🇹🇷Turkey

Istanbul

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Overall Experience

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/10

Housing

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Social Life

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University

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Travel

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🏠 Housing

What kind of place was it?

Airbnb

How much was the rent per month?

550

Where was it located?

In the center of Istanbul

How can someone find this place?

Airbnb

Would you recommend it?

It’s far from the university

🍻 Social Life

What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?

Best party was the Erasmus party

🎓 Uni life at Ozyegin university

Which classes do you recommend… or not?

I recommend Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Marketing, Organisation, Technology and Innovation

Do you have some tips?

Campus is very cool but the university is very far, 1h30 of public transport

✈️ Travel

Best trips to do?

Thaïlande, Chypre, Kazakhstan

🌆 Istanbul vibe

What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Istanbul?

Cost of living is around 600€ per month

💡 Other Tips

Make your resident permit directly

🏠 Housing

What kind of place was it?

Classic Apartment

How much was the rent per month?

Around 500€/month

Where was it located?

Ortaköy 10min next to my university

How can someone find this place?

Via Sahibinden or Facebook groups

Would you recommend it?

I would pick the same place because it’s next to my university and it’s very practical and at the same time close to touristical place

🍻 Social Life

What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?

With my friends we go out in Taksim for the night life (clubs: Fakulte, VibeRoom, Kastel…). To chill around a drink we go to the Beşiktaş neighborhood or Kadikoy where there’s a lot of student and young people.

🎓 Uni life at Galatasaray University

Which classes do you recommend… or not?

Depends on what you study, but as a communication student I recommend the journalism and graphic design class because it will improve your skills professional. I also have a course named "Heritage culturel d’Istanbul" which is very interesting because you learn a lot of things about the history of the city you stay in!

Do you have some tips?

The university is incredible, the teachers are really nice, the international desk helps you a lot for everything (registration, residence permit…), so there’s no worries. I would pick the same uni because it’s a trilingual uni with French, English and Turkish being the main 3 languages which suits me perfectly.

✈️ Travel

Best trips to do?

For now I have been to Cappadocia for the hot air balloon it was amazing. I’m also planning to go to the region of Mardin and Diyarbakir and the Black Sea region also because it’s different places and landscape to see. Apart of Turkiye, I’m also planning to visit the Middle East like Jordania for example. And as the Balkan countries, a lot of people went to Georgia and said it was beautiful, I would like to visit Armenia for its history also.

🌆 Istanbul vibe

What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Istanbul?

In Istanbul, there’s so many diffèrent neighborhood that’s you cannot be bored. You can either experience the European side or the Asian side. From Taksim/Besiktas to Kadikoy, you have a lot of choice!

💡 Other Tips

If you stay more than 90 days in Istanbul, you have to know that the government will block the sim on your phone so bring a second phone or try to buy an E-sim.

Talk to Evinne

Need advice? Got questions?

💬Message Evinne

🏠 Housing

What kind of place was it?

Coliving / Shared House

How much was the rent per month?

475

Where was it located?

Besiktas, 20min on foot from the university

How can someone find this place?

Facebook

Would you recommend it?

Yes, it was a very nice neighbourhood, it was very busy, many coffee shops, bars, restaurants and small businesses. Also it was in front of the besijtas port, very well located and easy access to public transportations all over the city. Also my university was only 20minutes walking distance from my apartment.

🍻 Social Life

What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?

The best club area is Taksim area but there are many very nice bars in Besiktas also.

🎓 Uni life at Galatasaray University

Which classes do you recommend… or not?

For political science students I recommend the Race gender and class course. Mostly all classes are interesting, there is a big diversity of classes.

Do you have some tips?

Beautiful campus, it is directly on the sea side, registration was easy, the administration is very helpful compared to other universities. they harped us with everything particularly the resident permit.

✈️ Travel

Best trips to do?

Turkiye is a huge country so there are many beautiful and diverse areas to visit such as : Capadoccia, Izmir, the sea sides and mountains near Georgia. I also went to Egypt because flights are much cheaper to close countries than in France.

🌆 Istanbul vibe

What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Istanbul?

Istanbul is a very overstimulating city, there is so much to do, visit (very historical) but there are also many people and the city is very big. So make sure to look up the places you want to go before arriving.

Talk to Elizabeth

Need advice? Got questions?

💬Message Elizabeth

🏠 Housing

What kind of place was it?

Coliving / Shared House

How much was the rent per month?

450€

Where was it located?

Şişli mecidiyekoy

How can someone find this place?

facebook

Would you recommend it?

