Details

• Brazil
• BBE-18
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

When preparing for the semester abroad in Sao Paulo I would first complete everything needed to get the student visa. This means 1. Valid Passport 2. the Visa application receipt (you'll get that after doing the online application) 3. a photo 4. the acceptance letter from FGV 5. a proof of financial means -> for me this was just bank statements showing I receive enough money to sustain myself in brazil 6. police clearance -> this I had to request at a Magistrat here in vienna 7. your birth certificate 8. proof of health insurance -> maybe get health insurance with your credit card provider 9. flights -> just your tickets to SP and back :) 10. proof of residence -> where are you staying in SP (for me it was an AirBnB but there are other possibilities) Next I would recommend applying for a CPF which is basically their tax identification, having a CPF is really helpful as it allows you to buy tickets for events, get a mobile plan etc.

2. Accommodation

For the search I just looked at Airbnb's near FGV and was able to secure one in walking distance. FGV is also partnered with Uliving, a student housing provider which is also pretty good. Any location near FGV is pretty safe and in the center of SP, meaning the "districts" Bela Vista" or "Jardins". I personally would have loved to know that there is a volleyball court at Uliving Paulista, as I really like playing volleyball :)

3. Academic life at host university

The courses I chose where 1. ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING -> this course was very easy and fun, was 4 ECTS for doing two maybe three presentations, easy way to inflate your GPA 2. ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES -> this course was a little more demanding but was also worth 8 ECTS, could be compared to MoP (BBE course) 3. GEOPOLITICS FOR MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS -> the most interesting course I have personally had the chance to take, was way more demanding than what it was worth (4 ECTS) but the professor has an incredible teaching style. 4. GLOBAL MARKETING -> Was interesting but the professor had high expectations which made for a harder course... 5. MANAGEMENT IN THE NEXT BUSINESS FRONTIERS: AFRICA AND ASIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY -> just as easy as "ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING" all we did was research some data from WHO and present it to the class, easy way to inflate your GPA... Besides the courses I took, the facilities are quite modern, academic culture is very high-school-esque meaning almost full attendance (80%) and small classes. It is quite similar to the fourth/ third semester of BBE here at WU. I would recommend placing your classes on two to three days of the week to make for a bigger weekend that can be used for trips and events.

5. Every day life in the host country

So SP is pretty safe if you are a little street smart. Meaning, avoid dark alleys, see what places the locals avoid etc. For public transport Uber is your best friend, you'll get anywhere for cheap. There is also bus and subway but I did not use that once... For social/leisure activities there is a multitude of clubs, bars or just street gatherings where you can enjoy a Caipirinha for cheap. besides that there are a couple of parties organized by university clubs which are quite fun. Events is a big one. There is carnival depending on when you are going or how long you are staying. New years in RIO is also a blast but most importantly, November is concert season in Sao Paulo. A lot of the biggest names around the globe come to Brazil as the Summer is just starting in November/ December. I would really see what concerts there are when you are in Sao Paulo and get the tickets early (way cheaper :), though you might need a CPF for that). For sports, FGV has their own Football, Rugby, Volleyball teams (maybe even more) for which you can try out for. They usually are not very keen to take exchange students who only stay for one semester but if you are really good they might make an exemption.

6. Testimonial

Visiting Bazil is incredible. You will get the chance to experience a whole new culture which is not comparable at all to the Austrian one. You will make incredible friends, see incredible sights, have incredible nights, and probably will also get good grades (Uni is not that hard over there). What made the exchange special was the Brazilians. Never have I ever met a more open and friendly culture of people. Besides that the opportunity to be in South America is incredible. You can visit Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia for very little money. This is an opportunity you definitely have to take.