Details

• Canada
• MAMgmt-14
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

Focus in the Application Process on Your overall Performance and apply for 7 Universities You'd be happy to go to. You should like all alternatives. Get Your Visa and start as soon as You are accepted with looking for a room. I stayed with "Vanmates" in Down Town. Others rented furnished flats (Air BnBs). Get all Your Documents ready and book as much as you can in advance (it saves real money).

2. Accommodation

Student housing is only available on the waiting list (MBAs are the last). Start looking and applying for private housing immediately. Housing is very expensive 18m2 for 1200€s. Location is ok. Downtown is 7km away (35 mins by bus). In between there only is a residential area. University only has bus transit but it works very well. The only relatively unsafe area (bit worse than Favoriten) is Hastings, but You will not be there a lot so no issues in that regard. People are very activity based – they won't meet you just of a coffee or beer. So make sure you join either a sports club or other student association to get some extra MBA-program experience and contacts.

3. Academic life at host university

Campus infrastructure is great. All Courses are in the same building complex (Sauder Business Scholl), which is only 5 minutes from food supply/bus terminals. Academically it is easier (lower scientific standards). However, the workload is greater. It is an MBA Program with focus on quantity. Teamwork is sometimes more challenging as there are more free riders compared to my experience in Vienna. Overall, it is all manageable and the final grades are more than fair.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public Transport is very good although not as good as in Vienna. Safety Situation is great except in Hastings. You might feel uncomfortable there (homeless, fentanyl, all kinds of drugs and a lot) and prefer to take an uber. social activities are rare compared to Vienna. There is no party culture or activity culture. People are relatively boring and "activity based". Take responsibility and travel with your exchange mates, go for hikes and beers etc. Sport options are grat. Pool and Gym available on campus.

6. Testimonial

I have had a great experience making new friends and learning a new style of teaching – the practitioners approach. Both WU and UBC Sauder School of Business have extended my horizon in all personal, private and educational, scientific regards. I have myself ended the exchange with a 5 day journey from Vancouver to Toronto by Train.