Details

• Germany
• BaWiSo-19
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

Look up courses on MOSES and ISIS

2. Accommodation

Private accommodation found on the website HousingAnywhere, with a promo code from WU Vienna. Private student housing, great facilities, but I underestimated how far away the location was from the Uni. When searching for accommodation, look for something close to the university, because you can easily underestimate how big the city is, and public transport is not always reliable.

3. Academic life at host university

Campus buildings are very old, main building and several others were closed down by the fire department during the semester because of structural integrity risks. Most courses had to switch to online class on Zoom, just like during the COVID Pandemic. That was an awful experience. Aside from that, most courses were generally very poorly organised, there was poor communication with professors and tutors.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport network is huge and structurally well organised, but not always reliable, meaning a lot of delays. The city does not feel safe, as there are visibly a lot of people with substance abuse issues. Homelessness is a very big issue in the city. Most streets, train stations and public places are very dirty and smelly. Berlin offers many social and leisure activities, same as any other big city, but safety remains a concern. For example, there was a terrorist attack at the Pride Parade, and one woman was killed.

6. Testimonial

A very awful experience for me personally. Disliked the city and the university very much. University was very poorly organized, and several buildings on campus got shut down mid semester due to concerns for their structural integrity.