Details

• Greece
• BaWiSo-19
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

I would recommend starting the preparation for your Erasmus semester as early as possible, especially when it comes to finding accommodation. Good apartments are booked quickly, so it is definitely worth looking well in advance. It is also important not to leave the Erasmus documents and the Learning Agreement until the last minute. Make sure you have completed all the required paperwork before your departure to avoid unnecessary stress. I travelled from Vienna to Athens by plane with Ryanair. I booked my flight rather late, but fortunately I still found a reasonably priced ticket. Flying is by far the easiest and fastest way to get to Athens. Before choosing your accommodation, I would also recommend researching the different neighbourhoods in Athens. Some areas are much better connected to the university than others. If possible, try to find a place with good public transport connections or within walking distance of the university. In my experience, there is no need to arrange additional health insurance, as the European Health Insurance Card was sufficient. Overall, I felt well prepared, mainly because the experience reports from previous Erasmus students were very helpful. I would definitely recommend reading them before your exchange, as they provide many useful tips and make the preparation process much easier.

2. Accommodation

I lived in a five-person shared apartment at Sporgilou 4 in Kypseli, which I found through StayInAthens. I booked the apartment already in October, and I would definitely recommend starting the accommodation search as early as possible. The best apartments, especially the ones offered by StayInAthens, are often booked very quickly. The rent was €350 per month, and the deposit was equal to one month’s rent. The location was very convenient, as it only took me around 15 minutes to walk to the university. There are also several buses, but they can be unreliable and are often very crowded, so walking was usually the easier option. I felt very safe in Kypseli, including when coming home in the evening. Personally, I would recommend living in a shared apartment, as it is a great way to meet people and makes the Erasmus experience much more social. I would be more careful when looking for accommodation around Victoria or Omonia. Based on my experience, these areas can feel less comfortable at night, especially when walking home alone. My apartment was honestly one of the best parts of my Erasmus experience. The flat was beautiful, the shared living experience was amazing, and I really have nothing negative to say about it. The landlords were also extremely kind, helpful and always available when we needed something. I can genuinely recommend the apartment at Sporgilou 4!! My main advice would be to look at several apartments, compare the locations carefully and book early.

3. Academic life at host university

Overall, I had a very positive academic experience at AUEB. The university building is very beautiful from the outside, although the facilities are of course not as modern as at WU Vienna. There is a library, but I personally never used it because I prefer studying at home or in cafés. One of the biggest advantages is definitely the university cafeteria. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are completely free, and we used it very often. This was honestly one of the best things about the university. The organisation generally worked well, although some processes were a little slower than I was used to. The examination dates for June were also announced quite late, which made planning more difficult. The academic atmosphere was rather relaxed, but this depended on the individual course. Most classes were taught in a traditional lecture format, and the lecturers’ English was very good. My courses had between approximately 25 and 60 students. I attended Marketing of Services, Business Economics, Money and Capital Markets, and Financial Management. I can recommend all of them, as they were interesting and manageable. In most courses, the final grade was mainly based on an exam. In two courses, it was also possible to write an additional essay to improve the grade, and one course included a presentation and group work. Compared to WU, I found the overall academic workload slightly easier, although some courses should still not be underestimated. One negative aspect was that the lectures usually lasted three hours. Depending on the subject and lecturer, they could sometimes feel quite long and a little boring.

5. Every day life in the host country

Everyday life in Athens was very easy and enjoyable. I usually walked a lot, but I also used the metro and buses regularly. The metro was reliable, while the buses were sometimes less predictable. However, there is an app that allows you to track the buses, which made using them much easier. Both the metro and buses could become extremely crowded during rush hour. Public transport was very affordable: I paid only €39 for a three-month pass covering all public transport. Uber was also very cheap and useful, especially when going home late at night. Overall, I felt safe in Athens. I would especially recommend living in Kypseli, as it is close to the university, lively and has everything you need. I also really liked Exarchia, particularly for its bars, as well as Monastiraki. Personally, I would not recommend living around Victoria or Omonia, especially because these areas can feel less comfortable at night. There are many other beautiful neighbourhoods, but some of them are quite far from the university. Meeting new people was extremely easy because almost all Erasmus students were motivated to socialise and make friends. ESN organised many great events, parties and activities, and I would strongly recommend attending as many as possible, especially at the beginning of the semester. It is also worth joining events organised by ESN sections from other universities. The organised trips were some of my favourite experiences, especially the trips to Meteora, the Peloponnese and Mykonos. In our free time, we often went to bars, spent time at the beach, visited open-air cinemas, walked around the city centre and went shopping. During the warmer months, I also really enjoyed the beach clubs. I joined GoldenGym in Kypseli, which was popular among Erasmus students, and paid €139 for five months with an Erasmus discount. Travelling was one of the best parts of the semester. We visited many islands and also explored different parts of mainland Greece. I would recommend taking as many trips as possible, as these are the experiences that remain most memorable. A road trip through the Peloponnese and a visit to Meteora were particular highlights for me (except all the great Islands of course). Also visit the Island near to Athens for day trips like Egina, Agistiri, Hydra, Poros,...

6. Testimonial

My exchange semester in Athens was one of the BEST experiences of my life. What made it so special were the amazing people I met, the trips around Greece and the feeling of discovering something new almost every day. Living in a shared apartment, exploring the city and visiting so many islands created memories I will never forget. I would choose Athens again without hesitation!!!