My Erasmus exchange has finally come to an end. So it’s time I share my experience and thoughts about it. I hope this blog will help anyone that’s considering doing an Erasmus exchange in Austria.
The University#
My choice of university was influenced by the BIP (Blended Intensive Program) that I did about 6 months prior to the start of my Erasmus exchange. The BIP was a 1-week program where I had a chance to visit the Fachhochschule Sankt Pölten.
During my BIP, I met some of the professors and administrative staff there, and we felt really welcome. So when the time came to choose a university for my Erasmus exchange, I didn’t hesitate to put FHSTP as my first choice.
The university in general was great. The campus was modern and well-equipped. The professors were knowledgeable about the courses they were teaching. The administrative staff was helpful and friendly (especially the international office helped us greatly!).
Location#
The university is located in Sankt Pölten, which is the capital of the Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) state. It’s a small city, but in general it’s calm and comfortable to live in. It’s also close to Vienna, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Vienna Central station by train.
I luckily didn’t go alone to Austria, I went with a friend that I knew for 2 years from Howest. We rented a dormitory close to the campus. We were also lucky to have a car, so we traveled to some places that were harder to reach by public transport. We were lucky to visit some interesting places like Hallstatt, the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant and the hike in Rabenstein.
Erasmus#
The Erasmus experience was great. I met a lot of people from all over Europe. Personally I found it eye-opening to talk to people from different cultures and backgrounds. All my classes except my German course were in English, so I had the chance to work with a unique group of people.
Getting used to living in Austria didn’t take long. The people were friendly and helpful. I’ve felt welcome in almost all situations. Even though I had a basic understanding of German, I didn’t expect the local Austrian dialect to be so different. But I managed to learn some of it during my stay.
Conclusion#
I’m really glad I did my Erasmus exchange in Austria. I’ve learned a lot, not only academically, but also personally. Sometimes it can be hard to leave your comfort zone, but it’s definitely worth it. I would recommend anyone to do an Erasmus exchange if they have the chance. I was lucky to have a lot of other Erasmus students around me, which makes it easier to adapt to a new environment.
I’d also like to thank the people that made my Erasmus experience possible. Namely, the European Commission, the Fachhochschule Sankt Pölten, and the Howest University of Applied Sciences.
