Details

• Great Britain & N.Ireland
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 3 months

1. Preparation

Try to arrange your accommodation as early as possible. I chose the one recommended directly by BAYES University. It has a great location and is relatively affordable for London, especially considering that it is located in the City, so it is very central and in a nicer and, most importantly, safer area. Looking back, however, I might also consider searching for private accommodation options. The residence is very much a student dormitory for first-year students, so it was often quite noisy. In addition, the accommodation is not particularly attractive and feels rather run-down for the price.

2. Accommodation

It was relatively straightforward. I chose the accommodation offered through the university, which was a student residence shared with four other students. I had a small room of my own. The rooms vary quite a bit between apartments, with different room layouts and bed sizes, so it definitely makes sense to arrive as early as possible to avoid ending up with the least desirable room, haha. StuWo itself is not particularly nice, but it is perfectly adequate for sleeping and living for a few months. You just have to keep in mind that, despite the fairly high price, you should not expect luxury accommodation. The location, however, is excellent. It is about a 10-minute walk to the main university campus and roughly 15–20 minutes to the business school campus. Classes are held at both locations, so the central location is a major advantage.

3. Academic life at host university

The teaching style in London is quite different from what I was used to in Vienna. Of course, it depends on the course, but overall it feels much more like a university of applied sciences, with a strong focus on participation, smaller class sizes, and a more personal learning environment. Some professors even remembered students by name. Attendance was mandatory for most of my courses. Students had to check in on campus using their student ID card, so participation was taken quite seriously. The courses themselves were very interesting, and I would definitely recommend choosing subjects that are not available at WU. One thing I particularly appreciated was that exchange students were often given the option to write a research paper instead of taking a final exam. These papers were generally much more demanding than the seminar papers I had written at WU, but I actually saw this as a benefit. It gave me valuable experience in academic writing, research, and referencing, which significantly improved my skills in those areas.

5. Every day life in the host country

London is an amazing city, and there is honestly something for everyone. Whether you are interested in sports, great food, cultural activities, nightlife, or simply exploring different neighborhoods, there is always something to do. Personally, I could easily have stayed another three months without running out of things to experience. I also never really felt unsafe. People were generally very friendly, and both the local and exchange students at the university were incredibly welcoming and approachable. If you have the time, I would highly recommend taking advantage of the UK’s excellent rail connections. Day trips to places like Oxford or Brighton are very affordable with a Railcard, and longer trips to destinations such as Edinburgh are definitely worth considering as well. One of my goals during the semester was to see as much of the UK as possible, and I am very glad I did. Another practical advantage is that the university offers access to a relatively affordable gym close to campus, which is convenient if you want to stay active during your exchange semester.

6. Testimonial

Overall, I would do it again without hesitation. You get to see and experience so much, the university is extremely well organized, and the other students were incredibly friendly. I am still in regular contact with several people I met during my exchange, and we are already planning to visit each other in the future. My biggest piece of advice would be to make the most of every opportunity: explore the city, travel whenever you can, and really take advantage of everything London has to offer. I was out doing something almost every day, yet I still did not manage to see everything that was on my list. There is simply so much to discover, and the semester goes by much faster than you expect. Looking back, the experiences, friendships, and memories I gained made the exchange one of the most rewarding parts of my university journey.