Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? The residenze universitarie enforced strict curfews which didn't mesh well with the lifestyles of carefree "erasmus" and study abroad students, therefore some of us ran into some trouble along the way. Furthermore., my last month in Siena, I moved out to a private apartment, and it's a much better way to feel like you're actually, independently, a part of the society.

Personal comments:
The housing was good enough, the prices were very reasonable, the facilities comfortable, and the locations very desirable. In any case, student housing is a great place to start in Siena, even if it is one's intention to eventually move elsewhere during one's stay.

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Activities, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
The best restaurant from Siena (and maybe from whole Toscana) is definitely Le Logge!!! Even George Clooney ate here!! It's address is in Via del Porrione (the street were my house was too!). Also in this street you have Gallo Nero: very good food and the servants are dressed like Romans! There aren't many discothèques in Siena, because there exists a closing time. But there were busses to Il Bombo: very nice discothèque! Off course there are also plenty of nice bars! L'officina (at Piazza del Sale) is nice, especially for me, because it's from the boyfriend of a belgian girl. We spend a lot of tima at Sobb's, because here almost all the erasmus students went. (at Piazza del Mercato, first it's name was Bogart) And when you want to drink very cheap, you have to go to Il Contro! There are off course also very other nice bars in Siena, too many to describe!

Course recommendations:
In Italy you get information very late (especially compared to Belgium) and you had to find out everything yourself. Besides this, the professors were very friendly, much more informal than in Belgium.

Personal comments:
Maybe the information could be better, but I thing this is always a bit a problem when you study abroad.

Language of instruction: Italian

Main source of funding:
An ERASMUS grant

Other sources of funding:
An ERASMUS grant
Student Loan

Work opportunities:
I worked during my study abroad experience

Personal spending habits:
Food and travel is a lot cheaper in Italy, however I spent more on trains overall, as I went to visit many different places. I spent less on going out, as the nightlife is a little more tame in Arezzo than a buzzing English University.

Travel, Telephone: was more expensive than at home.

Overall, Housing: was the same price as at home.

Food, Nightlife: was less expensive than at home.

I wish I had known...
I wish I had more information about life there.

In my opinion:
I loved it but I'm not sure everybody would.