Details

• United States of America
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

Start informing yourself as early as possible about the application process and partner universities, as this reduces stress significantly later on. Do not let yourself be intimidated by other students or by rumors about how competitive the process is. Remember that you are applying for a university, not for a city. Some of the less obvious or less popular destinations often turn out to offer the most enriching academic and personal experiences. Keeping an open mind can lead to unexpectedly great opportunities during your semester abroad.

2. Accommodation

The Smile Apartments have a very good location, but one important thing to know in advance is that you usually need to find a sublease, which can be quite frustrating and time-consuming. In our case, we decided to book a house via Airbnb, which turned out to be the perfect solution for us. Although we had about a 20-minute walk to the university, we benefited from having a lot of space and a very comfortable living situation. Sharing the house made our experience especially enjoyable, and we had an amazing time living there together. If you are interested in more details about our Airbnb or how we found it, I would be happy to share further information.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is very large and offers an impressive range of facilities and activities. There are countless opportunities to get involved, especially in sports, and many of these activities are free of charge. Campus life is very vibrant, and there is always something to do beyond academics. The academic culture is extremely welcoming. Both the professors and fellow students are very friendly and approachable, which made me feel comfortable and supported in my classes from the beginning. If you enjoy project-based courses, this is an ideal environment, as many classes strongly focus on teamwork, practical applications, and continuous engagement throughout the semester. Compared to courses at WU Vienna, I would say that classes are shorter in duration but require more continuous preparation and workload during the semester. Overall, I really enjoyed all of my courses and would highly recommend them to future exchange students.

5. Every day life in the host country

In general, public transportation in the United States is less developed than in Vienna. On campus at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, transportation works reasonably well, but most students prefer using VEO bikes, which are very convenient and fun to use. However, if you live outside the campus area, it is important to know that buses usually only operate from Monday to Friday, which can be limiting. Regarding safety, I felt very safe on campus at all times. The area is almost entirely populated by students, and I never felt uncomfortable or worried while moving around, even in the evening. In terms of social life and leisure activities, there is always something to do. The ARC (gym with multiple courts and facilities), turf fields, the Illini Union (offering bowling, arcade games, and other activities), numerous sports events, fraternities, bars, and student events ensure that campus life is very lively. I never felt bored—it is truly a perfect campus town. The campus itself is huge, with many friendly and open-minded students and a wide range of student clubs and organizations you can join. If you are socially active and willing to engage, you will never feel alone.

6. Testimonial

My exchange at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was a truly special experience. The spirit on campus is unique, and UIUC is a very underrated university with an incredible range of social, academic, and extracurricular opportunities. During our stay, the weather was perfect, and being part of such a great group made the experience even more meaningful - we went out together, had a lot of fun, and supported each other during busy academic periods. Living in a true campus town offers endless possibilities, and with Chicago nearby, traveling was easy and affordable. I would highly recommend UIUC. It is an outstanding exchange destination and, in my opinion, highly underrated among WU students.