ESNSurvey 2005

92% of students would recommend studying abroad to their friends. This is one of the findings gained by the research study of the Erasmus Student Network. The questionnaires, available online in June and July 2005, were filled by almost 8.000 international students in the age between 18 and 30, who spent an exchange semester at a European university.

Erasmus Student Network launched this survey to identify the motivations and learning experiences of international and exchange students. Over 8 000 responses indicate the importance of education and mobility issues among students. Students involved in activities of student organisations such as ESN are more satisfied with both their stay abroad and their studies. This in turn is linked with mobility, as students showing greater satisfaction with their stay abroad are more likely to be mobile in the future. Students are more satisfied with their stay abroad overall, than with their studies while abroad.

Our findings based on students' experience while studying abroad show that student mobility across Europe still differs notably. There is big gap between students from Eastern and Central Europe and the Westerners, as far as family status, financial issues and even motivations are concerned. The presence of one student organisation, whose main aim is to support those on exchange, has a positive impact on students' experience, their overall satisfaction and, even, future mobility plans such as marrying a foreigner and moving to a foreign country.