Young-Ji, a student in applied language, currently on an Erasmus exchange at the Universität Würzburg in Germany 🇩🇪 tells us about her experience.

‘The city of Würzburg is very welcoming to students. I chose to take a flat through the Studentenwerk and was able to move into a flat a close from the university. TheInternational House is home to many students and even has a laundry and other facilities such as a gym and a common room where you can organise parties.

Würzburg has 2 castles 🏰 both built in different styles. One is similar to the Château de Versailles, in the heart of the city. The decor is sumptuous, but different to the French style. The garden is also very beautiful and I like to wander around it from time to time, as it's freely accessible.

Germany is also a country with the Pfand (deposit) system, which allows consumers to be rewarded (in vouchers) when they deposit their plastic bottles/aluminium cans in a machine set up for this purpose. I think this is great for environment ♻️🌍.

As I arrived several weeks before the official start of the course, I was able to take intensive German course, which is offered for free to international students. I was able to learn and revise my basics, alongside international students of a similar level (several levels are available, you have to take a placement test before enrolling). The pace was fast but I was able to learn a lot of new vocabulary.

My university courses were very interesting. I had a hard time getting used to the lecture format in a lecture hall (the echo can make it difficult to understand), but the course materials help a lot 📖.

I attend my classes on 2 campuses but fortunately the tuition fee covers the Semesterticket, a travel pass valid throughout the city 🚌.’