Erasmus in Lisbon is incredible! This all-inlcusive guide offers key tips on housing, transport, student life, and events. It’s packed with practical advice and shared from one Erasmus student to another to help you make the most of your stay. A perfect starting point for your Lisbon adventure!
Having an incredible time during your Erasmus in Lisbon is guaranteed, but here is a comprehensive guide to help you get started on your journey. From practical tips on accommodation, transportation and the Erasmus scheme, to key events and making connections. Here, I am sharing the first-hand experience from one Erasmus student to another 😊.
Lisbon, the city of 300 days of sun, with beaches, viewpoints, rooftop bars, surfing, pastries, cocktails, wine and vibes, is a haven for visiting students. In the last couple of years, it has become a top destination to have your Erasmus. Whether you are coming to study or have an internship, you are coming to the University of Lisbon, NOVA University Lisbon, ISCTE-University Insitute of Lisbon (IUL) or Técnico Lisboa, you are studying law, engineering, economics or journalism, whether you are an outdorsey camping type, a sporty soon-to-be-surfer or you're "just a girl" set out on making brunching an Olympic sport, or any other combination of study and interests, Lisbon will offer plenty for each of you.
What can you expect to find when moving to Lisbon for Erasmus, from living expenses to events to look forward to?
🧐WHAT TO EXPECT?
🔎WHERE TO SEARCH?
1) Most websites are going to say you should join FACEBOOK groups such as Accommodation in Lisbon, or WhatsApp groups like Accommodation in Lisbon.
2) Another option is to use an agency. Agencies such as Uniplaces, HousingAnywhere, or Spotahome are a double-edged sword; you pay for a service fee that gives you a guarantee that they have checked the landlord is real and the accommodation is, at least close to, as advertised. Many have a fee, or don't allow at all, to check out the room before signing a contract. On the other hand, they are notorious for handling customer complaints, of which there are plenty, with response absences and payment return delays that require your constant engagement and follow-ups.
3) Scamming is a real issue, so my personal suggestion is reaching out to your connections, if you have somebody who is currently or has been recently staying in Lisbon, to share their landlord's contact, DO IT!! This is the time to reach out to that friend of a friend, a daughter of your dad's work colleague or a friend from middle school you haven't talked to in a while. Believe me, it makes a huge difference that someone can vouch that the landlords and the accommodation are real and at least okay. I know several people who arrived to find a very cold shower waiting for them; it was such an upsetting and stressful situation for them. Personally, I reached out to another student at my faculty who was on an Erasmus in Lisbon a semester before me (while I was finishing up my documentation) and took over her room after she finished. I believe you could also reach out to your programme coordinators and ask to be put in touch with students currently in Lisbon as well.
4) Alternatively, you rent out a room for only a month or two, through, for example, Uniplaces and then once you are here, look for a one that suits you best. I knew several people who have done this approach, though some did it out of necessity as they had bad experiences with their original locations.
5) If all else fails, I would suggest joining student groups ESN or ELL, covered more in the following text, a month or two before your arrival. Why? Because both have dedicated WhatsApp group chats for accommodation that are accessible only to Erasmus students, as both organisations check your status. So, there you have fellow students posting offers about their own accommodation. It also allows you to reach out in country-specific subchats, i.e. Italians, Bulgarians, etc., where you could ask for help, recommendations or even join with somebody from your own country to find a place together, if that is more comfortable for you. Important to note, joining them requires that your full Erasmus documentation has been completed.
✅❌WHICH LOCATIONS?
It's all about location, location, location. It really is! The green metro line is your lifeline, as it is the one that takes you to all the central locations, and buses can be very unreliable or on strike. But don't worry, all metro lines intersect each other, so as long as you are close to a metro station, you'll be fine. When searching accommodation listings, you will see locations listed by neighbourhood names which align with the corresponding metro or bus station names. It's easy for you to check transportation connections to your host university, e.g. Campo Grande, Saldanha or Alameda to Técnico.
🟢BEST:
🔴UNSAFE:
Please avoid the following at all costs:
Others to avoid:
🔵CHEAPER BUT FAR or POORLY CONNECTED:
❓WHAT TO ASK FOR?
🕑WHEN TO SEARCH?
