Details

• Romania
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

Before your exchange semester, ask yourself what you expect from your stay abroad. What do you wish to experience and reach on a personal and an academic level? If you are already allocated to your host university, I’d recommend informing yourself early on about insurance, visa, living costs, accommodation options, your travel itself and activities and trips that you can do. If you’re staying within Europe, consider traveling by train - make sure to have a look at local or international websites like Trainline or even Interrail. In my experience it's a more special and adventurous trip and you can even take part in the Sustainable Erasmus+ Travel Journey Contest.

2. Accommodation

I applied for a spot at the Belvedere dormitory, which is proposed by the university itself. You usually share a two-person room with an en-suite bathroom, and each floor has two kitchens and a common room. However, I also met friends who stayed in a private dorm, which was a bit more modern but also more expensive or in a shared apartment. To find an apartment I was told to check out facebook and/or whatsapp groups. The dormitory is well connected to the university, however you have to walk about 10 minutes to get to the metro or bus station and then walk a few more minutes to get to the buildings. Sometimes the walking was a bit tiring but in the end I liked the location, since it was more calm and peaceful. There is also a lake nearby specifically equipped with running tracks, which you definitely should go check out in case you like running or going for a walk. Since there’s very little information online about the dormitory, applying can feel like a bit of a blind date - but if you’re open-minded, not too picky, and want to step outside of your comfort zone, it’s a great, affordable option. Just be prepared that everything works and looks a bit more old-school - the on-site staff usually only speak Romanian, and doing laundry was quite expensive. However, since there are only Erasmus or international students on the floor it's super easy to connect and to share bonding moments.

3. Academic life at host university

ASE’s faculties are spread across the city center, all within walking distance of each other. The university has two canteens, where meals are very cheap, but also repetitive and, honestly, not very satisfying for vegetarians. In the main building there is also a library (although way smaller than at WU), so I'd recommend getting a subscription at the National Library instead, located at Piața Unirii (student discount available), or simply using the library at the Goethe Institut near Piața Romană (which is free). The university works with cohorts, which means that permanent students stick with their lecture and seminar groups, so teachers usually know their students and it feels more personal. Compared to WU, the teaching style is less formal and active participation - especially in seminars - is expected and factors into your final grade. From my experience, the courses generally require less effort and are easier to pass compared to WU. Usually, each subject splits into lectures and seminars, both of which contribute to the final grade - 10 is the highest grade, and 5 is the lowest grade you can still pass with. I can recommend taking the courses Social Entrepreneurship and Intercultural Management, since I had passionate professors, it was also interesting contentwise and easy to pass with good grades.

5. Every day life in the host country

Bucharest has a solid transport system. During the day I mainly used the metro or bus, and at night I either took the night bus or a Bolt, which was very cheap. As a student, you even get a 90% discount on the metro - I only paid 10 lei (about 2 euros) per month. I generally felt safe in the city, mainly because I spent most of my time in the livelier, well-frequented parts and after a night out, for example, I’d head home together with people from the dorm. There are a few areas that even locals tend to avoid, but overall I felt safe and welcome. In terms of social and leisure activities I can recommend joining the ESN events. They offer a variety of activities throughout the semester and are a great way to meet people from ASE as well as other universities. During the summer semester, they even organized an overnight hiking trip, a multi-day party trip to Vama Veche and a national ESN sports event in Alba Iulia. Bucharest offers a great variety of restaurants and cute cafés, especially around the university buildings and along the street Calea Victoriei and Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta. I really liked the vibe of the big houses with gardens that have been transformed into bars or restaurants such as Heavy Yard, Lokal or Sera Eden, where I spent many evenings with friends. If you’re into culture and history, you’ll also find plenty of museums and cinemas - I can recommend the Cinema Europa - or concerts at the Athenaeum concert hall. I often went to Cișmigiu Park or King Mihai I Park, both lovely and perfect for picnics or walks. In terms of sports, there are some established running communities but you’ll also find gyms, boxing clubs or pilates studios, for example. If you prefer doing sports outdoors you could go hiking to explore the countryside or take skiing trips in the Carpathian Mountains.

6. Testimonial

I spent a wonderful and memorable semester in Bucharest. The dorm experience was unique and intense - I’m so glad I didn’t miss it, as we formed a big community and shared many great moments. At times it felt like one long school trip - meeting as strangers at the start, and saying goodbye to your little found family at the end, hoping to cross paths again somewhere.