Details

• Belgium
• MAWiRe-21
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

It is important to carefully check the university courses in advance and understand what is expected from you. Course requirements should not be underestimated. You should also start looking for accommodation early, as many exchange students come to Louvain-la-Neuve and demand is therefore quite high. Regarding travel, Louvain-la-Neuve is easy to reach from the airport by train (around 1 hour). There are also discounted train tickets available for students under 25, which makes traveling more affordable.

2. Accommodation

I searched for accommodation through various platforms (e.g. Facebook), but finding a place was not easy. I contacted many people offering rooms, but only rarely received a response. At the end, I chose a private apartment that had been recommended to me by a fellow student from the previous year, and I was very satisfied with this option. However, it is important to note that private accommodation is usually more expensive than student residence. In my case, the rent was around €540 per month. I had my own room and shared the bathroom and kitchen with another student, which worked out very well. Louvain-la-Neuve is a small student city where everything can easily be reached on foot, making daily life very convenient.

3. Academic life at host university

The university in Louvain-la-Neuve is somewhat older compared to WU Vienna. Since many student residences and student associations are located there, student life is very active and there are plenty of social events and parties. The courses should not be underestimated and are relatively demanding. Most lectures do not require attendance, and presence is usually not checked. Personally, I did not find the lectures very helpful, as they often felt quite unstructured and chaotic. Many courses also require a significant amount of preparation outside of class. I would strongly recommend keeping up with the material from the beginning and studying continuously, as it can otherwise become quite overwhelming towards the end of the semester.

5. Every day life in the host country

Louvain-la-Neuve is a small student town where everything is close together and easily accessible on foot. I personally did not experience any major issues with the trains. However, strikes can occur from time to time. During my five-month stay, this happened only twice. The good thing is that these strikes are usually announced in advance, so you can plan accordingly. I felt very safe throughout my stay. There is always something going on! Many events, activities, and parties are organized, so you can easily meet new people and enjoy your time. I would definitely recommend asking about the sports programs offered by the university, as there are many options to stay active alongside your studies.

6. Testimonial

Overall, my semester abroad was a great experience. I met many new people and had the opportunity to travel a lot, visited several cities in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.The university itself felt a bit too chaotic for me, and the final exams were quite demanding compared to what was covered in the lectures. Nevertheless, I am very happy to have had this experience and would definitely choose to do it again.