Great place but very old and a bit expensive. Shared flat with 7 other people but only one bathroom and one kitchen. Amazing experience there because the flatmates were incredible. Owner is lazy to solve our problems : we stayed 5 days without hot water for instance. Great neighbourhood. If I had to choose again I would probably pick the same place.

🍻 Social Life

What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?

I don’t have specific places to recommend but there’s a lot of stuff to do :)

🎓 Uni life at Bahçeşehir university

Which classes do you recommend… or not?

- Turkey - Eu relations : course by the responsible of the political science department but shocking words happened during the course, regarding the armenian genocide for instance. - International Law : best course - Religion and Politics : the teacher is very boring - International Political Economy : same teacher than religion and politics but it’s even more boring because the subject is not interesting. - Sports, Politics and Society : it’s okay but it’s not the best. Most students leave before the end of the course.

Do you have some tips?

- international office wasn’t aware of the new modifications from the Immigration Office for our residence permit and asked us to pay a very expensive document (notarised contract) that we didn’t need. - campus is cool but there is no canteen and no sports club, no sports infrastructures … Very business school atmosphere and students are really rich. I would definitely not choose this university again and I can’t really recommend it. It’s not horrible but the courses are easy, not interesting at all, there is no structure in the course, and the administrative help was way worse than in most universities.

✈️ Travel

Best trips to do?

- Cappadocia in car or bus : really amazing - Izmir and Ephesus : alors very great - Princes Island in istanbul with the ferry : I love this place

🌆 Istanbul vibe

What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Istanbul?

Please try everything, go to every neighbourhood, try every food and buy the MUZEKART (only 1€ and give you access to manyyyyyyy museums in all turkey for free).

💡 Other Tips

Istanbul is amazing :) Also, paying rent in cash in euros is normal here because the turkish lira is not stable enough.

Talk to Sacha

Need advice? Got questions?

💬Message Sacha

🏠 Housing

What kind of place was it?

Classic Apartment

How much was the rent per month?

Less than 500 euro

Where was it located?

In Kadikoy on the Asian side

How can someone find this place?

Through a friend - "Yourbestflat"

Would you recommend it?

As it is a shared apartment with other Erasmus students, I would recommend it if you don’t know anyone in the city. However, you should take into consideration that many of the apartments offered by this agency don’t have any common rooms, which can make socializing with your flatmates a bit more complicated.

🍻 Social Life

What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?

Best places for bars is clubs is located either in Kadikoy or Taksim.

🎓 Uni life at Bahcesehir university

Which classes do you recommend… or not?

recommend Strategic Studies and Military Technologies, as well as Turkish Foreign Policy classes. Both have incredible and passionate teachers. The other classes depend on your level, but in general, you may find them a bit easy.

Do you have some tips?

The campus is really nice and is located right in front of the Bosphorus, close to the ferry and bus stations. The administration is helpful, and there is an orientation week to assist you with all the paperwork. Just keep in mind that the application for the residence permit takes a long time, even though the university helps you.

✈️ Travel

Best trips to do?

Trips are really easy from Istanbul, especially if you want to travel around Turkey. Both buses and planes are really cheap, and Turkey offers incredible diversity in sightseeing.

🌆 Istanbul vibe

What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Istanbul?

The residence permit guys is reallyyyy long to do.

💡 Other Tips

Most Turkish people don’t speak English, so it’s helpful to learn some basic Turkish phrases.

Talk to Alix

Need advice? Got questions?

💬Message Alix

🏠 Housing

What kind of place was it?

Coliving / Shared House

How much was the rent per month?

450€

Where was it located?

Şişli mecidiyekoy

How can someone find this place?

facebook

Would you recommend it?

🍻 Social Life

What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?

I don’t have specific places to recommend but there’s a lot of stuff to do :)

🎓 Uni life at Bahçeşehir university

Which classes do you recommend… or not?

Do you have some tips?

✈️ Travel

Best trips to do?

- Cappadocia in car or bus : really amazing - Izmir and Ephesus : alors very great - Princes Island in istanbul with the ferry : I love this place

🌆 Istanbul vibe

What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Istanbul?

Please try everything, go to every neighbourhood, try every food and buy the MUZEKART (only 1€ and give you access to manyyyyyyy museums in all turkey for free).

💡 Other Tips

Istanbul is amazing :) Also, paying rent in cash in euros is normal here because the turkish lira is not stable enough.

Talk to Sacha

Need advice? Got questions?

💬Message Sacha