Details

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

1. Preparation

I would suggest bringing travel medicine from pharmacies here, even though things are available and cheap but they are different from the ones we have in Europe. I would also advise not overpacking. most of your clothes will diminish in quality because of the way they do laundry in Indonesia, so bring clothes that are not too valuable to you. Also dont overpack as there are many shops in Yogyakarta, and in the countries which you may visit nearby that are fantastic for shopping, so you may regret bringing too much stuff from home.

2. Accommodation

I stayed at a private Ganda house like many of the previous exchange students however I would recommend staying in a Sary house instead. In the Gnada house we had a lot of fun and we all lived together as a group of 12 exchange students but the house was not well maintained, there was mould and the landlord, Ganda always tried to uncharge wherever possible which I found unfair. I stayed at a Sary house which is in the same area of the city, and in better condition than the Ganda house and I had much better communication with Sary than with Ganda. Both are a 20 minute drive to university by scooter, and in a relatively quiet and safe area.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is large, well facilitated with inexpensive canteens, shops and cafes. The academic culture is somewhat at a lower competitive standard than WU. The teaching style differs in the fact that there is more reading of slides, and less interaction between students and professors. I can highly recommend the course 'Basic Psychology' as the content was interesting, the course syllabus was clearly explained and the course materials given were clear and easy to study from for the exams. 'Banks and Financial Institutions' was interesting but less well organised as there wasn't a clear overview on expectations and syllabus however overall still reasonably assessed and interesting.

5. Every day life in the host country

I never used public transport as I used a scooter as my main form of transport. I immediately got my scooter license within the first weeks which I would recommend doing. ITs an easy exam to complete and gives you assurance that you are driving legally in the case of any accident, even though you can rent a scooter without a license. I would consider the city safe overall, regardless of day or night. There are many activities you can participate in such as muay thai, pilates, panel, ring making, topgolf and traditional cooking classes, there truly is a large array of activities at a low price at your disposal. There are many exchange student events organised which are usually parties, and a good way of meeting the other students there.

6. Testimonial

Going on exchange to the UGM was one of the best decisions I made during my studies, without a doubt. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to experience such. different style of life, and although some parts didnt appeal to me it was an incredible learning experience and broadened my horizon. You learn to view university and the way the WU works from a very different perspective and learn to value some aspects more than before. It's also a fantastic place to explore nature and travel in a very different way then in Austria or Europe overall.