Erasmus Experience in Vienna, Austria by Rasmiaditya

Why did you choose to go to Vienna, Austria?

I heard the city was amazing, and it is! The city provides much infrastructures and entertainments that you need (and maybe even more) and everywhere is easily reachable with the amazing public transportation system. The atmosphere is very modern and international but you can still feel the elegance of traditional Viennese culture.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I'm a PhD student with a research contract with the university. I got a contract for 4 years with 30 hours/week working time and 1300 euro paycheck. Other than that the PhD program covers all language program, field work, conference, research abroad and other education related expenses.

What is the student lifestyle like in Vienna?

Fun! The university library is well-stocked, the public library are very nice if you're looking for fun stuffs to read. The city is very calm and lovely parks are around to provide different study atmosphere. Student prices are very reasonable and there are lots of cool hangout places to have fun at.

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

Of course! The education fee is relatively cheap too and there are lots of subject varieties to choose, even for the international program in English. So come and study here! :D

What is the food like?

You can't go wrong with the Viennese cuisine, everything is nice, fresh and savory. There are also a lot of other choices to choose such as kebab, asian food, greek, italian and many more. Even the instant meal at the supermarket is good as well!

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Vienna?

Perhaps this part is a bit tricky as it would be better to be at Vienna to look for accommodation and check the places yourselves. It's better if you have a place to stay for a while and then look for a permanent accommodation. Vacancies aren't hard to find, but the competition is rather high so better go check as many places as you can.

How much does it cost to live in Vienna?

If you live in a dorm and eat moderately I would say around 450/month. Then of course there's mobile phone bill, education, entertainment and other expenses. My expense a month is around 900, and that living a single flat where I have to pay utilities and internet separately (in dorm everything is included and much cheaper)

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

Well, German can be confusing with its grammar, but I'd say that the vocabs are quite similar to English. Language courses are easy to find with lots of program that suit your need and available time. Even when your German is very broken, people can still speak decent English and you won't be having any difficulties at all. But do study German! Since it's fun to chat up with the locals, they're very friendly and interesting :D

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

I'm from Indonsia so of course the easiest is by airplane

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Vienna?

Inner districts are famous for the club for young people

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

There's a pakistani restaurant called Deewan near Uni Wien. People (esp students) love to go there because it offers an 'all you can eat' buffet with the 'pay as you wish' system! (which makes things cheaper, but do pay considerably since the people there are very nice and the food are delicious. and you'd want to reward them properly ;))

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Wow there are many! If I should list my faves: opera house, Schonnbrun, Hofburg, Belvedere, Hundertwasser, Kahlenberg.

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

You'll be enjoying your time here. You won't be pressured by people but you do have to have a good self-management in order to have a comfortable study time. Some times being a student can be frustating, but there's the Vienna city ambience that can help you to relax and focus again. I have lots of fun here, my friends do as well, so I can guarantee that you'll feel the same :D