Matthew, P. Bachelor of Business and Law
Vienna University of Economics and Business (Semester 1, 2017)
Host University
Life at my host university – WU (Wirtschaftuniversitat Wien) – was great. The campus was located really close to the city centre and transport was so easy. Built in 2013, WU is extremely contemporary and offered many different learning spaces. The library is particularly noteworthy as it was designed by Zaha Hadid, who was arguably the most famous female architect in the world. 
In terms of accommodation, there exists no on-campus accommodation but instead, through OeAD there are a number of student residences throughout Vienna. I stayed in Kandlgasse in the 7th District and loved it. It’s about 25 minutes on a tram and a train to uni but is in a really cool part of Vienna, full of nice places to eat and drink; I’d highly recommend this place if you want to go through OeAD. University was structured differently in that there were no 4 set classes and class times for the duration of the semester. Instead, there are a number of ways you can set up your study, for example by doing 2 classes that run for 2 weeks (block classes) and another 3 for a few months. In this sense, it is much more confusing and I prefer the Australian method of organisation. (Don’t let this deter you, it just takes a bit of getting used to).
Host Country
Austria is a fantastic place to live due to its depth and breadth of natural beauty – from huge ski fields and glacial skiing available in winter to warm summer hikes. It is in Central Europe, making travel really easy e.g. a 10 Euro bus to Berlin. Austria is a part of the Germanic region and has a rich imperial history, particularly during the 19th century, where its famous coffeehouses were frequented by characters such as Trotsky, Freud, Hitler and Lenin.
Highlights of Exchange
Being able to travel extensively throughout the entirety of my semester was definitely a highlight. Getting to ski twice, visit Amsterdam and hang out in Nice for a week are all very real possibilities when travel is made so easy.
Unexpected Things
I didn’t anticipate enjoying just hanging around in Vienna as much as I ended up. Forcing yourself to learn a bit of the language will help you (literally) understand the people you interact with and can increase your familiarity with the city. I consider Vienna a second home and would not be against moving back there in the future.
Tips and advice for future students
Just go on exchange with an open mind, don’t be nervous because everyone is in the same position as you and friends are almost too easy to come by. Try and assimilate a little bit and you’ll be surprised by just how comfortable you can feel half way around the world.
