Erasmus opportunities in Czech Republic

 

I spend a semester abroad at the Brno University of Technology in Brno during my bachelor’s program, the second largest city in Czech Republic in 2022. Me and my friend from university decided to go together and we were really happy to go to Czech Republic.

I chose to go abroad because I’ve already been in Erasmus previous year, and I decided to go again. Also, I wanted to know other cultures as well. It’s exciting to be exposed to a completely new situation and to leave familiar surroundings. Moreover, I was also interested in how other universities create their degree programs.

I decided to go to Czech Republic in particular because of its location and I wanted to get to know the country and its culture better. I also paid attention to whose universities’ courses I was most interested in. Brno is a typical student town with a large university.

Personally, I think it’s more relaxing to do an Erasmus during summer semester because the weather is nicer and if you have an opportunity, you can stay a little bit longer during summer there or travel around.

I had the feeling that some lectures and seminars were much more relaxed and interesting as well. However, some subjects were really difficult because some of them were from master’s degree. I chose these subjects because there were no options in bachelor’s degree. But overall, I passed all the exams and everything was okay. I took most of the courses together with many other Erasmus students. We often worked together in groups. For instance, in Service Management course, we worked in groups very often. The course was very practice oriented, so you could apply your theoretical knowledge. I studied at the Faculty of Business Management, which was quite modern and technically well equipped.

I had all my courses in English. I’m already studying in English at my home university, so it wasn’t a big change for me, as I also got used to the Czech accent very quickly.

Before I went to Czech Republic, I looked for the dormitory. The dormitory process was understandable for me since I had some experience from my previous Erasmus. If you have any questions or doubts, you can always search on the university website or write an email. In general, the area of dormitory was really good and comfortable because the university itself was close to the dormitories. It was like two minutes of walking.

During my time in Czech Republic, I had the chance to travel a lot. Not only within the country but also the neighboring countries. Going to city trips, for example to Vienna is very easy, because it’s located very closely, and you can get there by bus or by car.

I learned that there are many paths that can lead the accomplishment of a goal. I became more spontaneous concerning both towards my studies as well as my free time. It’s best to get involved in new situations head on and to be open to what’s coming next.

My activities outside of university varied quite a bit. I travelled a lot with other Erasmus students not only through Czech Republic, but also to other countries. The local Erasmus associations were also very active. During the semester the ESN, for example, offered many excursions for international students. But I also travelled a lot on my own, for example to Prague. My personal highlights were the evenings with my flat mates. We often sat together, talked, and had a few drinks. And of course, I also enjoyed the nightlife.

What I liked the most about it was that it brought people from different countries together. Through my stay abroad I made friends from all over Europe. Especially the fact that we all lived together in the same housing made us become a close group.

You don’t have to worry too much about the language barrier. Your English will get better during your stay. You also don’t have to be afraid of not making friends because everyone is in the same situation.