An unbeatable year

Why did you choose to go to Vienna, Austria?

Although my first idea was to go to Bergen in Norway, the subjects that they offered in the university could not be authorised by my course in Spain. I had gone to Vienna for a few days the summer before and I loved it, so I finally chose to go with this city.

How long did the scholarship last? How much money did you receive to help you?

I was there for 2 semesters (the whole academic year of 2007/2008) and I received around 450€ to help me out (thanks to the fact that I was awarded an excellent scholarship and not the minimum amount that Erasmus gives which was around 200€).

How is student life in Vienna?

It's a very lively city with a fantastic student atmosphere. The teaching method in "Hauptgebäude der Universität Wien", at least for my course which was History, was very different from how it was taught in Spain, so a more specific knowledge was encouraged and the participation of the students was really promoted. In fact, this was one of the things that surprised me the most, because in my faculty in Spain (University of Cantabria), the participation was always minimal and not very impressive, whereas it was the complete opposite in Vienna. You could say that it was very inspirational.

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

Without a doubt.

What is Austrian cuisine like?

The main thing that stood out was the desserts, and I recommend trying "Mohr im Hemd" :)

Mohr im Hemd

How did you find your accommodation?

Thanks to http://www.housing.oead.at/. It's an agency that manages most of the student residences in the main cities around Austria. I was living in the Molkereistrasse halls in the Prater district and it was very well connected to the university thanks to new metro stops that were built for the UEFA European Championship. I didn't have any problems with this agency and everything worked out perfectly for me, so I would strongly recommend them if you're trying to find accommodation in Vienna.

How expensive is accommodation? And the price of general living in Vienna?

The price of accommodation was practically covered by my grant because I chose a bedroom in a 2 person flat, but there are places which cost less and have more people living in them.

How was the language? Did you do any language courses at the University?

I already spoke the language before I arrived in Vienna, I had completed the 5 courses of the Official Language School a year before. The year in Vienna provided me with the opportunity to perfect and learn more about the language. However, I recommend that if you're going to study a humanities degree (in my case it was History), make sure you know if you have to be able to speak German or not. In my case, all the classes and exams were in German. I only received "special treatment" for being an Erasmus student in some cases, so I would say that having a previous knowledge of German was practically obligatory for my course.

What is the cheapest way to get to Vienna from your city?

There is no cheap way from Santander, so all the options involved going from another Spanish or European city. At Christmas, I flew with "Spanair" passing through Madrid which turned out to be quite expensive.

Which places in Vienna would you recommend for a night out?

U4, Flex, etc. There is always something to do in Vienna, so you'll never be bored.

And to eat in Vienna? Can you recommend any of your favourite places?

Einstein o Tunnel if you want to eat something cheap and good. If you're looking for typical Viennese food, I would recommend any "Zwölf Apostelkeller" restaurant or a "Heuriger" in the outskirts of the city.

Zwölf Apostelkeller

And how were the cultural trips?

Vienna is all about culture. Every step you take, you'll find something to do that's worthwhile, so the best thing to do is just lose yourself in the streets. However, there are legendary places which you can't not see: the Kunsthistorischesmuseum, Hofburg, Schönbrunn, Hundertwasserhaus, etc.

Hundertwasserhaus

Any advice that you'd like to give to any future students who are going to study in Vienna?

Yes, if you're in doubt, then don't be! Come to Vienna!