Exchange semester in Vienna – the city of parks, theatres, and museums
Daria Voloshchuk, a third-year student of the “Business Administration” undergraduate programme, shares her experience of spending a semester abroad at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) in Austria.
Hello! My name is Daria Voloshchuk, and I’m a third-year student of the “Business Administration” programme. I spent the 2019–2020 fall-winter semester in Vienna, Austria, as part of HSE’s university-wide international academic mobility programme, studying at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU).
I chose WU because it is currently one of the world’s leading universities in the fields of Economics and Business & Management. I had already visited Austria before and really liked the country. Vienna, its capital, is regularly ranked among the world’s best cities to live in—and it’s easy to see why. The city is full of parks, theatres, and museums, there are dedicated bike lanes everywhere, and the public transportation system is very efficient and convenient.
Initially, I considered three different universities for my exchange, so I prepared separate applications for each of them. It’s better to start preparing documents early for the HSE exchange competition, as it’s quite a time-consuming process. In general, if you want to participate in academic mobility, be prepared to spend a lot of time on administrative matters: visa, housing, tickets, insurance, paperwork for HSE and the host university, etc. But it is 100% worth it :)
Since I had a high GPA, I was immediately accepted into my first-choice university. After receiving final confirmation from the host institution, I began actively exploring the WU website and the Austrian embassy in Russia. Closer to departure, I visited a lot of websites about Vienna, contacted my buddy, and downloaded necessary offline maps (I recommend the MapsMe app). The most important thing when preparing for your exchange is to carefully follow the host university’s instructions provided in the study guide.
Don’t forget to apply for the HSE Endowment Fund scholarship—it only requires a motivational letter.
The semester at WU turned out to be one of the best of my entire academic experience. You’re constantly communicating with other students and immersed in an international environment. I learned so much about life in other countries through my interactions with peers from the U.S., Norway, the Netherlands, Japan, China, Spain, and more. It’s amazing that WU organises many events and trips for international students through EBN (Erasmus Buddy Network). Austria’s convenient location also makes it easy to travel to Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic by bus or train—or fly to Italy for just €20! But even within Austria, there’s no shortage of places to visit: Salzburg, Hallstatt, Mauthausen, Innsbruck, and countless ski resorts in the Alps.
As for academics, the system is different from what we’re used to in Russia. At WU, there’s no division between lectures and seminars—all classes are held in small groups of 12–20 students. Grades usually consist of group work (presentations), reports/essays, and a final exam. Some courses also include a midterm. I found the professors to be more approachable, and they try to make classes interactive and practice-oriented. WU encourages creativity and initiative. Unlike HSE, each student has their own unique schedule based on the courses they choose. It’s your responsibility to avoid schedule conflicts and limit absences. Interestingly, a course might last two months—or just five days. Most sessions are 3–5 hours long, and the professor decides when and how long breaks will be.
Finding student housing in Vienna is relatively easy, thanks to the OeAD organisation, which offers affordable dormitory rooms for international students. Prices range from €300 to €650 per month depending on the room type (shared room for 2–4 people; private room with shared kitchen/bathroom; private apartment, etc.). Airbnb is also an option.
In general, prices in Vienna are 1.5–2 times higher than in Moscow. A typical café bill is around €15, and monthly groceries cost about €220. There are three price categories of supermarkets: Merkur is the most expensive; Billa and Spar are mid-range; and Hofer, Lidl, and PennyMarkt are budget-friendly. It’s worth noting that all supermarkets offer high-quality products.
If you're going to Vienna, keep in mind that stores are closed on Sundays and holidays. Only a few cafés and restaurants in the historic center stay open. On weekdays, stores are usually open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays until 6 p.m., so plan your shopping in advance, preferably during the week. Bank and government office hours should also be double-checked—they often close by 3 p.m.
Public transportation in Vienna is very affordable for students. You can buy a semester pass for €75, which gives you unlimited access to the metro, buses, and trams within Vienna (Wiener Linien). However, this pass doesn’t cover travel to other cities. Even though the metro has no turnstiles and ticket checks are rare, fines for fare evasion are around €100—so don’t risk it! You can also get around the city by bike. One option is to register on the CityBike website, pay a €1 fee, and use any of the bike stations. The first hour is free, the second is €1, the third is €2, and so on. If you return the bike and take a new one, the first hour is free again.
Finally, here are some sightseeing tips. On the first Sunday of every month and on holidays, admission to some museums is free—just be sure to check the museum’s website in advance. You can also visit the famous Vienna Opera for just €3–4 by purchasing standing room tickets. Of course, don’t miss the historic city centre with Stephansdom, the palace complexes of Belvedere and Schönbrunn, and the picturesque vineyard-covered hill of Kahlenberg.
Good luck to everyone planning to go on academic mobility!