Erasmus students still favour Spain over all other countries

Spain is the most popular destination for Erasmus students, and for good reason

There are definitely some things upon which you shouldn’t trust the opinion of students. Drinking games for one; well, drinks in general. From snakebite black to jagerbombs and flaming sambucas lit while in the mouth (and yes, I do write from experience), students put an awful lot of awful stuff into their bodies, all washed down with the grease of a questionable kebab at 2am.

What else? Fashion – dressing like a dishevelled farmer’s son is fine on the farm, but not when out and about flitting from library to bar and back again. Ill-informed political backing, hairstyles, sleeping patterns… I could go on. There are, however, occasions where the collective mindset of the student population is to be admired – a recent case in point being the encouraging news that Spain is the top country of choice for international Erasmus students…

And despite offering some of the least generous grants of any country in the EU, Spanish students are also more likely to pack up their bags for a year and embark on studies in another country.

Earlier this week the European Commission published a report that revealed some 39,300 Erasmus students chose to study in Spain during the 2011/2012 academic year, putting Spain at top spot with a whopping 15.5 per cent of the total of Erasmus students. France came a distant second, with 28,964 students heading there, with Germany (27,872) and the UK (25,760) completing the top four.

During that same period, 39,545 Spanish students decided to undertake a year of study in another European country, displaying an impressive wanderlust that many of the Spaniards’ British counterparts could well learn from.

The financial support Spain’s government offers to its students is set deliberately low – at just €123 per month – to enable a greater number of students the chance to experience Erasmus. Compared to the European Community average of €252 per month, and particularly the EU-high offered to Latvian students (a massive €641 per month), young Spaniards should indeed be applauded for their intrepid sense of adventure.

With the shoe on the other foot, Spain is such an attractive destination for students for the same reasons why it is perennially popular with holidaymakers and home buyers – the incredible climate, the stunning historical cities and the impressive infrastructure.

So while you don’t always want to follow in students’ footsteps, when it comes to choosing Spain, they’re most certainly on the right path.