Details

• Thailand
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

During my application process at WU, the selection involved a face-to-face interview. One important piece of advice is to be very clear and authentic about your motivation. In my case, I consciously chose Thailand because I have a strong interest in Asian cultures, and Thailand in particular appealed to me both culturally and personally. Being able to explain why a specific country and university fit your academic and personal goals is essential. Beyond cultural interest, I also emphasized the future relevance of Asia in finance and technology. The region continues to grow rapidly in these areas, and studying there offers valuable insights that go beyond a purely European perspective. Showing that you have thought about how the exchange fits into your long-term academic or professional development can strengthen your application significantly. Another important factor is the location itself. Bangkok is exceptionally well connected and offers the opportunity to gain impressions of other Asian countries. Traveling within the region is relatively affordable and easy, making short trips to neighboring countries possible even over long weekends. This allows you to broaden your intercultural experience far beyond one single country. Overall, I would strongly recommend that future outgoing students take the time to reflect on their motivations, the academic and professional relevance of the destination, and the regional context of their host country (culture). These are exactly the topics you should engage with when preparing for the application process and your semester abroad.

2. Accommodation

Accommodation search experience: The uni recommends you a few accommodations... Amarin Mansion is definitely the best choice of the ones you get recommended. Accommodation type: student residence Location, safety and proximity to the university: locations is relatively good, very safe and its a 20 min walk or approximately 5 min scooter ride to university. Tips I wish I'd known before: I had problems with my AC (it was very loud). A friend of mine had one of the only rooms with a completely new AC and skyline view (Room 719). I would request this room early enough or at least request a room with a new AC.

3. Academic life at host university

Academic life on campus is quite similar to what students know from WU Vienna. The campus is easy to walk around, well organized, and there is a very good cafeteria that many students use on a daily basis. Overall, the infrastructure feels familiar and works well for everyday student life. The teaching style is also comparable to WU. Most courses have mandatory attendance, and classes are usually interactive, with discussions, group work, and continuous assessment throughout the semester. If you are used to studying at WU, adapting to the teaching style is generally not difficult. When it comes to the courses, especially business-related subjects, many are structured in a similar way to those at WU Vienna. Exams often include open questions and single-choice questions, depending on the course. The overall level is comparable, but it really depends on the individual course and professor. Some courses can be more challenging, while others are noticeably easier.

5. Every day life in the host country

Getting around Bangkok is very easy, especially with the Skytrain and metro. For everyday trips, using Grab or Bolt is super convenient and affordable. There is a huge variety of things to do in your free time: lots of bars, rooftop pools where you can buy day passes, gyms, tennis, paddle and golf facilities, and great parks for running. Bangkok also offers plenty of temples, floating markets, night markets, cinemas, shows, amazing malls, great food spots, and cool skyscrapers with incredible views.

6. Testimonial

My exchange semester in Bangkok was an amazing experience, both academically and personally. Studying in an international environment while living in the middle of Asia gave me completely new cultural perspectives and pushed me far beyond my comfort zone in the best possible way. Everyday life in Bangkok, from street food and temples to night markets, rooftop views, and spontaneous trips to neighboring countries, made the exchange feel exciting and unique. Especially the new friends I made during the exchange made the exchange funny and also made it fly by very fast. At the same time, the academic system was comparable to WU Vienna, which made it easy to adapt. So to sum it up the combination of cultural immersion, new very very nice friendships from all over the world, and life in such a vibrant city made this semester very special.