#ugent

Donations are very few🚨🇵🇸🇵🇸

And our life is very difficult😭

I launched my donation campaign about a month ago and I have only received 153CAD💔🚨

Please donate and share to reach my short goal of 300CAD 🙏🙏

I am Ahmad, and I live in Gaza, where the situation is becoming more difficult day by day. The ongoing devastating war has left my family and me in dire need of support. 🙏I am a father of four children, and their safety is my top priority. Can you help us by providing our basic needs for food, water, and shelter? 🥫💧🏠 Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a significant difference in our lives and give my children hope for a better tomorrow. ❤️If you are willing to help, please contact me.Thank you for your kindness and support during these challenging times. Together, we can make a difference. 🙌

Hi Ahmad ♥️ This father of 3 has a campaign that very little has been donated to, with not a lot of traction either. Please consider donating whatever you can spare and reblog at the very least, don't hesitate!!!

First of all, I'm coming to the city for the second semester and still haven't decided whether I want to stay in the university dorms or try to find a room somewhere, if I do so when do you think I should start looking for it? (I don't see many posts on Facebook groups) Also, most of my courses will be under the department of educational studies, so what are the best areas to look for apartments and be near the university buildings?

(I'm actually in contact with a girl that studied there before but she stayed in the university dorms, so she can give me advice only on that)

Thank you again, you were super helpful and kind last time, I really appreciate it! 🫶🏻

Hii!

If you want to rent privately, start looking asap. If you can find a room now, great! I think there will be more possibilities towards the end of november-beginning of december though, but basically it's never too early to start looking. The market is pretty fucked here right now because there's more demand than offer (especially in the lower price categories, which barely even exist anymore). I'm not trying to scare you with this but I also don't want to sugarcoat it. The situation isn't as dire as in some British uni cities (for example, from what I've heard) but it isn't great either. I'd for sure contact the international office of the faculty you're going to because some function as a middleman between incoming and outgoing students (outgoing students sending them their rooms and they offering them to incoming students).

Educational studies isn't in the center but Ghent really isn't that big so if you find something in the center that would work (especially if you will have a bike). The Coupure and Watersportbaan areas are closest to that campus so those are good options as well.

I genuinely wonder how all that stuff fit in there?? It’s weird

I'm Italian and I'm planning to study in Gent for 5 months in 2024 (Erasmus), which, I know it's still early to worry about but I'm stressed 😭😂, and I would love to know whether it's better to look for apartments or try the university accomodations?

I would prefer a room and roommates because it would probably cost less it think, idk

Also, if you know about it, is Gent walkable?

Thank you in advance 🩷

Hi! So exciting that you're coming to Ghent!!

The university accomodations are limited in number and I know students with special needs (such as lower income) get priority. I don't know if you can get them for one semester only, you'd have to check that on the website or get in contact with someone from the Huisvesting department (I think you would be able to find the most important information on this site https://www.ugent.be/en/facilities/housing/exchange.htm)

Most people rent privately. Broadly there's two options: a studio where you have your own kitchen and bathroom, or a room (where you have to share those, or sometimes you have either a kitchen or a bathroom to yourself). Rooms are obviously cheaper and especially when you're on a tight budget they're the better choice, because prices have been rising the last couple of years due to a housing shortage. I'm looking for a new place myself right now and some of these prices are insane. It is probably interesting for you to get in contact with the international office of the faculty you will be studying at. My faculty (Arts and Philosophy) helps outgoing rent out their places for a semester to ingoing students, so that way you might be able to find a place. I don't know if other faculties do this as well, but it might be worth taking a look.

The Ghent city center is definitely walkable and the public transport system in the city is fairly elaborated. Ghent is not a very big city. I studied abroad in Bologna last year and size-wise the city centers are comparable (if you've been to Bologna). Most students have a bike because sometimes you do have to go a little further. I'd check where your faculty is located as some are a little further away (I hope for you you're not a vet student cause they're located way out of town). It's definitely doable to just walk everywhere and take the bus or tram every now and then if your faculty is more or less centrally located (faculties like arts and philosophy, economy, law, bioscience engineering... are examples).

Let me know if you have any other questions, I'm happy to help.