Erasmus
Spending a year abroad is a great opportunity to make the most of your academic career whilst immersing yourself in a culture quite different from your own. It provides an alternative perspective on your chosen subject and opens up brand new avenues of academic thought. However, it is more than an outstanding academic experience. It's also about your own self-development; it's about growing in confidence and making life-long friends from all over the world.
If you are a student interested in attending Cardiff University as part of the Erasmus programme you should contact the ERASMUS office in your home institution.
If you are a student who has applied to Cardiff University and have a question or would like further information please contact us on: erasmus@cardiff.ac.uk
Don't just take our word for it....
Toby, France and Spain
As part of my degree, I had the amazing opportunity to spend a year living in both France and Spain, where I attended universities in Nantes and Granada. As well as being extremely advantageous for my language skills, it also helped me gain confidence in communication. I have never been one to shy away from a public situation, but even I often felt put on the spot when faced with opening up a bank account in French, or dealing with housing contracts in Spanish or standing up in front of a class of native Franco/Hispanophones for an assessed presentation. I learned not to be nervous and bury my head in the sand, but to give it my all. As a result, I will stop a confused-looking Frenchman on the tube, and in my best accent, point him in the direction of Buckingham Palace. But don't let the limits of your new country be the border to your horizon. While I was abroad I met people from all over the world, different walks of life and every background imaginable. I now have a pre-mapped-out tour of most of Europe, the USA, if not the world, thanks to my newly acquired chain of free accommodation hotels courtesy of my international friends. So if you're looking for an opportunity to have fun, learn a new language and come out of your shell, then Erasmus is right up your boulevard, if you'll pardon my French! |
Tom, GermanyI was very nervous before leaving for my Erasmus year. The thought of leaving behind all my friends and moving to a huge foreign city where I knew literally no one was pretty scary! But all this was forgotten within a couple of weeks. After the whirlwind of Erasmus parties, language courses and welcome meetings, I had made loads of new friends and was becoming more confident with my German language skills every day. My year in Berlin was the best year of my life for so many reasons, but I think the biggest is the people that I met. What you soon realise with Erasmus is that everyone is in the same boat and that really helps lower your inhibitions when meeting new people. The best thing is that I now have somewhere to crash in virtually every city in Europe! I really recommend Erasmus as a way to experience a new culture and meet new people as well as the obvious benefits to your CV. My year abroad was so successful that I am moving back out to Berlin on a permanent basis when I graduate from Cardiff, so it must have been good! |