Although it might not always seem like it, studying is much more than just burying your nose in a big pile of books. Sure, we’ll admit that sometimes it’s not that fun having to spend entire days at the library, feeling like no matter how much time you spend behind that desk, you’re never going to get it. But then there are the perks of being a student. Life, no matter how you turn it, is quite worry free and you’re at the prime of your life. You’re young, you can do almost everything and you get to meet a lot of awesome people, some of whom will turn out to be life-long friends.
And if you’re lucky, of course, you’ll get the chance to participate in Erasmus exchange. Since its start in 1987, around ten million students have benefited from the experience. That’s a lot. In 2017-2018 alone, 340.100 European students found their way to Erasmus+. Yet where do all those students go to? What are their preferred destinations?
1. Spain is leading the ranking
It turns out, Spain is the number one most popular country amongst Erasmus students. Germany comes in second, followed by the United Kingdom and France. The United Kingdom, however, is due to fall behind in the years to come because of Brexit, although it’s not entirely clear yet what the impact will be.
So why Spain, you ask? Well, the good weather certainly doesn’t do any harm and Spanish sits in the top five of the most popular language classes amongst Erasmus students. And then of course, there’s the general culture. Even though they’re not the biggest cities in the country, Valencia and Granada are the most popular ones to study in. They’re big yet they feel safer than, for example, Barcelona or Madrid and they still have a lot to offer when it comes to culture, food and other activities.
2. Where they’re coming from, where they’re heading to
Of course, all those students also come from somewhere. The biggest percentage of them live in France, followed by Germany, Spain and Italy. Of all those 340.100 students, about 61% are women and their average age is 22 years old.
Generally speaking, the exchange students spend six months abroad and 67% participate while they’re doing their bachelor’s degree. And if you’re looking for another good reason to participate or to persuade your parents, it turns out Erasmus students are 50% less likely to be unemployed one year after finishing their studies compared to those who stay at home. Just saying.
