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Erasmus in Croatia: an opportunity to reinvent yourself away from your usual routine

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Interview with Lucas Hebert Hervagault and Raphaël Lecompte, CESI students who spent four months in Zagreb as part of the Erasmus+ program.

The choice of Croatia, between opportunity and chance

Could you tell us more about the place and period of your Erasmus mobility?

Raphaël : We arrived in Zagreb, Croatia, on June 6, 2025. The internship officially started on June 9 and ended on October 10. So we spent around four months there, entirely in the capital.

Why did you choose Croatia? Was it your first choice?

Raphaël : Not at all! At first, I applied to go to New Zealand. But the university took a long time to reply. Meanwhile, I was accepted in Zagreb, so I decided to go with that option.

Lucas : On my side too, I had done several searches that didn’t really lead anywhere. The answers came late and nothing was truly confirmed. With our Junior Enterprise project that we had to develop at CESI, it quickly became logical for us to end up in Zagreb. Going abroad with a friend, while continuing to work on our shared projects, very naturally became the obvious choice.

From a linguistic perspective, what languages were the courses and exchanges held in on site?

Raphaël : Both the classes and the interactions with the professors were entirely in English. Since I’m almost bilingual, I didn’t have any particular difficulties.

Lucas : We learned a few basics of Croatian, but most of the communication was in English. I tried to speak as much as possible. Whenever the conversation became too complex or technical and I didn’t fully understand the vocabulary, I let Raphaël take over. Still, it pushed me to make an effort to improve.

A campus mobility project


What kind of project did you work on in Zagreb?

Raphaël : We had a four-month capstone project that we chose from three proposals. We selected the one that seemed the most interesting: biomass pyrolysis. Specifically, we aimed to set up a biomass pyrolysis process in a quartz tube with a system that would allow us to recover and analyze the gases. The long-term objective was to determine if these gases could self-sustain the pyrolysis process. The pyrolysis produces gases, and we wanted to see if those gases could feed the process again.

Lucas : What was really motivating is that we were able to prototype the whole set-up ourselves: temperature probes at different points, gas measurement, biomass heating temperature, the test bench implementation… We gradually increased the temperature and ran our experiments. There was also a very strong environmental dimension, which really mattered to us. It was a topic that genuinely attracted us.


Did you work on this project alone or as part of a team?

Lucas : There were three of us: the two of us and a friend from our CESI cohort.

Raphaël : All three of us are in a work-study program at pharmaceutical companies in France. In Zagreb, however, we were integrated into the university’s analytical chemistry department.


How was the welcome and integration, both on campus and in the lab?

Raphaël : Everything was well organized via email before we arrived. The person in charge of supporting us was very professional. We received all the necessary information, such as addresses and procedures, as well as answers to our questions. However, once we arrived, things became more complicated. Our supervisor was the head of his department and often traveled to conferences. This presented a challenge because it was difficult to find our bearings, especially when the information was unclear. On the other hand, this forced us to manage our project independently.

Lucas : Administrative information, for example, wasn’t always presented clearly. In Croatia, all citizens and foreign students have an identification number. There are several administrative offices in the city, and it’s difficult to know where to go or when they’re open. It took us some time to identify the correct procedure, and once we had completed all the steps, the processing times were quite long.

The daily life of Lucas and Raphaël in Zagreb


What was the cost of living like in Zagreb?

Raphaël : Overall, it’s quite similar to France. Since Croatia joined the euro area in 2023, purchasing power is fairly comparable. Food, restaurants, bars… everything is pretty much the same.

Lucas : Fast food may be slightly cheaper, but not by much. You really notice the difference with highly taxed products in France, such as fuel, alcohol, and cigarettes. In Croatia, these products are more affordable because taxation is lower.

How did you find your accommodation? Were you staying on campus?

Raphaël : No, there wasn’t any dedicated student housing. We had to look on our own. We explored several options and eventually chose an Airbnb. In the summer, Zagreb is a popular tourist destination, so accommodations are expensive. You can really compare it to vacation prices in France.


What surprised or impressed you most about Croatian culture?

Lucas : The food, to begin with. As French people, we might be a bit demanding! For example, to find really good meat or a good wine, you often have to go to fairly high-end restaurants.
On the other hand, people are quite festive. There’s a lively atmosphere in the evenings in Zagreb and on the coast. We were able to travel around a bit, and the nightlife is really dynamic.

Raphaël : What also struck me was the difference between the capital and the coast. The coast has several major cities, such as Split and Zadar, as well as many islands. Croatia shares a lot of heritage with Italy. The coastline’s architecture is similar to Italian and Slovenian landscapes due to the legacy of former Roman strongholds. However, Croatians are less outwardly warm than Italians at first. You can feel more of an influence from Eastern Europe and Slavic countries than from Latin culture.

Lucas : And then there’s the nature: the islands, the coastline, the lakes… The Plitvice Lakes, for example, are a UNESCO World Heritage site. The landscapes there are stunning. Nature and history are truly central in the country.

Raphaël : Everyday life in Zagreb is quite similar to ours, but as soon as you go out to visit and explore, the country reveals another dimension.


Did you build connections with other students while you were there?

Raphaël : Not really. Since we were there outside of the main Erasmus period, there were few international students. It was difficult to meet people, whether Croatians or other foreigners. We mostly stayed with the other CESI students. Overall, it was a less rich period in terms of student life and encounters.

Lucas : In the end,the most meaningful interactions, were sometimes with taxi drivers or people we met in everyday life, who told us about their lives there. But those exchanges remained fairly occasional.


How do you think this experience will benefit your future career?

Raphaël : From a purely technical standpoint, not that much, since I don’t plan on continuing to work in a lab. However, this experience has taught me a lot about autonomy. For this project, we started from scratch and had to build and organize everything ourselves.

Lucas : For me, since I’d like to stay in the pharmaceutical lab field, this experience was very valuable to me. I was able to compare the level of rigor and organization I know from my company in France with a different way of working in another country. They have excellent equipment, funded in part through European budgets. It was interesting to see how they use this equipment and compare it with what we have in France.


What advice would you give to future students who want to study abroad in Croatia
through the Erasmus program?

Raphaël : Obviously, you need to keep in mind that studying and working are at the core of the program, but don’t view this period only through that lens. Spending several months abroad, away from your usual routines, is a unique opportunity. It’s a chance to rethink your lifestyle and identity, and to broaden your worldview. You discover a different culture and completely new landscapes. You truly immerse yourself in the country, which is nothing like going there on holiday.

Lucas : Don’t hesitate to travel around the country. Go to the coast, visit the islands, lakes, and historical sites. It’s an exceptional opportunity for personal and cultural discovery. If you have the chance to go, you should definitely seize it.