Erasmus Experience in Innsbruck, Austria by Miquel Angel

Why did you choose Innsbruck, Austria?

Well by ruling out the other options, really I had no idea what I would find here. It was a good decision on my part! It was the best option available!

How long did your grant last? How much in financial aid did you receive?

My grant lasted a semester and I got about €700 but I understand that you can get more or less depending on the university and the region in which you study.

What is student life like in Innsbruck?

It couldn't be better! There are so many students and, most importantly, so much Erasmus life! The city is overflowing with students. There is a really good vibe there, I never saw any fights or anything like that, you can mix with all the students, especially with the other Erasmus students, and, by the time you leave, you'll end up knowing almost all of them, it's like a tribe. Besides, there's a lot of night life there, you could go out every day of the week if you wanted to, but you also need to study sometime, eh?

Would you recommend the city and the University of Innsbruck to other students?

Definitely! It has been one of the best decision I've ever made. Erasmus in IBK has been the best experience I've ever had.

What is the food like?

The food is good, as you can expect there is a lot of sausage and meat (all of the different kinds of wurst, schnitzel, a lot of pizza... ) but they also have a lot of italian food there. They have a lot of the same stuff in the supermarkets as at home, as it's in the Mediterranean and close to Italy. I had no problems.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Innsbruck?

I took the option to live in WIST, which are the student residences there. WIST finds you residences, you put them in order of your preference and they assign you one. All online, it was very convenient. I recommend living in the Erasmus residences.

How much does it cost to live in Innsbruck?

It's not cheap but you can live comfortably, save your money and cook. Erasmus has everything you need to enjoy yourself, skiing, trips, parties...

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

At the beginning it was hard because German is not easy. If you come out of your shell a bit, you'll be able to talk straight away. Personally, I learned more English than anything else because it's the language of Erasmus.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Innsbruck from your city?

From Palma the cheapest option is to fly to Munich or Memmingen with Ryanair but if you can get a direct flight (which you can get from Palma) to Innsbruck, it works perfectly because the airport is very close to the city. It only takes 10 or 15 minutes by bus.

Where would you recommend for a night out in Innsbruck?

There's Stadtcafe, Hoffgarten, Aftershave, the Bogens with all their bars, SegaBar, the Limerick Pub, Moustage, Weekender on Mondays..... There are so many places, you won't get bored!

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Innsbruck?

I don't know really, as the Erasmus grant doesn't have much left over for eating out. Some of the pizza places are good, the one at the end of Maria Theresien street to the left, I don't remember the name... A kebab shop on Innrain next to Markplatz station or the chinese buffet next to Burguerstrasse.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

I got the Innsbruck card which comes with a little book that tells you everything you can visit with the card and they have a lot of discounts and places you can visit for free. Culturally speaking, the city is really worth seeing.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Innsbruck in the future?

Pick Innsbruck as your Erasmus destination and you won't be disappointed, enjoy it as much as you can!

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