Details

• Canada
• BaWiSo-19
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

Don’t worry too much about the application or selection process. Just be yourself and show genuine motivation for going abroad. Start organizing your accommodation as early as possible. In Montreal, finding affordable housing can be very difficult and competitive, so the earlier you begin searching, the better your chances of securing something reasonable. It is also very helpful to connect with other WU students who are going to the same destination. You can support each other during the preparation phase and possibly even live together.

2. Accommodation

Finding accommodation in Montreal was honestly very difficult. I spent several months searching and still struggled to find something suitable. In the end, I was more or less forced to rent an apartment that was significantly more expensive than I had originally planned. I ended up renting a private studio apartment that I found through Guesthab, which is somewhat similar to Airbnb but for longer stays. While it worked out in the end, it was definitely not the most budget-friendly option. The apartment was located in downtown Montreal. My specific street felt safe and lively, with many shops around. However, some nearby areas closer to St. Catherine Street did not always feel as safe, mainly because there were many homeless people in those parts of downtown. The commute to the university was about 40 minutes by public transport. My biggest advice is to start looking for accommodation as early as possible. The housing market in Montreal is very competitive, and affordable places disappear quickly. It can also be very helpful to connect with other WU students who are going to Montreal and potentially look for housing together. Sharing an apartment can significantly reduce costs and make the whole experience easier.

3. Academic life at host university

Compared to WU, the campus of HEC Montréal is not as nice. The main facilities are located in two buildings in Côte-des-Neiges, which are about a 15-minute walk from each other, these two are rather old buildings. There is also another HEC building in downtown Montreal, which I can recommend if you are looking for a quiet place to study, it is a very new and nice building. Overall, the teaching style felt quite similar to WU Vienna. Classes were interactive and structured in a comparable way, so it was easy to adapt academically. The workload was manageable and the expectations were clear, which made it relatively easy to balance studying with enjoying the exchange experience. Two courses I can highly recommend are Logistics and Building SMEs. Both these classes were really interesting and did not require an excessive amount of work compared to other courses. They were definitely the highlights of my academic experience during the semester.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport in Montreal is generally okay. The metro system works quite well and is usually reliable. However, buses are often delayed, which can make commuting a bit unpredictable at times. Another issue is that public transport workers occasionally go on strike and during those times there may be no public transport available at all. Overall, Montreal is a relatively safe city. However, in the evenings—especially around some metro stations—you may encounter homeless people and individuals struggling with drug addiction. While I personally never experienced any dangerous situations, it is still important to stay aware of your surroundings, particularly at night. Montreal has a lot to offer in terms of social life and leisure activities. The city is full of cafés, restaurants and bars, so there are always new places to explore. There are also many gyms and sports studios if you enjoy staying active during your semester abroad. Overall, it is a very lively city with plenty of opportunities to spend your free time.

6. Testimonial

My exchange semester in Montreal was one of the best experiences of my life, I still think about it almost every day. Montreal is a beautiful and diverse city and one of my highlights was the long summer lasting until the end of September, when you could walk or bike everywhere. I also met incredible people with whom I shared many unforgettable moments. The absolute highlight, however, was traveling — visiting places like New York, Toronto and several national parks — so my advice is to travel as much as possible.