The "Little Problems" Faced by Erasmus Students

At a glance

Going on Erasmus: a rewarding adventure for many students. But what problems do these students face abroad?

Every year, a large number of students go to study abroad for several months (through Erasmus or other exchange programmes).
Studying far from home, even in a neighbouring or culturally similar country, isn't always easy, though. Students have to find new bearings and sometimes face certain small worries.
Here are a number of them, gathered from students' accounts.

1. Organisational problems

"Bureaucracy" and admin: administrative forms, enrolling in classes, subscriptions (including public transport), the rental lease, insurance, … Not always easy to find your way around and to remember everything!
Settling in: you need to think about settling comfortably into your new accommodation and equipping it properly.
Managing your budget: e.g. applying for and using a credit card, bills, day-to-day (and monthly) management of your budget and spending. Many students also look for a small job while studying, to help make ends meet. Here too, they'll need to inform themselves properly and get organised.
Managing your time: balancing study time, free time, work time, exploring the host country (as a tourist), spending time with new friends, ... All of this also requires good organisation.
Medical issues: this is about having good assistance cover, preferably a long-term cover such as "Long Trip".

Most of these organisational problems are solved with good preparation and by gathering information before departure.

2. Integration problems

Feeling like an outsider: it's not easy to build connections right from the start. Everyday life abroad can sometimes be very different from what you're used to at home. Local students may find some habits or attitudes of their new classmates from elsewhere curious (or a bit unsettling).
Cultural exchange: getting used to the culture and norms of the host country isn't easy, especially in culturally very different countries. Habits, rules, perceptions, humour, tolerance, references, etc. specific to another culture require a new kind of learning and adjustment. Fortunately, these issues fade with time and are actually quite enriching for the student once they manage to fall into step.
The language barrier: of course, students choose a country whose language they know (at least a little) or one where they can get by in English. But a basic knowledge of the foreign language isn't always enough to cope with the difficulty of the courses or to fit in with the student community (which has its own way of speaking). Here too, this kind of problem tends to resolve itself with time.
The academic approach: up to that point, the student has followed an academic path in their own country. That path follows a set pattern shared by all students of the same linguistic or cultural community, one the student has grown used to. But as soon as they step outside that pattern, the student may face a different type of teaching, different types of assessment, different expectations from lecturers and different ways of working, ... So it's a matter of finding out properly from the start, and seeing how local students prepare and follow their own studies.
Foreign currency: the cost of living isn't the same everywhere. As long as the student stays within the eurozone, it will be easy to compare local prices with those back home. But outside the eurozone, they'll need an adjustment period to get used to the new currency and adapt their spending accordingly.

Homesickness: living far from your usual bearings and facing a long period of integration isn't always easy. So it's normal to have periods of doubt or nostalgia. Trying to join in with the life of other students and locals as quickly as possible will help you settle in quickly and "forget" the loved ones and friends left back home.
Being far from your social networks: living far from your usual circle of friends isn't easy either, especially when it comes to sharing your small everyday worries. At home, it's easy to turn to "your mates". Abroad, "your mates" live far away (all the more so given the time difference in some cases). Here too, making new friends and building a new network will quickly solve the problem.
"I feel lost": living somewhere unfamiliar means getting used to a new environment and finding the useful or interesting places that will become new landmarks (shops, doctors, health centres, public transport, cafés and restaurants, places to go out, etc.). Fortunately, apps now make it easy to quickly discover the world and the good addresses around you.

The best tip?

Having to deal with these small hassles is entirely normal, and most of the time they'll sort themselves out with time. Finding out as much as possible before you leave, and as soon as you arrive (through the university, other students, specialist blogs and forums, etc.), already helps you find plenty of solutions.
New friends and building new networks of contacts will help with the rest.
In the end, isn't that partly why you go and study elsewhere?

Also read the article: Studies and Erasmus: a student's tips

Interesting links:
- EF (Education First)
- BIJ (International Youth Office)