Don't freak out if you are supposed to go on your Erasmus in 2-3 months but cannot find a place to stay! The Lisbon accommodation market usually opens up around 1 month ahead. But if you prefer to be more organised and in control, then do get into a student group chat and search there. Erasmus students know from the beginning how long their stay is going to be, and thus are able to share accommodation details much sooner.
Minus the high rents, Lisbon is still a relatively reasonably priced destination when thinking of living expenses, namely grocery prices. Depending on your habit of eating at home, university canteen or out, in some of the many delicious restaurants😋, assuming a balance between all three, you can expect spending around €250.
Going out in Lisbon, you can expect the clubs to have an entrance fee between €15 to €30, which acts as a minimum spending credit that you can spend on drinks (i.e. €10 cocktails, €5 beers). Bars usually don't have an entrance fee, and the drinks are a bit cheaper or the same as in clubs, with the exception of the XXL cocktail bars for €6-8.
ESN (Erasmus Student Network) Lisbon is a part of a European network for ESN. It is present in over 42 European countries, which is why it has partnerships with many different big companies through which they offer many discounts. Including, Flixbus (10-15% off) and Ryanair (10% discount on 4 single flights for tickets between 1st September and 15th June, purchased 28 days before the trip, includes a free 20kg cheked-in bag) tickets, car rental discounts (15%), restaurants, shops and many more. They have a lot more day events than the other organisation, plus they have a huge celebratory joint trip with other ESNs in Portugal. Their events are exclusive to the cardholders, applicable in Lisbon, Portugalas well as in other ESN participating cities and countries.
ELL (Erasmus Life Lisbon) is a Lisbon-based organisation, also offering discount partnerships with a few different companies, such as gym membership, club discounts in Lisbon and, most prominently, several different surfing lessons and camps discounts. They have organised events exclusive to cardholders as well as many club discounts before 1am entry. Overall, I would say they organise more trips, have more organised parties and have more events throughout the term, as opposed to just during the welcome month. Most importantly, they facilitate accommodation searching through their special website and WhatsApp channel. Though their benefits are tied only to Lisbon.
Which one you choose is entirely up to your personal preference. Check out their websites and Instagrams for full info and the monthly schedule of events. As a late arrival, I chose both in order to meet people and got lucky to be a part of the last ELL city walk tour, where I met my partners in crime for the duration of my Erasmus 😎. Either way, I recommend signing up in advance to get added to the WhatsApp group chats and book for (free or paid) events because they book out super fast. P.S. Both require paid membership to join (€20) and are valid for one year.
[--—collage, brunch, beach, castle-—]
Lisbon public transport is provided by the Carris company through their Navigante card. It encompasses bus, train, metro and ferry. Metro includes four metro lines - red, green, yellow and blue.
What to expect?
As a main tourist destination, most places in Lisbon accept card payments (contactless as well). Although, as the recent electricity outage on the Iberian peninsula has proven, a little back-up cash never hurts to have, especially if you have to buy a bus ticket from the driver.
I still recommend opening a free Revolut account and getting a physical card. Why? Firstly, practicality. Taking out cash from MB WAY ATM machines and paying in stores, restaurants, etc. is free of charge using the card. I I noticed after a few weeks that my home card got charged a fee for these transactions while Revolut never did. Secondly, many students have one, and it makes it easier to share expenses on your trips, dinners, brunches, escape rooms, day trips, etc.
WARNING: Avoid EURONET ATMs, they have a huge service fee!
The Erasmus grant is not given out monthly, as you might expect, but rather in two instalments. The first one covers 70-80% of the entire grant sum, usually given out at the start of the Erasmus, and the second one, covering the remaining 20-30%, after the Erasmus is concluded and the post-mobility agreement is provided to your home university. Most likely, your University has allocated dates when these are issued, so you can follow up with them to find out. I mention this for two reasons: first, so you are aware that you will be responsible for managing your grant money so it covers, for example, your monthly rents and not to spend it all in the first few weeks; but also that you are aware that the mentioned remaining sum is given out later, so you can't count on it for the duration of the Erasmus and will have to be prepared to cover the i.e. rent costs yourself.
