Tips for stay at University of Antwerp

University of Antwerp, Belgium

Transportation to Belgium:

  • STUDENT AGENCY  – price of a return ticket from 70 to 100 EUR or
  • EUROLINES about  1000 CZK (1 way)
  • Also possible to use low-cost airlines Prague-Brussels, but  you need  to book  the ticket well in advance to ensure that you have a bargain price.

Accommodation

  • OPTION 1
    • Accommodation can be ensured before arrival by Mrs. Vermeiere (coordinator)
    • Approximate price of accommodation: 170-350 EUR / month per person depending on the    quality and type of accommodation
  • OPTION 2
    • Rent of the rooms on:
      • studios@skynet.be (550 EUR per room per month)
      • http://www.studios-antwerpen.be/index.htm
    • Many rooms for rent also in neighbourhood  of the university
  • OPTION 3
    • Hostel on Kloosternstraat (10 minutes walk from the Grote Markt)

ATTENTION! While agree on amount of accommodation is necessary to be careful of the prices of services:  gas and electricity. If it’s winter, you must pay up. Recommendation: Search accommodation all inclusive.

DEPOSIT:  1000 EUR

Food

  • possibility of local student canteen, where the price is  2.70 EUR  for a main course +  0.50 EUR for a  soup – they cook well
  • possibility of cooking  by yourself, shopping at cheaper stores like LIDL and ALDI, prices of products similar to ours, but normal supermarkets are more expensive
  • fast-food restaurants – there are many of them in the city center

Basic information about the university and study

  • The University is located in the city center.
  • Language training is provided by the host UA.
  • Internet access / possibility of using computers: at school very good computers with a good Internet connection and  university email also assigned, WI-FI connection available, sometimes falling out signal. Computer rooms close sometimes even at 5 PM.
  • The semester full of programme, you have to visit school a lot.
  • Exams take the form of essays, it requires a lot of graphs. The large volume of material, but less mathematics than in Lille or Stoke-on-Trent
  • The tests are written soon after the arrival
  • The articles from professional journals are highly recommended for studying
  • Education is based on lectures analogous to Prague University of Economics and Business
  • Exams during the end of March and more difficult than at Prague University of Economics and Business
  • The subjects Economics of European Integration and Open Economy Macroeconomics are finished with a 3-hour written exam with essay questions at the end of semester
  • It is worth to repeat the Greek alphabet
  • Library:  great, big number of literature in English, excellent books about economics, compared to Prague University of Economics and Business (better collecting materials for a  diploma thesis already here) shorter opening hours, but available for a few Euros lecture notes
  • Even electronic resources are at a very good level

Leisure Time Activities

  • team sports in the gym –necessity to purchase so called Sportsticker for 15 EUR
  • courses in campus, but you have to pay a fee
  • table tennis
  • bicycle with the possibility of renting –  20 EUR / 3 months
  • many parties organized ( social events)

Basic information about Antwerp

  • At the beginning you get material about the city and school.
  • Interesting museums and art collections
  • Places with live music

Gastronomy

  • delicious waffles, French fries, truffles, French fries with Andalusian sauce from local Frituurs,
  • Beer – DeKonick, Letce, Souden Carolus, Westmalle, all trapesian beers
  • Antwerp – De Kulminator – more than 500 types of beer

Travelling Belgium

  • It’s worth to have weekend train tickets or so called GO PASS 10 rides for 45 EUR for people younger than 26 years.
  • Collectively organized tour in Antwerp
  • Very nice and stylish cities – Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, Leuven, Nechelen, Ostende
  • Aalst – the largest Belgian carnival in late February
  • From Brussels to Antwerp train goes around 8 EUR

Other attractions and recommendations

  • Although there is agreement within the EU, it is necessary to have cash to pay for medical treatment, Czech insurance company returns consequently (Price  for entrance examinations – 20 EUR)
  • Some ATMs do not accept all credit cards.

ATTENTION! Financial scholarship goes sometimes delayed, perhaps at the end of February.

  • Recommendation of graduates is to take your laptop with you.