Details

• India
• MABizComm-22
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 3 months

1. Preparation

The preparation consisted of several steps: 1. Visa application: I went in person to the embassy in Vienna (near opera) that was very convenient and quite fast. Other students that did the online application had a lot of issues. If you want to travel I suggest to apply for multiple entry visa. 2. vaccinations: I went to my doctor who is a certified travel vaccination expert. He gave me advise and did my vaccinations. Some took several weeks so plan ahead and don't wait for the last minute. 3. Looking at the course offer helped a bit for the course election but not too much since the uni decides pretty last minute which courses are offered. 5. Insurance: I I chose Hanse Merkur for students

2. Accommodation

IIMB offered on campus accomodation. It was amazing because the campus is super green and calm, all exchange girls lived together on one floor. We shared bathrooms but we had our own rooms with a small balcony. Hostel room plus canteen 4 times a day was in total 500 Euros for the 3 months. 70 Euros of the 500 Euros were put on an account in the SmartQ app which we could spend on campus for Coffee, Snacks, Merch etc. Tipp: Most rooms were a bit loud because of a busy street and we only got one pillow, one wool blanket and a matress cover. For me that was all totally fine but if you want more comfort, consider bringing some earplugs, pillows, sheet covers (or buy them upon arrival)

3. Academic life at host university

The campus had good classrooms, a library and a lot of study rooms. Everything was very nice and I enjoyed studying there. The professors are really experienced in their field and expect a lot from the students. In all courses class participation is highly valued and the classes are max. 75 students but most of the time its a bit less. The courses require a variety of exams including quizzes, presentations, mid- and endterms. Every course has some groupwork which was really demanding since Indian students work completely different to Europeans. Class participation is mandatory, if students participate less than 80% they recieve a grade drop. I stressed a lot because of the grade transfer system, but if you are willing to put some effort in the courses, it is possible to achieve very good grades. For me the uni was a real culture shock because of last minute group works, last minute changes of exam requirements and insecurity about what is enough. But looking back it all worked out and I learned a lot in my courses.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport in Bangalore was mostly TukTuk (Ola, Uber) and sometimes Taxi (Uber). One hour drive in the city was around 2 Euros for 3 people which is amazing. Travelling in India we took trains, busses and nightbusses, planes and in bigger cities like Mumbai or Delhi metro as well. All those transportation options were super good, cheap, clean, on-time, so I highly recommend. Most of those could be booked via app (Ixigo Trains, Redbus). As a blond female I felt safe. I was not walking alone very often because we were always in a group, but if I did there was not a big problem. O campus especially it is like a home so nothing at all to worry. Everyone is really nice and caring inside and outside IIMB. Travelling, ceramics painting, cinema, going for dinner or coffee is all super cheap and there are so many offers since Bangalore is such a big city, You can find European style places as well as Indian places everywhere at all price levels. The campus at IIMB had amazing sports opportunities from courses like Zu,ba, MMA, Yoga, Batminton etc to all facilities one can imagine. Tennis and volleyball courts, a gym, a swimming pool with sauna. It was super cool.

6. Testimonial

Studying at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore was one of the most impressive experiences of my life. It helped me to step out of my comfort zone, reflect on my own ideas, and improve my intercultural competence. The country offers so much, welcoming people, a super colourful culture, and delicious food. Unfortunately until now India's international reputation does not do justice to this amazing country. I would recommend everyone to give India the chance to capture their heart, as it did mine. PS: It was only possible to upload one picture. I am happy to provide more if my experience will be shared.