🕶️Summer Term (February-July)
Yeyy you made it!! You packed your bags and moved to Lisbon for Erasmus!
After a, perhaps, long journey, with 1,2 or, in some cases, 3 large suitcases, the best option is to order a Bolt or an Uber to take you directly to your accommodation. There is a designated area just outside the arrivals level of the airport for them, and there are signs to direct you to it. Bolt and Uber are very affordable in Lisbon, so they might become your closest companions when going to the airport or sharing a ride back home after a night out. The only drawback, from the airport, they can take a long time to accept a ride. I suggest booking as soon as you see your last bag coming up onto the baggage belt, to start the queuing process, as it only takes a few minutes (< 5 min) to walk to the designated area.
One of the first things you must to do when you arrive in Lisbon is to get your public transport card Navigante made. To remind, it includes bus, train, metro and ferry. Metro includes four metro lines - red, green, yellow and blue. You will want to go to the allocated Carris ticket office desks, apply for an urgent card which you can collect the next day to top up or put a subscription.
How to get it?
How does it work?
Additional info
While you wait for your new card, you can actually tap any debit/credit card to use the buses and metro, but the ticket will be a bit pricier. Alternatively, you can get an occasional paper card (€0.50 price to make at Carris machines in metro, train or ferry stations; valid for a year), which you can top up for zapping, with a slightly lower ticket price.
❗WARNING!
When faced with a dilemma between taking a bus that has a closer stop or a metro which is further away, one should always take the metro! Lisbon buses are notoriously unreliable, from delays to disappearances and frequent strikes. On the other hand, unless there is a specific strike or a great technical issue, the metro system is working amazingly. If your daily transportation depends on trains, it is also good to be vigilant of potential strikes or railway works, as they occur occasionally.
EU countries enjoy the “roam like at home” policy, which allows you to use your home provider's services abroad, same as you would back home. In case you are coming from a non-EU member country, or you just need more mobile data than the fair-usage policy allows (limit is 4 months of using the services abroad more than at home), and you are younger than 25, I recommend signing up for WTF 's youth plan. You get a SIM card with a Portuguese number (which can be very useful for different delivery services and ticket bookings etc.), and, for example, for €12 a month have 200 GB of data, while also having a daily opportunity to daily play spin a rewards wheel and claim many more benefits. NOTE: It doesn't include international calls.
Upon arrival, all Erasmus students will have an appointment to visit their respective international mobility offices. There, they will issue you a student card (which looks like, and can actually function as, a credit card, weird, right?), student account credentials, building passes, or anything else that is relevant for your Erasmus stay. To activate your student credentials, you will potentially have to do a little running around your campus to the IT offices, library, etc. REMEMBER to return your student card before leaving Erasmus.
You can use your card at the university and campus canteens or cafeterias to top up your balance. For the University of Lisbon, the student card, along with cash, will be the only way to pay for your meals, unfortunately, I am not sure about others. You can buy an individual main hot dish (vegetarian options), but there are also great meal deals with soup, main dish, salad, drink and a dessert, all for a lovely price of 3.50 to 7.50€. (University of Lisbon). Although the price is specifically for the University of Lisbon, I wouldn't expect higher prices elsewhere. Each canteen or cafeteria offers multiple options each day, usually, meat-based, fish-based and vegetarian-based. And prepare yourself with Mr. Google Translator, as you will most probably have to order in Portuguese🤡.
Whether you are taking courses or gaining practical experience, you will experience a new culture of working environment - the Portuguese way of working. It is a more relaxed way of working, where leisure and vibes are important, while delays and absences are more common. Either way, the best advice is to remember you are on an Erasmus and to take it a bit easier and let things go; otherwise, you might get too frustrated and not enjoy your Erasmus experience as you should.
Portuguese, especially fellow students and professors, are very good at English. You can expect all the classes, materials, coursework and group work to be carried out in English, as well as your internship working environment, meetings and conferences/symposiums. With the rise of popularity for Lisbon being an Erasmus location, the home students are also used to an international learning setting. The sun, the great food, the wine, etc. bring out a more fun and easy-going attitude in Lisbon students. Don't be suprised to see them year-round in wizard-like robes on campus lawns performing, what seems at times, some kind of a ritual. This exact tradition, school uniforms with capes, and performing initiation for different associations, is what inspired the magical look of the Harry Potter wizarding look🧙.
