Details

• Great Britain & N.Ireland
• BBE-18
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

I arrived in Sheffield about a week before classes started and would strongly recommend doing the same. The Welcome Week was a great opportunity to meet people, and many of the friends I spent the semester with were people I met during those first few days. One thing I wish I had known beforehand is how useful a Revolut (or similar bank) account is in the UK. I initially used my regular bank card and paid unnecessary exchange and transaction fees. Setting up a Revolut account was quick and easy and would have saved me some money if I had done it earlier. I would also recommend taking the UK Cross-Cultural Competences course at WU before the exchange. Through this course, I met the other WU students who were going to Sheffield, and one of them became one of my closest friends during the semester. Apart from that, the preparation process was very smooth. Course selection and communication with the university were straightforward, and travelling via Manchester Airport and then by train to Sheffield worked very well.

2. Accommodation

I stayed in Allen Court, a university-managed student residence located close to both the city centre and the university. I was very happy with the location and would recommend it to future exchange students. Finding accommodation for only one semester initially seemed difficult, as many providers advertise only full-year contracts or other durations that didn't match my needs. However, I found that there are more options available than it first appears. Several friends successfully arranged semester-long accommodation by contacting providers directly via email, even when shorter contracts were not listed online. While accommodation close to the city centre is convenient, many students also lived in the western parts of the city near the university and had a great experience. Since much of the university campus extends into these areas, they can be a good choice as well. Overall, I found Sheffield to be a safe and student-friendly city, and I would not worry too much about finding accommodation as long as you start looking early enough.

3. Academic life at host university

I took the modules Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Teamwork, and Project Management. I would recommend all three, although I noticed that the two second-year modules were somewhat less demanding than the third-year Project Management module. One interesting aspect of my exchange was that I did not have any written exams. Instead, all three modules were assessed through a combination of group projects, presentations, group essays, and individual essays. However, this was specific to my module selection, as most of my friends had traditional exams in at least some of their courses. The teaching staff were approachable and supportive, and class sizes were smaller than at WU Vienna, ranging from around 20 to 60 students. This created a more interactive learning environment. The campus facilities were excellent. I never had trouble finding a study space, and for group work it was easy to reserve rooms, for example in the Diamond building. The biggest difference compared to WU Vienna was the student society culture. There is an enormous variety of sports clubs and societies, and many students actively participate in them. I tried both karting and handball during the semester and would strongly encourage exchange students to explore the available societies, as they are a great way to meet people and become part of the university community.

5. Every day life in the host country

Sheffield offers a very good balance between city life and convenience. Although public transport is available, I mostly walked, as most places can be reached within 20 minutes. I only used the tram for destinations further away, such as the Hillsborough football and dog-racing stadiums, and Meadowhall shopping centre. In my free time, I travelled extensively and would highly recommend making use of Sheffield's location. During my semester, I visited Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, London, Manchester, Liverpool, York, Leeds, the Peak District, and even the Isle of Man, which was one of the highlights of my exchange. Social life was a major part of the experience. West Street is the main nightlife area, and there are opportunities to go out almost every evening if you wish. Even though I do not drink alcohol, I still enjoyed spending time in pubs and socialising with friends. One of the biggest reasons I enjoyed my exchange so much was the people I met. I was fortunate to get along very well with my roommates, and we spent a lot of time together travelling, exploring the city, and participating in social activities. Sheffield felt very welcoming and student-friendly throughout my stay. I also found it interesting that, despite being a city of around 600,000 people, Sheffield does not feel overly crowded. While there is activity in the city centre, many students also spend time in the western residential areas near the university, which gives the city a different atmosphere compared to many other large cities.

6. Testimonial

My exchange semester in Sheffield was one of the most rewarding experiences of my studies. The combination of a welcoming university environment, great friendships, and the opportunity to travel across the UK made it a truly memorable time. I particularly enjoyed exploring different parts of the country while experiencing everyday student life in Sheffield. I would highly recommend the University of Sheffield to future exchange students.