefully.
I used Hosrent, which was recommended to me, but I think you can find better accommodation for the same price. Unfortunately, I was unlucky with the apartment manager who gave me bad information about paying the rent (fortunately she was replaced by another one after 14 days of my arrival), so overall it was unpleasant to learn afterwards that they were asking me for more money than the lady told me at the beginning. Fortunately, her successor was helpful and, thanks to the back-up chat, she sorted everything out with me afterwards, so in the end I was more or less satisfied with Hosrent.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?It's important to clarify everything about accommodation (especially if it's through Idealist etc) in advance and preferably have all the cottages/emails "backed up" and available in case any problems arise. From my own experience, it's better to ask a few questions beforehand and make sure you really know what you're going to pay in the end (security deposit, company fee, rent, additional services).

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Find out your transport options and any preferable fare types.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?neutral

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?I always searched for connections in the city via Google Maps, when traveling to another city I recommend the Trainline app for trains (better to buy tickets well in advance) and Alsa for buses.

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?Zaragoza won me over with everything, the people, the culture, the sights, the events, the atmosphere. The quintessential must-see sight for everyone is the Cathedral de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, located in Plaza Pilar in the center of the city, and you can also climb up one of its towers. Furthermore, the Palacio de Aljafería, the Central Market and the ruins of the Romanesque Theatre are very beautiful sights. Then the urban area of La Magdalena and not forgetting the most beautiful Parque Grande.
Every year in October Zaragoza hosts the spectacular Fiestas del Pilar, which is a fusion of Spanish traditions, nightlife, dancing, singing, food, etc. and people from all over Spain flock here, so during the autumn semester this is an integral part.
You also need to experience at least once a proper Spanish fiesta with Spanish music, tapas and tinto de verano in, for example, El Tubo street.
For coffee lovers, I recommend Justicia Cafe, Acho Coffee, Matisse Salamero Cafe and Veintiuno Bakery (the best sweet in town).

What are the must-visit trip destinations?It is possible to plan trips on your own, but there are two organisations for international students in the city, ISA and Erasmus Club Zaragoza, which organise and organise trips for larger groups to most of the places I've listed here.
Very close to Zaragoza are the Pyrenees, which are beautiful, and for me it's worth making at least one trip to Ordessa NP. I have visited the Ordesa Valley and the Ibon de Piedrafita. No very special equipment was needed for these two hikes, anyway hiking boots and clothing is definitely an advantage but not a necessity. Furthermore, the Monasterio de Piedra is close by.
From the cities, Madrid (I recommend all 10), Barcelona, possibly Bilbao, San Sebastian and Valencia are very accessible by train or bus.

Share your best experience:It's not possible to choose just one, as my Erasmus was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I would probably highlight not being afraid of meeting new people, being yourself as much as possible, travelling and exploring not only Zaragoza but other places and simply not being afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone, as this is how you get the best experiences and experiences ever.
For me, the greatest experience was probably making friends for life and trying out living on my own in Spain.

💅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?Buy train tickets well in advance.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Zaragoza is typically quite cold weather, so don't be fooled and especially for the autumn semester, definitely don't forget winter clothes (even winter jackets), summer clothes are not really that necessary.

🥳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?Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, create experiences and get to know new people, cultures, places and university environments.