Details

• United States of America
• MAFW&RW-13
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 3 months

1. Preparation

The application process itself is quite straightforward. You are required to submit a letter of motivation, which, in my experience, is more of a formality than a decisive factor. The selection mechanism is designed in a way that allows you to simply prioritize your preferred destinations without having to think strategically. An algorithm ranks all applicants and assigns each student their highest-ranked destination that is still available. Be aware that, at least in the academic year 2024/2025, academic performance was assessed solely based on the entrance examinations; other exams were not taken into account. After successfully completing the application process at WU Vienna, you will need to wait for University of Chicago to contact you directly. Compared to other U.S. universities my friends attended, UChicago reached out relatively late, so there is no need to worry if others seem further ahead with their planning. The U.S. consulate in Vienna operates efficiently and reliably, but I would still recommend applying for your visa as early as possible to avoid unnecessary stress. Course registration in Chicago takes place from late August to mid-September, which gives you plenty of time to prepare. Course selection follows a bidding system, where demand from other students determines how “expensive” a course is. While this system can seem confusing at first and initially created some uncertainty about which courses I would eventually get, everything worked out smoothly in the end. I decided to travel to Chicago two weeks before the semester officially started (at the end of September), which turned out to be an excellent decision. The weather is still very pleasant during that time, and it gives you the opportunity to explore the city, settle in properly, and adjust before classes begin.

2. Accommodation

I decided to book a long-term stay via Airbnb. This was convenient, but in hindsight I probably overpaid slightly. The university also provides a platform where students sublet their rooms or apartments, which is definitely worth trying. In addition, there are many serviced apartment buildings around campus and in downtown that are popular with students. The university does not offer on-campus housing for graduate students, so you will need to find private accommodation. Chicago is a huge city. The campus is located roughly 15 km south of downtown, so you need to decide whether you prefer living on or near campus or in downtown. I chose to live close to campus mainly because it is significantly more affordable than downtown and I did not want to spend around 40 minutes commuting to campus each way. That said, around 85% of Booth students, as well as most exchange students, live downtown. I would therefore recommend choosing downtown if you are looking for the full metropolitan Chicago experience and if budget is less of a concern. Living near campus makes more sense if you plan to spend a more campus-centric term; the campus itself is beautiful and has plenty to offer. Like any major U.S. city, Chicago faces issues related to crime and homelessness. The university employs an extensive security and police force, which suggests that safety is taken very seriously in the area surrounding campus. In my experience, however, many exchange reports describing the neighborhoods around campus as highly unsafe are somewhat exaggerated. The campus itself feels very safe due to the strong security presence. Nevertheless, I would recommend avoiding areas too far south or west of campus (not too close to red line / O Block). One thing I wish I had paid more attention to beforehand is access to public transportation. Make sure to live close to reliable transit connections to campus or downtown, depending on where you choose to live. The Metra train (Connecting Millennium Station to Hyde Park) is used by most students living in downtown to get to campus. The Green Line and Red Line are useful too, but take a bit longer. My apartment right in the middle of Metra and Green Line, so I always had to take a bus to the station first, which cost a lot of time.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is beautiful, the academic culture outstanding, and the quality of teaching truly impressive. It was very apparent where the substantial tuition fees paid by full-time students are invested, and I felt extremely privileged to be able to study there for a term while paying WU tuition fees. The campus offers everything a student could need: excellent libraries, modern sports facilities, and numerous places to study, socialize, and relax. The only area where I found the offering to be relatively expensive and difficult to substitute with external options was food. In my experience, the value for money in the dining halls was not particularly convincing. The academic environment is highly intellectual, open-minded, and collaborative. Interestingly, I found that many full-time students did not appear overly focused on grades, partly because students agree not to disclose their GPAs. What impressed me most were the professors and the overall teaching style. Classes were extremely engaging, highly interactive, and strongly dialogue-based. The instructors were exceptionally knowledgeable and genuinely motivated to educate and challenge students intellectually. I had two professors who are internationally renowned and highly cited in their respective fields, yet they remained remarkably humble, approachable, and open to discussion both in and outside the classroom. Overall, I learned a great deal and genuinely enjoyed all the courses I took. Although the term was relatively short at ten weeks, it was quite intensive. Most courses required weekly assignments, group projects, and typically two exams per class. While the overall workload was higher compared to WU, the level of difficulty of the exams felt somewhat more relaxed. Exams placed less emphasis on complex transfer questions and advanced mathematical problem-solving, and were instead more focused on conceptual understanding and practical application.

5. Every day life in the host country

Living close to campus, I mainly relied on the university’s transportation services, including campus buses and the free campus taxi service available to students, as well as bike sharing through Divvy. For trips to downtown, I mostly used the Green Line and the Red Line. It is worth noting that the Red Line can feel somewhat rough in the southern parts of the city late at night, so a certain level of awareness is advisable. Many students also relied on Uber or Lyft, but I personally found ride-hailing services to be relatively expensive. I never felt genuinely unsafe during my stay; however, as mentioned earlier, Chicago is not free from the typical challenges faced by large U.S. cities, and basic situational awareness is important. The university also offers a wide range of student clubs and extracurricular activities. While I did not personally participate in any of them and therefore cannot comment in detail, it is worth knowing that most communication regarding social events, student initiatives, and informal meetups takes place via the university’s Slack channels. Staying active there is highly recommended, as it is one of the main ways to stay informed and connected. Beyond campus life, Chicago has an exceptional amount to offer. The city features a vibrant cultural scene with numerous concerts, excellent jazz bars, and many bars offering live music. Sports enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy as well, with professional teams across football, basketball, ice hockey, and baseball. Chicago is also home to outstanding museums, all of which are free for students. Particularly noteworthy are the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Science and Industry. Overall, Chicago is a highly cultural city with a diverse and impressive food scene, offering an almost endless range of experiences and activities. The university’s sports facilities are of very high quality, including modern gyms and swimming facilities. As long as the weather allows, swimming in Lake Michigan is another great option and a uniquely Chicago experience.

6. Testimonial

An intensive but extremely rewarding exchange experience at a university I truly came to love—especially for its engaging, dialogue-based teaching style and its outstanding campus. Chicago as a city offers an incredible range of cultural, culinary, and social experiences, and the weather is surprisingly pleasant until around mid-November, after which temperatures drop sharply and winter sets in quickly (be prepared). This is not a classic, party-heavy Erasmus-style exchange. The average age among MBA students is higher, and social activities tend to be more structured and less spontaneous. In addition, living and going out in the U.S. can be quite expensive. That said, the exchange offers a truly one-of-a-kind opportunity to study at an elite university—an experience I will always remember. While the Midwest does not offer the iconic national parks the U.S. is famous for, domestic flights are affordable and easy to use. I would highly recommend visiting East Coast cities such as New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C., or taking advantage of the Thanksgiving break to plan a longer trip, for example to the West Coast.