Erasmus Experience in Vienna, Austria by Tamara

Why did you choose to go to Vienna, Austria?

Because I was told it is one of the best places to live in Europe : high life quality, good public transportation, culture, amusement and so on.

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

I received almost 200 euros per month

What is the student lifestyle like in Vienna?

It's a multicultural city. People from the five continents are either studying as exchange students or regular students. There are all kind of clubs and parties, specially for erasmus students

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

Yes, absolutely.

What is the food like?

Desserts and other sweet things are great, and also the glühwein and bier. The rest of the food is not big deal.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Vienna?

Finding a shared flat was impossible. But Studentenheim (student's residences) are all over Vienna, and it's easy to get accomodation this way. OEAD manages this. The bad thing is that the price is higher.

How much does it cost to live in Vienna?

Around 600-800 euros. Depending on your accomodation price.

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

German is difficult to deal with but not impossible. You can easily attend german courses every semester and even intensive courses monthly. In the worst situation, you can always communicate in english; almost everybody there is good at it.

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

From Madrid is not really easy or economical. Normally you have stops on your way to Vienna and the price oscilates around 200 euros. However, form Barcelona the price is quite lower and you can even get a direct flight.

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

Schwedenplatz, Volksgarten.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Albertina Museum, the Opera, Hundertwasserhaus, Schönnbrunn, Khalenberg, Pratersten...