Details

• United States of America
• BBE-18
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

When it comes to the application process, I'd suggest getting familiar with a few potential universities early on in the semester, the full list can feel overwhelming otherwise. Go through exchange reports, speak with students who've studied at places you're considering, and try to work your way down to a shortlist. Also, be sure to include at least one "safe" option where your chances of acceptance are strong; you don't want to miss out on the exchange altogether by only targeting highly competitive schools. Once you're accepted, start early with running your preparations. UT Austin was very quick to provide all the necessary documentation for the visa application, so make the most of that and tackle it without delay. The visa process can be a bit of a headache, so getting started early definitely makes your life easier in case anything comes up.

2. Accommodation

Finding accommodation can be a bit of an adventure. I found my place on a Facebook group and was subleasing from an American who also did an exchange, but the whole process of signing all the sublease documents took at least 2 months, so here again, start early! A few things you should consider: First, try to find a place in West Campus, this is where basically all the students live. That's really where you want to be. If you go for one of the apartment complexes there, try to find a room to sublease like me, since most of them don't offer semester-only leases. I know a lot of people that had to sign a full year contract and then find someone to take it over, which is stressful and not guaranteed at all. In general, housing in the fall semester is for some reason even more competitive from what I have heard, so really don't leave it till the last minute. Another popular choice are the co-op houses like Pearl, Taos, 21st, and others. It's not the most luxurious option and you do have to put in some hours of work each week like cleaning or cooking, but some of the international students stay there and also have a good time. It's definitely cheaper than the apartments, some meals are included, and they are usually more flexible with lease duration. Regarding some examples, I stayed at Rambler (really liked it), other than that I can definitely recommend Villas on 24th (most greek life) and Union on 24th. All the listed buildings are around 10 minutes away from the McCombs Business School and I always felt really safe in this area.

3. Academic life at host university

Campus life in Austin was amazing! The campus is huge, you meet all kinds of people, and everyone is really open and easy to talk to. There are clubs and student organizations for literally every interest imaginable. Socializing is super easy if you just put yourself out there, especially given the huge number of exchange students who are all in the same boat as you. On the academic side, all my professors made a real effort to keep classes interactive and engaging. On top of that, classes are only 75 minutes long and I noticed that most students were genuinely switched on and actively joining in the discussions.

5. Every day life in the host country

Austin has a really high quality of life overall. Public transport is not great (like most American cities to be honest) but you can get around fine by bus, which is free for students. Uber and Lyft are also super common and pretty affordable if you need to get somewhere quickly. I always felt really safe there, you do see some homeless people around but they never bothered me or made me feel uncomfortable in any way. The city is also very walkable, especially around campus and downtown. The weather is something to keep in mind too. It is sunny pretty much all the time which is amazing, but around April / May it already got pretty hot so make sure you pack accordingly (especially if you go there for the fall semester). There is always something going on, whether that's going out or doing fun activities like paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake. The Barton Springs Pool and the Greenbelt trails are also super worth checking out if you want to get outside and enjoy the nature around Austin. We also played a lot of golf which was amazing. Austin is also known as the Live Music Capital of the World, so there is always something going on in terms of concerts and festivals. The food scene is great too, there are food trucks literally everywhere and you can find something good to eat at any time of day. It is also always great to go to some college sport games and cheer for your Uni! (sadly you can only watch Football games during the fall semester, so I missed out on that)

6. Testimonial

Honestly, this was definitely a life changing experience for me. I met so many incredible people and came away with friendships I know will last. Getting to experience American campus culture up close and in person was something I will never forget, and I loved every second of it. To me, UT Austin is honestly the perfect place to do your exchange. You get a great sports and academic culture, including one of the biggest college football programs in the entire country and some top ranked academic programs. On top of that, Austin is not just some small campus town, it is a real, vibrant city that always has something going on. It is also close to an airport which makes it super easy to travel around and explore different parts of the US. I genuinely had the time of my life and I am so happy I chose UT Austin. Hook'em 🤘🏼