Details

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

1. Preparation

I recommend going to the “Austrian Illini” events and meeting the American students who are currently doing their exchange semester here in Vienna, as well as other WU students who are going to Illinois. You’ll have the chance to connect and exchange information with them. You’ll also get to meet some other students in the IKK course.

2. Accommodation

Actually, here comes my most important tip: try as much as possible to find accommodation with a lease that is limited to one semester. Many fellow students, including my roommates and me, signed 12-month contracts because many landlords assume they only offer 12-month leases. I only managed to find a subtenant three weeks after I returned to Austria. Some of my friends did not find a sublease at all... As for the location, I would recommend living close to College , the ARC, or Kams, since you can easily reach everything on foot. My landlord was called Smile Fairlawn Living.

3. Academic life at host university

I think that academic life in the US was really cool and interesting. You have to keep in mind that as an international student, you would actually have to pay around $20,000 per month at this university if you didn’t have a scholarship. Even Americans from Illinois usually still have to pay several thousand dollars in tuition fees per semester. In general, the courses there are very nice. Professors make an effort to remember your name, bring snacks to lectures, and are very interactive. I really liked the academic life there! :)

5. Every day life in the host country

Everyday life at UIUC is really interesting. First of all, I can tell you that as an exchange student you’ll probably have the chance to go out about 5 to 7 days a week, haha. But the university definitely offers more than that. The ARC is a huge fitness center with indoor and outdoor pools, climbing walls, table tennis courts, and more. Also, the university’s sports events are really cool. You should go to as many basketball and football games as possible. Many of the dorms and buildings also have great common areas where you can do a lot of activities.

6. Testimonial

Where do I even begin — it truly was an amazing adventure! First off, let me give you some Midwest travel recommendations: definitely go to Nashville, and spend some time in Chicago as well. Both cities are awesome and full of life. For me, Champaign and all of its parties and events took some getting used to. But trust me—once I figured it out, I really started to enjoy my time there. In my opinion, an exchange semester offers you two amazing opportunities. The first is to try new things, meet new people, and step out of your comfort zone. The second, as cliché as it sounds, is to learn more about yourself—how you handle excitement, being far away from home, and all the new experiences. When it comes to exchange semesters, many people will tell you what to do and what not to do. But honestly, forget about those guys. Some things will go exactly as planned, and others won’t—but that’s the beauty of going on exchange. You’ll learn to adapt and overcome challenges. Champaign itself is nice, but I’ll be honest: if you don’t travel a bit, it can get boring. Luckily, you have great opportunities to explore—Canada, the East or West Coast, or even Mexico! So go for it—it will be worth it. And remember to embrace the fun and the struggles, because one semester flies by.