Details

• Belgium
• MASozÖk-10
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

Application: I would recommend going to the respective events offered by your department. It is a straightforward process without problems. Preparing your semester abroad: Read carefully about the university and city and decide if you want to live there. My travel choice was the train because of the green travel bonus.

2. Accommodation

For my search I used the website "housinganywhere.com". It has a partnership with the WU and felt safe for me. I lived in a shared house which is common in Belgium, also a single appartment is really expensive. My house was located in Watermael in the south of Brussels. It is a quite neighbourhood with a lot of families and wealthy people, there are parks and tennis fields around. I never felt unsafe in the whole area, usually after 12p.m. no one is outside. The university was 15-20 minutes away either by bus and walking or by bike.

3. Academic life at host university

The Solvay campus is relative old. Some rooms are up to date but most are older and sometimes it can be cold. There is the "Blocus" which are two free weeks on in the middle and on at the end of the semester to really study and focus. After the christmas break the exams will start. The teaching style is comparable to WU as it depends mainly on the professors. I would recommend "Corporate strategy" and "Common agricultural policy" as both are project oriented and interactive.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport is cheap if you have the student ticket 12€ per year. Transport is reliable but the strikes can be a problem as they are frequent. 10 days in total for my stay. Safety can be a big concern in Brussels, but if you stay in the regular neighborhoods, it should be fine. Also, at night at the regular party locations it is safe. Social/leisure activities are a lot. The city has a lot to offer: parliament, museums, galleries, concerts and shops. Events are also plenty. The university plans the first week of welcoming which I strongly encourage you to take part in. After that week the student circle will offer some barbecues, picknicks and other things. One of the biggest organizations is Erasmus Student Network which offers a huge program to find friends and people with the same interests. ESN is an important hub of connecting. Sports are offered by the university for 36€ per year and you can take part in any program you like.

6. Testimonial

The exchange was a success and I would recommend it. I really like the city and the mentality of the people. Also through many events I found some friends to go on day trips and just hang out with.