Christopher Murray is studying French and German at Queen's University Belfast and is on his year abroad in Tours, France, for nine months. He says, "the vast majority of language students at my university spend the year as assistants, but I was more interested in the Erasmus experience so one of my lecturers set up a new exchange with Université François-Rabelais." Here he passes on his top survival tips.

Charlotte Watson is studying French and German at Bangor University and is currently nearing the end of her placement in Toulouse, France, before moving onto Passau in Germany next semester. She is an Erasmus student at Université Toulouse II-Le Mirail, and chose Toulouse because she’d always wanted to see the South of France for herself, having heard such wonderful things about the weather, food and general way of life there. Here she passes on her top tips and advice for other students thinking of living there during their degree.

Christopher Hall is 21 and studies French & Linguistics at Queen Mary, University of London. This year he is spending seven months of his year abroad working as an English Language Assistant in two high schools in Loos, in the outskirts of Lille, France. He chose Lille as it provides an urban environment with excellent amenities yet without the expense of living in a capital city, and has speedy transport connections to the UK and many cities throughout continental Europe. Here he passes on his advice about accommodation, getting around town, student discounts, shopping, eating out and the nightlife in Lille.