Exchange Experience at the University of Padua (Italy)

Elena Savicheva, a Master’s student in Marketing, spent her final semester of study on exchange at the University of Padua in spring 2021. Here, she shares the highlights of her experience.

During the second semester of my final year in the Master’s program, I went on an exchange to Italy.

All partner universities of HSE are ranked among the best globally, so choosing one wasn’t too difficult. I decided to go to one of the oldest universities in Europe — Università di Padova — located in the affordable student town of Padua.

Padua turned out to be very reasonably priced (especially compared to cities like Florence or Milan). Accommodation can also be budget-friendly — the university offers dormitories for students. However, spots are limited, so it’s best to apply as early as possible. I lived in the Colombo residence, considered one of the best options for making friends with both Italian and international students, thanks to plenty of shared spaces, a garden with a volleyball net, and more.

Everyone in Padua gets around by bike. You can easily buy a second-hand one and resell it at the end of the semester. However, bikes are frequently stolen in Padua, so I’d recommend downloading the Movi app and renting city bikes for a very reasonable price.

Since I went abroad during my final semester, I had already earned all the credits required for graduation at HSE. This allowed me to choose courses based on personal interest — film genres, beginner Italian, and psychology. I was initially worried these subjects might not be approved due to their distance from my marketing specialization, but neither HSE nor the host university had any issues with my learning agreement.

Classes at the University of Padua were scheduled either in the morning or afternoon and only on weekdays, which was great for meeting friends or traveling after class.

Speaking of travel — Padua is a great base for it. For example, Venice is just a 15-minute train ride away. Together with other international students, we managed to visit around 20 cities across five regions of Italy.

I would absolutely recommend the University of Padua as an exchange destination. Engaging classes, a vibrant student life, a large international community, and affordable living — that’s how I would summarize my mobility experience at Università di Padova.