Details

• France
• MASEEPDD-20
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

I'm EPOG so didn't have to apply as formally. So my main tip is to go to the info session, otherwise you won't get funding! The French visa process is a lot easier than the Austrian one :)) I bought an interrail pass - the Erasmus version, which gives you flexibility to not have to do one huge travel day and break it up a bit and stay somewhere along the way with friends :)) Unfortunately, seat reservations on French trains are always expensive but generally if you travel a bit of an unconventional route you can avoid seat reservations on the other connections.

2. Accommodation

I struggled a lot with accommodation because I initially tried to find sublets through leboncoin and facebook groups. I really didn't anticipate quite how hard this would be. Eventually I got lucky and the administration found me some student accommodation that was still available, otherwise I would have had to move every month or few weeks or so because I could only find short-term sublets. So for sure sign up for student accomodation! Crous is good, be picky about the location and read reviews! Mine was Résidence Bertelotte, and while the location was not so close to my uni the accomodation itself was in good condition and relatively new. Issy-sur-Moulineaux has some nice cafes, markets, and is quite quiet and near a big park so this is a nice peaceful place to retreat to when Paris feels a bit too overwhelming! For sure apply to student accommodation, regardless of what EPOG tells you about your chances of success. Many people were offered the accommodation at Cité internationale universitaire de Paris despite EPOG saying they wouldn't, so it's still worth a shot! CROUS doesn't provide any bedding or cooking equipment (at all!) so try to find the essentials so you can at least boil water and have some bedding sorted for your first night.

3. Academic life at host university

Paris universities struggle for funding a lot more than WU does... Academic culture and teaching style was mixed but not something I would rate that highly. Classes tend to focus on quantity over quality. EPOG makes you take way too many classes than is good for your health... I would not choose the SFC/ABM methods class as SEEP does not prepare you well for it and while some of the teachers in this methods section were excellent, others weren't... The special focus component on commons was taught really well, super engaging and really interesting! Highly recommend :))

5. Every day life in the host country

- Public transport comes very often but is also often delayed... Cycling is cheaper but can quite intense! There is a lot more traffic... I hired a bike through swapfiets but think it would have worked out cheaper to find something on leboncoin (like willhaben) for the semester. - Lots of nice museums - make the most of this before you turn 26! - If you're already 26, on the first Sunday of the month most museums are free - Fontainebleau has great climbing - Giverny and Monet's garden is a really sweet day trip in the spring/summer - Even though Montmartre is touristy, it's still worth checking out - Chausson aux pommes are excellent! Also pain suisse and kouign aman! Try a new pastry each week, you're in Paris! Also cheese - try find your local market. Local markets also have much nicer produce than the supermarket, for similar prices. These markets are typically open at least twice a week :))

6. Testimonial

EPOG classes took up most of my time but I still enjoyed living in Paris. If you're an EPOG student, I'd really recommend making the most of September, when you're 'only' taking intensive French classes and have a bit more free time. Paris has so much to explore, and it can also be overwhelming - the parks are a nice retreat and there are some really incredible libraries too. Like with any kind of travel, the people are always what make it <3