🧑💻STUDY Erasmus
Students get their schedules before classes start (...in theory). There have been instances with a lack of announcements, so you are not sure when a certain course starts, on which days, etc. They required contacting the faculty and/or mobility offices to answer, with some classes starting a week after others. You just never know🤷♀️.
Professors can, similar to the university administration, take a little longer to get back to you with feedback. They have also been known on rare occasions to be a no-show in classes😶🌫️, which just creates more time for grabbing that daily dose of coffee and pastel de nata😎.
Group work can be challenging in any degree, working with different types of people, with different working habits and commitment levels can be HARD anywhere. It is not uncommon for Portuguese students to go MIA until the last minute, or just make excuses on why they can not contribute to the project. While you probably experienced this type of colleague before, it seems to be more prevalent here, so you might just end up being in an entire group with such a work ethic, leaving you to carry the project on your own shoulders. There is not much advice I can offer on how to deal with this other than trying to communicate respectfully and effectively with your teammates, ranting about it to your friends or practising breathing techniques. If all else fails, going to the beach or on a trip to decompress does the trick, I promise 🙃.
🕵️♀️INTERNSHIP Erasmus
Working environment might be more difficult to get used to for students coming from Northern European countries (i.e. the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, etc.). Similar to previously described university professors, supervisors/mentors and colleagues can come in late, have a prolonged response time or no response at all. Meetings can also run long and be somewhat unstructured. But you can appreciate their more humane approach to connecting with people. People care about really getting to know you, creating bonding activities, helping you grow and above else, lunch and coffee. If you're like me, you will especially appreciate that lunch is a social event where you connect with your colleagues outside of work topics, which is why it is not uncommon for it to extend for over an hour🍴😋. You can expect to work with experts, for instance, in the scientific field. I've especially heard great praises for the University Hospital internships, from the immense practical knowledge they've gained to the great company of fellow students, doctors, nurses and the rest of the medical staff.
TIPS I CAN OFFER:
1) Take matters into your own hands and essentially become your own little manager. This includes arranging and keeping on top of your own timetable with goals and deadlines for the duration of the entire internship.
2) Plan your work with more buffer time than you normally would, to account for possible delays in feedback.
3) Send relevant material for feedback earlier than you usually do.
4) Periodical reminders to supervisors about your set deadlines, feedbacks, approvals, expected end-date and how they relate to the feasibility of your task/work completion.
5) Be sure to vocalise early on if certain things are making it impossible for you to do your work and advocate for joint conflict resolution.
All this being said, I promise IT IS WORTH IT!! Portuguese are a great and welcoming people with amazing vibes. Like any other nation, they have their quirks. I've listed a few things that I've seen students struggle with the most in hopes it doesn't catch you off guard and make you go crazy, should you be in the same position. So, my purpose is to make you aware of not-so-enjoyable possibilities, validate your experience, suggest some ways to mitigate them; but certainly not to dissuade you from coming to Lisbon for your Erasmus experience, or taint your first impressions. As many other students can attest, it is a unique and unforgettable experience with knowledgeable professors and striving students.
1) Right after your last official Erasmus day, don't forget to fill out and send back to your home university the post-mobility agreement; without it, you can't get the second instalment of your grant (20-30%).
2) How to deal with your post-Erasmus depression? Honestly, I don't know... Cry? Dumbscroll your photo gallery? Talk everyones ear off about how incedible of a time you had and how much it sucks to be back home? Try to find a pastel de nata place in your hometown?😭💔... Pois, I'm the worst role model when it comes to this. ... I took another Erasmus internship in Lisbon just to not have to deal with it.😅✌🏼️
I initially wanted to spend my Erasmus in Barcelona, but I am eternally thankful to have ended up in Lisbon. I had an unforgettable time, from food, wine and sun, introduction to my brunching obsession, to the incredible atmosphere and endless stunning locations to explore. I thought I'd just meet temporary Erasmus friends, but ended up with friends for life. I am short on words to describe just how much I would recommend this city for your Erasmus to everyone. I know you'll have an amazing time here, so Olá and Saúde!!👋🥂
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