Mannheim is an amazing city for students, containing many facilities for both study and leisure. Mannheim University is in a beautiful palace that makes the learning environment very unique and pleasing to the eye. It also contains plenty of facilities to for studying or to relax and socialise with friends. The staff are also very helpful with any enquiries you may have and are very enthusiastic in their area of teaching. As a Psychology student I found this very pleasant as it enabled deep discussions and explanations of certain areas of interest.

There are a lot of activities organised for exchange students which I found a great help at the start of the semester, allowing you to make friends and explore Mannheim and Germany in a very affordable way. I also did not speak much German when first arriving but I found everyone to be patient and willing to help. The university also offered lessons which I found a great help during my stay. I found that Mannheim University has a lot of international students, so it was great being able to meet people from all over the world and experience different cultures. Overall, i found the University very welcoming which allowed me to adjust very easily.

The city of Mannheim is full of activities that for students, as there are plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs to be explored. It also contains pretty sights such as the water tower and Luisenpark that can be enjoyed on sunny days. I also loved the restaurants such as the Fermeldetum and Stars where you are able to see a lovely view of Mannheim while enjoying some good food. Mannheim also has a good shopping area and a lot of markets during the week where you can get fresh local produce. The trams and local buses also made it very easy to get around and explore.

During the winter semester I thoroughly enjoyed the autumn festivals and Christmas markets; they gave a lovely atmosphere and had plenty of unique gifts. I also loved the fact that you can take a wide range of transport many parts of Germany and other countries relatively cheaply, and as a result I got to explore much of Germany and the rest of Europe. Overall I can say I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Mannheim University and highly recommend it.