Accommodation: Reviews of Study Abroad/Erasmus living options

Amtmann

When you're preparing to move abroad as an Erasmus student accommodation is one of the big things that needs to be considered. As such, I think it might be useful if people could post their experiences of specific accommodation complexes here on this thread so that others who might be considering a stay there know what to expect - the pros and the cons, so to speak. If the thread takes off, then perhaps it might be worthy of a sticky.

Now that I've explained the thread's purpose, I'll start!

I could have done with a bit of advice on my accommodation before moving to Erlangen-Nuremberg two weeks ago. I could find none though, so I accepted a single room at the Internationaler Studentwohnheim on Wichernstrasse and hoped for the best. I should say at the outset that I'm a PhD researcher, so that means I am not very interested in 'craic', drinking and partying at this stage!

University: Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
Name of Accommodation: Internationaler Studentwohnheim, Wichernstrasse
Brief Description: 9-story 1960s apartment block.

Details

Okay, if you're thinking of staying here, this is what you need to know.

Cost: The first thing to say is that this is very cheap. Rooms come in single (€200/m) or double (€265/m). A returnable deposit of €100 secures a room. There are no bills.

Each room is very small - you get a reasonable study desk, and there is a small built-in wardrobe. Each room comes with a washbasin and mirror, and some rooms come with a fridge (but no freezer). In terms of furnishing, everything - from the ugly lino on the floor to the lumpy plaster on the walls - looks like it hasn't changed since the 60s or 70s. The beds are very small, and although it is claimed that sheets are provided, these will not be adequate - so you will need to buy a duvet. The bedrooms are kept warm, and obviously it is up to you to keep the room clean. I bought a brush and an iron.
You will also need to buy your own cutlery and ware.
Ethernet internet is provided in all rooms. But! The connection is very slow, frustratingly so if you're a downloader or if you want to skype a lot. This is a major annoyance. If you have a TV then you can connect it to a port in your room.

Now, each room is located on one of the 9 floors. Each floor has about 20 such rooms. Two (old) lifts serve the whole building. The hallways (and lifts) are grotty. Each floor also has several rails and you can dry your clothes on these. People tend to leave the rails in the hall and dry their clothes right there.

Bathrooms are communal, not very unlike something you might find at a gym. They are well kept; naturally, there are separate bathrooms for males and females.

Kitchen and common area: Each floor has one of these. I don't like them and I don't use them. The cooking facilities are very bad, especially if you want to grill or oven-cook anything. Also, if your room doesn't have a fridge, there are several large communal fridges in this space where you can keep your stuff. I noticed some signs on these warning people not to eat other people's food, so this seems to be a problem. In any case, as I said, I don't prepare food there or eat there. There's also an old TV and a few dingy couches there that I wouldn't sit on. In my opinion they should be thrown out and new facilities installed.

Laundry: Three washing machines are located in the basement, which is quite horrible - you get the machine for 2.5 hours for €2 by writing your room number beside available time slots on a piece of paper. The machines themselves are okay and waiting is never an issue.

Waste: You take your own rubbish/recycling downstairs and dispose of it in the building's bins.

Post: You will be supplied with a secure letter box on the ground floor.

Quietness, etc.: For the amount of people living here you would expect a lot of noise and coming and going, but it is actually a very quiet place. Parties and loud music are not tolerated culturally - you simply respect that others will not want to listen to your noise. That suits me very well. Most of the other inhabitants are Asian and tend to keep to themselves.

Transport: Erlangen city centre, where the university buildings are located, is at least a 20-minute walk, up to 40 minutes depending on the location of the department you're based at. The good news is that the accommodation is VERY well served by three bus routes (284, 285 and 294), so this isn't an issue.

Nearby Facilities: Close by there is an Esso station which stays open late, and about five minutes down the road is a supermarket. This is very handy. There are no bars, cinemas or other shops in the immediate vicinity, however.

Yea or Nea?: So, would I recommend it? Yea and Nea. Its saving grace is its cheapness. I'm only staying here for 5 months, so I'll tolerate it. Any longer and I would go mad. The weak internet connection is a huge problem for me, and the woeful cooking facilities are another major drawback. I eat in the university canteen (die Mensa) by day and make sandwiches, eat fruit etc. in the evening. It's also really quiet, by and large. For me, this is a good thing. For others perhaps not, though that's up to you. If I didn't have a fridge in my room I think it would just make the place intolerable.

Okay, hopefully the above review will be of use to some people out there thinking of studying abroad at Erlangen-Nuremberg!