Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? The campus is alright, but it's big, and some places are much nicer than others

Personal comments:
Watch out ! The accomodation in this university is almost entirely in the hands of private investors. Their agencies own a great number of apartments (individual or collective). Students who can afford to go to Louvain during the summer or in early September can choose flat location and accomodation, but most foreign students have no choice. Local accomodation agencies tell them they had to book them a room (a "kot", as they say in Belgium - a Flemish word for "corner"), and it's too late to change, even if your classes are a 40-minute walk away from your "kot" - and classes usually start at 8 in the morning. (Cars or buses are not allowed in the city - Bring your bike, roller-blades, or donkey).Or you may be at ground level on the busiest street of Louvain, unable to sleep before 3 AM or after 7 AM (night life is rather busy there, except during week-ends). So tell the agency from the beginning what kind of accomodation you expect (find out in wich part of the city your classes will take place, it depends on your academic area) and make sure you can change if your "kot" is not suitable for you. If they refuse, DO insist. They seem to be used to consider foreign students a handful tribe to fill in the lousiest "kots", and they ask you to send up money to book the kot long beforehand. The whole thing seems to be a hell of a money-making business, but it's not very honest. And the university itself will be of no help, as they're not in charge.

Describe host city: Student life dominates the city

Activities, Nightlife: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Each Belgian region has its own house, where tey have parties, and they're much more fun than the city bars and cafés. It's hard to go out at night in Brussels if you ave no car - public transportation between Brussels and Louvain stops around 11 PM. Week-ends are terribly dull if you don't travel around the country (many beautiful cities to visit up north, in the Flemish area). All Belgians get back to their parents' on Friday afternoon. The local cinema has cheap sneak previews.

Course recommendations:
Good teaching staff

Personal comments:
Slightly a grandpa-like way of teaching (maybe because it's the oldest university in Europe - XIIIth century ?)All classes are given in huge classrooms, you may feel at a loss if you're not used to this kind of knowledge-transmission... You're not supposed to participate in any way except through listening & writing down notes. You may only talk to the teacher at the end of the class, it can be frustrating.

Language of instruction: French

Main source of funding:
Personal savings

Other sources of funding:
None

Work opportunities:
It was not legal for me to work

Personal spending habits:
Belgacom, the local phone company, charges far too much to give you a number, and they charge again when you cancel the line at the end of your stay. Even if you don't phone a lot, you pay every month, and it's quite a lot. Try to live in a flat where they already have a phone ! Local supermarkets are expensive : they're well aware of the fact tat most students have no car, and therefore have no choice : they shop in Louvain. Find friends to go shopping in the surrounding malls.

Telephone: was more expensive than at home.

Food: was the same price as at home.

Travel, Nightlife, Overall, Housing: was less expensive than at home.

I wish I had known...
No

In my opinion:
Most people loved it.