If you’re beginning first or second year at university, Erasmus or studying abroad might be on your radar.
Maybe it came up in a lecture, or in a conversation with a final-year student who just came back from a semester overseas. However it finds you, studying abroad is one of those opportunities that can creep up quietly, and end up becoming a defining part of your college experience.
Erasmus+, an EU student mobility programme, allows students in participating universities to spend between two to 12 months abroad, studying, training or both. Most students opt for a semester or full academic year.
For Irish students, you continue to pay your fees at your home institution, with no additional tuition fees at the host institution. You also receive a grant intended to help with living expenses, and those in receipt of a SUSI grant typically get an additional top-up.
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Many Irish universities also offer exchanges or study abroad programmes with partner institutions outside the EU, such as the US, Canada, Australia or Asia, giving you even more options to explore the world while completing your degree.
Whether you’re just beginning to think about studying abroad, or already deep into planning and budgeting, these tips from students who’ve been around the block can help you make the most of your experience.
Be ready for a different learning style
Ixim Hernandez, a recent graduate of European Studies at Trinity College, spent his first semester of third year at Universidad de Sevilla in Spain
Hernandez felt the Spanish style of learning at his university “was a little bit more like the secondary school style that we have here [in Ireland], where there is less of a focus on self-guided learning, there’s a lot more contact hours, and you follow the book a lot more than you would in Irish universities”.
[ Erasmus+: A life-changing chance to study, train and grow abroadOpens in new window ]
Pack a warm jacket - even if it is a hot country
Hernandez was surprised that even though Seville is known for its hot weather, “a lot of us ended up suffering from the cold at night in winter, because it does get quite cold in Seville”.
He recommends packing an extra blanket or a warm jacket.
“Of course, if you’re heading to the south of Spain, the last thing you expect to suffer from is the cold, but a lot of the houses in Seville aren’t really that well equipped to deal with the cold that comes in around winter,” he says.
Yes, paperwork can be a slow pain
“A lot of us in Seville had a tough time getting registered, because the system that they use in Seville is mostly done through physical paperwork,” he notes. Hernandez and fellow Erasmus students had to travel to an office for international students to register, which he says was “quite far from the university”.
Getting registered was a slow process. “There were only two secretaries there, dealing with hundreds of Erasmus students all through paperwork, so it’s really slow,” he says.
English fluency has its advantages
From Hernandez’s experience, he found that “when you have this mingling of different European nationalities, very often English is the main spoken language, and a lot of people are actually trying to actively improve their English during Erasmus, even if they’re going somewhere like Spain.”
[ Am I eligible to take part in the Erasmus programme?Opens in new window ]
He says that “being Irish and being fluent in English is a super advantage”, and advises students to “make the most of that, because people will want to make friends with you, and you can interchange languages easier”.
Is there a local GAA team? Consider joining
Sophie Gallagher, a recent graduate of politics and international relations at UCD, spent her second semester of third year in Charles University, Prague in the Czech Republic
While living in Prague, Gallagher joined the Prague Hibernians GAA Club, which she says was “one of the most pivotal parts and enjoyable experiences of my Erasmus”, while also being “completely out of my comfort zone”.
“The last time I had kicked a football was about 10 years before my Erasmus,” she says. “But we trained twice a week, with a blitz with other European teams every couple of weeks. I travelled to Rome and Berlin to play football tournaments, which is completely unthinkable to a former me.”
Commute times could be shorter
While studying at UCD, it could take Gallagher, who lives in Meath, up to an hour and a half to get to class. When she moved to Prague, she was a 20-minute subway or tram ride away from Charles University, or a 40-minute walk. A taxi costing the equivalent of €4 would also get her there in 10 minutes.
“This access to the city and college was such a novelty that I knew wouldn’t last forever,” she says.
Make the most of new experiences
Gallagher advises students to “stay out late” and to always say yes to plans. She feels that studying abroad is a “rare opportunity where you are in a new city, partially funded and full of energy”.
“I carried this sentiment with me during my time in Prague. I knew I would never be young and unemployed in a brand new city ever again. Erasmus has a built in expiry date where you have no choice but to make the most of it before it ends.”
[ I’ve just come back to Ireland. The reverse culture shock is all too realOpens in new window ]
Save, save, save
Emily Sheehan, a final year law and history student at Trinity College, spent her first semester of third year at the University of Bologna in Italy
For Sheehan, while the Erasmus grant was a nice “cash injection”, she still relied on “my own finances, from working throughout the summer and help from my family”, to fund travel, living expenses and rent.
While “the rent in Bologna was cheaper than in Dublin”, it was difficult for Sheehan to find a room that would allow her to stay for just one semester. “I had to rent it for an extra month that I wasn’t there for.”
“Groceries were also somewhat similar [in price] to Ireland, however other expenses were much lower, like cafe prices, or alcohol,” she says.
Try and speak the local language - locals appreciate it
While living in Bologna, Sheehan took Italian classes. “It seemed like any local people really appreciated when you spoke, even very broken, Italian to them, so it was very encouraging.”
She notes there was a bit of a language barrier at times, but “most people spoke English to some level, so it was very manageable”.
[ Erasmus: ‘It helped me find and become the person I am and want to be’Opens in new window ]
Don’t put pressure on yourself
“It’s nice to live in the bubble of Erasmus for a semester or a year, but don’t expect to leave any stress and anxiety behind you,” Sheehan notes. “If anything, they follow you as you leave your friends, family and established routine.”
However, “that’s all part of the experience”, she says. “It’s a lot more than just moving to a new country and having fun for a few months, but learning to really live alone, dealing with experiences and emotions being away from home, and learning not to put too much pressure to live up to an expectation of life rather than just living it.”
Budget your travel
Sheehan recommends low-cost bus travel companies such as Flixbus to students who hope to travel while away. “Bologna was nicely connected to the rest of Europe, and I took an eight-hour bus to Salzburg to visit a friend of mine on Erasmus there,” she says.
“I would advise people not to be afraid of a long travel time if you are heading somewhere; the buses are cheap, and tend to go all over Europe. It’s worth a few long hours to get to see the sights of the continent.”
For more information on Erasmus and study abroad opportunities, consult your higher education institution’s international office or visit eurireland.ie
