Matthew – Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration – Austria
Semester 2, 2024 & Semester 1, 2025
Bachelor of Business – International
Hello, my name is Matthew Bucolo and I am in my final semester of my BS08 degree majoring in Economics. I recently returned from my 2 semester exchange at Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU).
The first thing you learn in Vienna is that one of the only German words you need to know is “Oida”. Although the term directly translates to “Old Person” in English, it is used every day by your local Viennese person. From being angry at the supermarket to having a laugh with your mates, it is just one of the few unique things you will learn about this amazing city.
Now, before I dive into how special this city is, I will begin with my experience even before I arrived in Vienna. The process of applying to WU can be very challenging at times. I found that keeping in frequent communication with the QUT STAE team was essential in the application process. They can assist with everything from helping you write your motivation letter to even the most basic things such as keeping you updated with exchange events. They should always be your first port of call, and they are always happy to help you.
Bear in mind that for BS08 specifically, you will need to personally attend the Austrian Embassy in Canberra to file your application for your student visa.
Now, to get onto the adventure of a lifetime.
When I first arrived in Vienna, I was exhausted. Having just travelled for 26 hours with minimal sleep, I was nervous, tired and excited all at the same time. When I landed, I had not planned for it to be extremely hot. I was all kitted out in my thick winter gear to save space in my luggage (right on the dot of 30kgs) and was sweating bullets.
On the very first day, I remember lying in my bed and getting changed into some pyjamas before crashing for 14 hours of sleep. This did not assist with the jet lag as I then proceeded to wake up at 3:30am the next day. However, this was not all too bad as I was able to plan my week ahead and was able to get all my legal documents sorted and was able to scrutinise the city map to get the lay of the land. This was extremely helpful as I figured out what train lines were near me, where the phone store and bank were and lastly where the municipal city office (registration office) was located.
One thing that I did that other students may not do is arrive a little earlier to be able to participate in the 2-week orientation program and German language course. I would recommend undertaking the German language course if you are a BS08 student as it is worth 2 ECTS. I would recommend all exchange students participate in the orientation week. The orientation gave a great overview of Vienna itself, and we also had the opportunity to visit Graz and Wachau with a local guide.
However, the biggest benefit is getting to meet some of your fellow classmates before semester officially kicks off. Through this I met several people who were living in my student accommodation building (OeAD Molkereistrasse) and even met my next-door neighbours who I would now call lifelong friends.
University life itself is very different to QUT. Most notably, attendance is compulsory, and you will likely be at university on a daily basis. Assessments were rolling throughout the semester with different start dates for different subjects.
I was surprised by how much the on-campus commitment prevented me from travelling during the semester as I had expected that I would be able to take the occasional long weekend side trip somewhere. Near the end of semester there was plenty of opportunity to travel and explore other parts of Europe. For BS08 students, you get an extremely long Christmas break which can be lonely due to the departure of a number of the students that were only in Vienna for one semester. However, this is a great time to have friends and family visit if they can and you can show them around some of the most famous and beautiful Christmas markets in the world.
The second semester passed quickly and before I knew it I was packing my bags to head back to Australia with plenty of gifts in tow.
Final Recommendations:
– Exchange rates can be very volatile so make sure to keep an eye on this in the lead up to departure and buy some Euro if the Australian Dollar is strong
– Bring vitamin D supplements from Australia as they can be difficult to find in Europe and can be very expensive. This can help prevent the winter blues.
– If you have preferred brands of medication (even Panadol) bring it from Australia.
– Take advantage of the trains. If you do attend the orientation week, you will get a student train pass that gives you 50% off travel within Austria and discounted pricing throughout Europe.
– Vienna has a semester student pass which I would highly recommend as it allows travel on all city public transport.
– If you choose to go to WU, the WU team is extremely helpful and can assist with accommodation and banking or any other queries.
Overall, just remember to be proactive, be organised and make certain that you are in the driver’s seat as it is your own adventure.
Find out more on how you can apply: Student Exchange