Money talk for Erasmus students: Less is more in Antwerp

08 February 2022 14:57 Author: Antar Latifine, editorial team STAN Reading time: 3 min

Hi there new kid in town! And welcome to what soon will be your second home: Antwerp! We are STAN, the organisation for students in Antwerp, and we would love to guide you in your first steps in our beautiful city. On today’s guiding-list: How to get the most out of your Erasmus experience in Antwerp by spending the least?

Belgians and their bikes

You might have heard a lot about Belgians before and we need to be honest with you: some stereotypes are there for a reason! Exhibit A: Belgians and their bikes. From the bike tourist speeding through Antwerp’s waterfront in the weekend to national cycling legends like Eddy Merckx: we just love our two-wheelers.

So in a pocket-sized metropolis like Antwerp, we definitely recommend jumping on your bike and cruise around the city. Didn’t have any room in your luggage? No worries: you can use one of many bike sharing systems in Antwerp like Velo Antwerp or Cloudbike. At the low price of 55 euros per year, a subscription is a must-have gadget for any international student.

Feeling more adventureous? Zoom around with an electric Bird scooter or sail over the Scheldt river with the local water bus. In short, plenty of opportunities to get around the Koekestad!

Bye bye Hotel Mama, welcome ‘op kot’

Word of the day: a kot (diminutive: kotje): a place to eat sleep, study and call your own in Antwerp. Also known as a “pigsty” or’quel bazar’ by despairing mothers.

Finding a good student flat in Antwerp can be a daunting challenge for international students. To help you find you dream flat the City of Antwerp, STAN and the local higher education institutions came together and created Kotweb, the biggest free online database on student accommodation in Antwerp (nearly 6.000 rooms, flats and bedsits). Every flat receives a reliable quality label when they meet the requirements for quality and safety.

Good food, good mood

Chocolates, beer and Belgian fries (never call them French) are a given when living in Antwerp. But for those looking for a budget friendly and tasty meal, there are other options. Too good to go is an application for your smartphone in which you can look for leftover food in grocery stores or restaurants in your neighbourhood. Because of the fact that this food would be thrown away otherwise, it is sold very cheap to the people that join the online community. A healthy, cheap and sustainable alternative for cooking or going to a restaurant yourself. Another option are the student restaurants you can find at your campus. They sell cheap warm meals and lunch on presentation of your student card.

For the full Belgian experience, wait until spring or summer (the sky isn’t always gray, we promise) and ‘doe een terraske’. No idea how or where? We’ve got a whole guide just for you.

Every week is Fashion Week

Besides diamonds and ‘bollekes’ (trust me, you will soon get to know them), Antwerp is known as the fashion city of Belgium. From Dries Van Nooten and Dirk Van Saene to Walter van Beirendonck: we’ve got something for every taste. Want to stay hip and trendy without making your wallet cry? Make the world your catwalk with some new ‘old’ clothes! That’s right, slow fashion is the name of the game in this city. Vintage clothing is timeless, sunstainable and budget-friendly. Luckily, Antwerp is simply bursting with trendy second-hand shops. We’ll give you the down-low on where to find your next outfit.

Studying among rare museum pieces

Remarkable grades require remarkable study spaces. Luckily, you have chosen Antwerp for your studies. It’s bursting with exceptional study spaces, thanks to STAN’s very own STUDY360 event. During the exam period (May-June) also called ‘de blok‘, companies, shops and musea spread throughout Antwerp open their doors and treat students with free and unique locations to study for their finals. Enjoy the view on the top floor of MAS or study between rare museum pieces in the Notenboomzaal. The WiFi and coffee is on us! Good luck!

Let Antwerp entertain you

To quote Robbie: “let me entertain you“. If there’s one thing STAN knows how to do, it’s helping students discover the full potential of living in Antwerp . Spring time is around the corner, COVID measures are easing up. In other words: you’ve come at the perfect time to explore Antwerp’s student life to the fullest! Thanks to ESN, the student association for Erasmus students, you’ll make the best friends at the best parties and activities in town. Make sure to also drop by the student association of your faculty, they’re very welcoming!

Would you rather curling up with a nice blanket and read? Then check out STAN’s brand new Student Magazine. Taste the best of Antwerp’s student life, get invested in interesting stories, and feel right at home in the city. Pick up your free copy at our bustling headquarters GATE15

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