Erasmus in Munich

Munich (München in German) is the capital of Bavaria and Germany's third-largest city. It hosts two of the country's best universities: the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), broad and historic, and the Technische Universität München (TUM), a European leader in science and engineering. Both regularly rank in the global top tier.

It's also an economic powerhouse — home to BMW, Siemens, Allianz, plus a major biotech and industrial cluster. That prosperity partly explains why Munich is Germany's most expensive city. In return, you get flawless infrastructure, a dense international scene and a very safe environment.

Huge bonus: the Alps are just an hour south by train (skiing, hiking, lakes), Italy is 6 hours away by rail, Austria 90 minutes. Munich is an ideal base for exploring central Europe, provided you budget around €1,350/month all-in.

Housing in Munich is challenge number one: it's the tightest rental market in Germany, arguably in Europe. Start hunting at least six months ahead. Expect €500–800/month for a shared room, more in the centre.

Step one: apply as early as possible to Studentenwerk München dorms (studentenwerk-muenchen.de), which often reserves quotas for international students. By far the most affordable option (€200–400) but spots are scarce. In parallel, search WG-Gesucht (the German standard for flatshares), ImmoScout24, HousingAnywhere and Erasmus Play for shorter contracts.

For neighbourhoods, Maxvorstadt is the student hub between LMU and TUM. Schwabing is trendy and lively, Glockenbachviertel central and cool, Haidhausen quiet and residential. For softer rents, try Sendling, Giesing, Pasing or Neuperlach. If you study at TUM, the science campus in Garching (north) has its own dorms but sits far from the city centre.

The MVV/MVG network combines U-Bahn (metro), S-Bahn (suburban rail), trams and buses — frequent, punctual and well integrated. For students, the Deutschland-Semesterticket is unbeatable: €176.40/semester, effectively about €29/month, valid across all of Germany on regional trains and urban transport. One of Europe's best student deals for weekend travel.

The U-Bahn runs from 5am to 1am weekdays, later on weekends (S-Bahn near 24h on Friday and Saturday nights). MVG-Rad offers cheap shared bikes. München Hauptbahnhof, the central station, connects all of Europe (Vienna, Zurich, Milan, Paris by ICE/TGV).

Munich Airport (MUC) is linked to the centre by S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 (~40 min, covered by the Semesterticket if you have the MVV regional extension). Many central districts are walkable or bikeable: Munich is flat and very cycle-friendly.

ESN München is very active with sections at both LMU and TUM: welcome week, trips to the Alps or Salzburg, language tandems. Sign up in the first week to plug into the international circuit.

The headline event is Oktoberfest (the Wiesn), running from mid-September to early October: free entry, unique atmosphere, but a Maß (1L of beer) costs around €15. Outside the festival, Biergarten are the heart of Munich's social life: Englischer Garten (Europe's largest urban park, bigger than Central Park), Hirschgarten, Augustiner-Keller. You drink, eat a pretzel and meet locals.

The Englischer Garten is also for jogging, paddleboarding on the Eisbach and its famous nude sunbathing area (FKK). Surfers come to gawp at — or try — the Eisbachwelle, a unique river wave. For museums, the Pinakotheken (Alte, Neue, Moderne) charge €1 on Sundays. On weekends, hop on the S-Bahn to Starnberger See, Tegernsee or Garmisch-Partenkirchen for winter skiing.

Within 14 days of arrival, you must complete your Anmeldung (address registration) at the KVR (Kreisverwaltungsreferat) or a Bürgerbüro. Book your slot online months in advance — appointments vanish extremely fast in Munich. Without Anmeldung, no German bank account, no Steuer-ID.

Non-EU students then need a student residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) from the Ausländerbehörde at the KVR, within 90 days. Bring proof of housing, enrolment certificate, proof of funds (blocked account ~€11,904/year) and health insurance.

For health cover, German public health insurance (TK, AOK, Barmer) is mandatory for under-30 students: about €120/month at the student rate. For banking, N26 or Revolut are fine to start; for a local German IBAN that landlords prefer, open an account at Stadtsparkasse München or DKB. Your Steuer-ID arrives by post 2–4 weeks after Anmeldung.

The official language is German. In Bavaria you'll hear Bairisch (the Bavarian dialect), especially in the countryside or among older locals, but Hochdeutsch (standard German) dominates in the city and at university. A few local greetings (« Servus », « Grüß Gott ») go a long way.

At TUM, a huge number of master's programmes are taught in English, especially in engineering, computer science and sciences. LMU offers some too but more bachelor programmes remain German-only. Always check the teaching language in the catalogue before locking in your learning agreement.

To learn German, several free or cheap options exist: Sprachenzentrum LMU and Sprachenzentrum TUM offer credit-bearing courses, the Studentenwerk runs intensive pre-semester courses. The Goethe-Institut München delivers premium paid intensive courses. VHS München (community college) is the budget pick for beginners. To practise, language tandems in the bars of Maxvorstadt or Schwabing are plentiful and welcoming.