Erasmus in Strasbourg

The University of Strasbourg (Unistra) ranks among France's top 5 universities, offering a wide range of disciplines from humanities to hard sciences. Sciences Po Strasbourg, EM Strasbourg Business School, INSA Strasbourg and historically the ENA form an academic ecosystem of European stature, organised around several campuses with the Esplanade as its student heart.

Strasbourg is no ordinary city: it is a European capital hosting the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights. Culturally bilingual French-German (Alsace is a borderland), the city blends Rhenish tradition with institutional modernity. The Petite France quarter, Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Grande-Île are all UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The climate is continental, with cold winters and warm summers. The Christmas Market, one of the oldest in Europe (since 1570), transforms the city during the four weeks of Advent: wooden chalets, mulled wine, bredele biscuits and dazzling lights. For an Erasmus student, it is a must-experience.

The student housing market is moderately tight but accessible if you apply early. CROUS Strasbourg is a major asset: nominated Erasmus students are prioritised. Expect €170-260/month for a shared room with communal facilities and €408-444/month for an 18-19 m² studio. Apply through the DSE or the Erasmus welcome form as soon as your nomination is confirmed.

For private rentals: Studapart, Estudines, Erasmus Play, Leboncoin and PAP are the main platforms. Private residences (Estudines Européennes, Stralang) offer furnished studios for €500-700/month. The APL housing benefit (CAF) is open to international students and can cover €100-200/month depending on the rent. Budget €250-500/month for a shared room depending on the area and standard.

Neighbourhoods to know: Krutenau (student heart, bars and restaurants, central), Esplanade (Unistra main campus, ultra convenient), Neudorf (south, residential, affordable), Robertsau (north, chic and green), Petite France (touristy, charming but pricey) and Cronenbourg (west, university area, quiet).

The CTS (Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois) runs 6 tram lines (A, B, C, D, E, F) and a dense bus network. The monthly Bad'ge pass for under-28s costs around €25/month (varies from €20 to €27 depending on the offer) — excellent value. A free shuttle serves the hyper-centre.

A Europe-unique feature: tram E crosses the border to Kehl (Germany) since 2017. In 10 minutes, you change country with a standard tram ticket. Vélhop (municipal bike share) offers an annual student subscription around €70/year — unbeatable. Strasbourg is regularly ranked France's number-one cycling city: cycle paths everywhere, flat terrain, deep cycling culture.

Strasbourg-Entzheim Airport (SXB) is connected to the centre by the TER Express (9 minutes, €4). The main station serves Paris (1h45), Lyon, Marseille and Germany (Stuttgart, Munich, Frankfurt) by TGV/ICE.

ESN Strasbourg and AEGEE-Strasbourg (the AEGEE European student network was founded in Strasbourg in 1985!) run an extremely active Erasmus scene: international parties, trips, language tandems, cultural outings. Discover Alsatian cuisine: choucroute (sauerkraut), baeckeoffe, tarte flambée (flammekueche), kougelhopf, plus local beers (Meteor, Kronenbourg born here) and Alsatian white wines (Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris).

By night, the winstubs (traditional Alsatian wine bars) are an institution. The Cathedral square, Petite France and rue des Grandes Arcades concentrate the student bars. La Laiterie is the iconic venue for indie and electronic music. The Christmas Market (late November to late December) is an unforgettable experience — prepare to host all your Erasmus friends as visitors.

Weekend-wise, Strasbourg is ideally located: Kehl (Germany) 10 minutes away by tram E (the only cross-border tram in Europe!), Colmar 30 min by train, the Alsace Wine Route, Frankfurt 1h30 by TGV, Basel/Switzerland 1h30, and Paris in just 1h45 by TGV.

Administrative steps follow the standard French pattern: CAF for housing benefit (a French IBAN is required), CPAM for top-up health coverage (the EHIC is enough for short-stay Europeans), opening a bank account (BNP, Société Générale, Crédit Mutuel, or online banks like Boursorama, Revolut, N26) and registration with OFII for non-Europeans on a long-stay visa.

A Strasbourg specificity: the immediate proximity to Germany (Kehl is 10 minutes away by tram E) makes it possible to also open a German bank account if you stay long-term, which can be useful for cross-border shopping (some goods are cheaper across the Rhine) or working as a cross-border employee.

Set up a European mobile plan (Free, Orange, SFR or German operators like O2 depending on cross-border needs) and keep all supporting documents (lease, mandatory home insurance certificate, Unistra enrolment certificate) for every administrative step.

French is the language of instruction and daily life, but the German influence is everywhere: Alsatian (a Germanic dialect) is still spoken by older generations, and many street names, dishes and traditions are German or Alsatian. This makes life much easier for German speakers.

Unistra offers many English-taught programmes, particularly at master's level (engineering, economics, political science, European law via the Institute of European Studies). Franco-German double degrees are a Strasbourg specificity (with Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Freiburg via the Eucor European Campus).

To learn or improve your French: the Institut International d'Études Françaises (IIEF) at Unistra is one of France's national references, Stralang (well-known private school) and the Alliance Française Strasbourg round out the offer. Language tandems via ESN, AEGEE and Tandem Alsace (Franco-German).