Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem, Hungary

G’day! My name is Jacob and this January I left Sydney for Budapest to continue my studies in Architecture at BME, the technical university of Budapest. Eastern/Central Europe is often overlooked by Westerners but has so much to offer in terms of Architectural beauty, culture, art and history, and Budapest is no exception to this.

In my opinion this city is perfect for the student traveler experience. The subjects offered to exchange students are specifically tailored to be accommodating the exchange life style, with the subject workload being predominantly in class and practical which is great because you will definitely be travelling with class mates on the weekends to neighboring cities such as Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and more via cheap and convenient flixbuses and trains. Studying architecture here has been such a joy, the design studios really allow for freedom, and is greatly less stressful than what you will be used to in Sydney, the focus is really placed on your enjoyment and exploration of European design practices.

In terms of living in Budapest, the city offers great public transportation and walkability, as well as cheap food, drinks and a great nightlife culture. The Erasmus exchange organizations (ESN, ELB etc.) really go out of their way to organize lots of events, social gatherings and trips for incoming exchange students, you will make LOTS of friends within your first two weeks of the semester. The cost of living is exponentially cheaper than Sydney and you will be able to enjoy yourself fully in this city, as well as very cheap and affordable accommodation in the city (roughly 500-700 aud per month for a recently renovated flat in a nice area near the university). A week’s groceries rarely exceed $50 and there are plenty of restaurants where you can get a meal for less than $10.

The city can really be quite beautiful in the spring/summer, with plenty of parks to enjoy, including Margit island which sits in the middle of the Danube river, not to mention the Balaton Lake which is only a hours train ride from Budapest, which boasts a serene view, clear water and even thermal baths, perfect for weekend picnics and swimming.

With so many students from all over Europe looking to Budapest for their exchange, you’ll be guaranteed to meet so many people of different backgrounds and learn about their home countries and culture, who you will no doubt be looking to travel Europe with at semesters end.

If you are looking for a vibrant and alive city, with great night life culture, that’s cheap and close to other travel destinations I would strongly consider Budapest.

Cheers.

Jacob Chahoud
Bachelor of Design in Architecture
Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem, Hungary
Global Exchange Scholarship

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal