Details

• Italy
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

Get in touch with the university as early as possible. Unfortunately, Trieste does not have an OLA, so it can be a bit complicated to collect all the necessary signatures. Start looking for accommodation as soon as you can, because many apartments are either very expensive or only available for rentals of more than one year. Connect with other students, as many of them are looking for someone to take over their apartment after they move out.

2. Accommodation

I lived in a private apartment in Barcola, which is quite far from the city center and the university. To search for apartments, you can use platforms such as Idealista or Immobiliare. Another option is to book a place on Airbnb and then contact the landlord to negotiate a lower price. For shared apartments, you will find offers in Facebook groups. The links to these groups are posted on the ESN Trieste website. You can also book a room at the CX student residence near the university. It is very modern and well equipped, but it is rather expensive. If you want to rent an apartment on your own, try calling the landlords or the real estate agencies, as most of them do not reply to messages or emails.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus has many cafés and a large number of buildings. The economics building was recently renovated, and every room is equipped with electrical outlets and is quite similar to WU standards. However, finding a study spot can be challenging. The academic culture is not as competitive as at WU. The teaching style is mostly traditional and lecture-based, and not as interactive. However, if you take Master-level courses, the style is more similar to WU project-based courses. Be aware that some courses have mandatory attendance. In most cases, though, you can decide whether you want to attend regularly. This has the advantage that the exams are easier (multiple choice), and you will have assignments and small quizzes throughout the semester. During your exchange semester, you have three attempts to pass an exam, so if you are not satisfied with your grade, you can simply take the exam again.

5. Every day life in the host country

Trieste is a very safe city. It is relatively small, and as long as you are not hanging around the train station at midnight, you will rarely encounter suspicious people. The public transport system cannot be compared to Vienna. There are buses, which are generally okay, but they sometimes arrive early or late, and after 10 p.m. there are only a few lines operating. This can be especially challenging if you live outside the city center. The ESN student network organizes a lot of events, on average around five times a week. They offer activities such as football, hiking, sightseeing tours, karaoke nights, pub crawls, and more. They also organize trips to Venice, Rome, and even Vienna. You can have a great time if you choose to participate. To join, you need to pay €15 to ESN and you will receive a card. This card allows you to attend events and also gives you discounts on drinks in some bars. In Trieste, you will often find small street parties in the city, especially when the weather is warm. Barcolana is a major sailing event in October and is the biggest attraction of the year. During this time, the city is full of parties and events. If you want to go to the beach, Barcola is the best choice, and it is also a perfect area for running. The university offers sports classes, but I do not know much about them. If you are interested, you can check the information on the university website. Finding a good gym can be difficult because many are either expensive or in poor condition, but a McFit has recently opened next to the university.

6. Testimonial

It was a very enjoyable exchange semester. I really loved the city and the weather in September and October. Italian culture is relaxed and warm, and the coffee was incredibly good and cheap. It felt very special to share activities with people from all over the world, and I met some truly amazing people. A highlight was definitely the Barcolana, where hundreds of sailing boats participate in the race and the whole city becomes full of events and life. Every restaurant I tried was great, and I wish I could bring the food back to Vienna with me. What also made the experience memorable was the sense of community. Whether it was studying together, exploring the city, or joining ESN events, it never took long to find someone to spend time with. Living abroad pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it also helped me become more independent and open-minded. Overall, I would highly recommend Trieste as an exchange destination because you will enjoy not only the city and the sea, but also the people and the atmosphere.