Details

• Indonesia
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

Start preparing early, especially regarding visa, vaccinations, insurance, and general travel planning. The vaccination process can take at least two months, so I would recommend checking the requirements and making appointments as early as possible. For insurance, I used Hanse Merkur Young Travel and can recommend it. Regarding course selection, it is useful to check the options in advance, but the final course choice can only really be made after arrival. Some courses may change, and not all courses are available for exchange students. Therefore, it is important to stay flexible and not rely too much on the first course list. For travelling to Yogyakarta, it is usually easiest to fly to Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bali first and then take a domestic or connecting flight to Yogyakarta. Compare flight options early, because prices can change a lot. Also make sure that your passport is valid long enough and that you understand the visa rules before booking your final flights. Before the exchange, we received a list of other WU students who were also going to Universitas Gadjah Mada, as well as students who had already been at WU from Yogyakarta. This was very helpful. We contacted each other and also met once in Vienna before the exchange. I would definitely recommend doing this, because it helps with practical questions and makes the start less stressful. In general, be prepared that some things may be organized more spontaneously than in Austria. Staying flexible, patient, and open-minded makes the beginning much easier.

2. Accommodation

I lived at Cozy River, which is owned by Ganda. He has two houses next to each other, Cozy River 1 and, more recently, Cozy River 2. Overall, it was a good and easy option for exchange students, especially because other internationals also lived there and it was simple to meet people at the beginning. The accommodation was private, not a student residence. The location was convenient for daily life in Yogyakarta, although you basically need a scooter no matter where you live. At Cozy River, everyone could also get a scooter through the accommodation, which made the arrival and daily life much easier. I felt safe there, and having other students nearby helped a lot in the first weeks. However, I would still recommend comparing different options before deciding. Cozy River is a popular choice, but I also heard from other students that there are other houses or private accommodations that may be even better, depending on personal preferences. Some places might be more modern, quieter, or closer to certain parts of the city. My main tip is to contact former exchange students before booking accommodation and ask where they lived and whether they would recommend it. Also check what is included in the rent, how the scooter rental works, and whether the place fits your lifestyle. In general, finding accommodation was not too difficult, but it is helpful to organize it early and talk to people who have already been there.

3. Academic life at host university

Academic life at Universitas Gadjah Mada was interesting, but more spontaneous and less structured than I was used to from WU Vienna. There were several different platforms for course information, materials, communication, and submissions, which made the beginning quite confusing. It often took some time to understand where to find the relevant information for each course. The teaching style itself was relatively similar to WU. Many courses included presentations, group work, and written assignments. However, the organization felt less systematic. Information was sometimes communicated late, and some things changed during the semester. One major difference was the grading system. There were usually no intermediate grades or regular updates during the semester. Final grades were only published one or two months after the exchange semester had already ended, which made it difficult to estimate my own performance. Overall, I would recommend staying patient, flexible, and proactive. Check all platforms regularly, ask questions early, and stay in contact with other students. The courses are manageable, but the lack of structure can be challenging at the beginning.

5. Every day life in the host country

Everyday life in Yogyakarta was very social and mostly centered around other exchange students. Most people get around by scooter, which is basically necessary for daily life, university, food, and leisure activities. At the beginning it can feel a bit chaotic, but after some time it becomes the easiest and most flexible way to move around. A big part of the social life happened through WhatsApp groups. These groups were organized by two former UGM students, who regularly shared information about sports, events, trips, and other activities. This made it very easy to meet people and join plans, especially in the first weeks. Most exchange students lived in houses or villas that were quite close to each other. Because of that, it was easy to stay connected, meet spontaneously, and do things together. In general, you spend a lot of time with other exchange students, but there are also opportunities to meet local students through university or events. I felt safe in Yogyakarta overall, but you should be careful in traffic and get used to driving a scooter slowly at first. Overall, everyday life was relaxed, social, and very enjoyable.

6. Testimonial

My exchange semester at Universitas Gadjah Mada was a very special and intense experience. Living in Yogyakarta, meeting so many other exchange students, and exploring Indonesia by scooter made everyday life exciting and completely different from Vienna. Yogyakarta is also a great and affordable starting point for travelling, with many interesting destinations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia nearby. Academically, the semester was sometimes less structured than I was used to, but this taught me to be more flexible and patient. Overall, I learned a lot about different cultures, different ways of organizing life, and also about myself.