Exchange Report

Inform yourself precisely about the country/institutions you want to go to. The more countries you choose (up to 6), the higher the chances that you will get a spot. The GPA is important. There is a motivational essay but I dont know how much that is taken into consideration for the decision, it relays mainly on the GPA of the bachelors program. Also get all the information about the grants (for overseas the grant applications are before the applications for the actual stay abroad). Use the WU "Erfahrungsberichte" page to maybe contact previous abroad student for information.

I got lucky, because I had a contact of a landlord from someone who previously went to Madrid abroad (which I would also recommend if you have the possibility, because like that scam is avoided). People that I met there used mainly idealista for finding a place in Madrid. Agencies usually take small fees, but watch out for scams, they are pretty common in Madrid (a lot of landlords ask you to pay a months rent as a fee, which is not allowed in Spain). I had a shared apartment (2 roommates), which was close to university and cost 600 a month. The room and the overall apartment were rather small, but I was on the lower end with the costs so it was totally fine. The area was called Chamberí, I would recommend finding a place there or in Malasana, which is also a good area to live. It's pretty common in Madrid that the shared apartments are huge and often shared with 6+ people.

The courses in English at Comillas are pretty easy and straightforward. The teaching style is interactive so it can be compared to the one at WU. Attendance is mandatory (85%), but some professors do not care, if you attend, some are pretty strict about it. The content of the courses was nothing special for me and sometimes pretty boring. The workload is totally fine, there may be a lot of presentations and papers, but the final exams are nothing to worry about. The teaching style (in particular the professors at comillas) was a downgrade to the standards at WU. The Campus is pretty small but in the city center which is convenient. It's no WU campus but it is nice and well located.

Living in Madrid is amazing. It is a city that never sleeps. There is a lot of partying, sitting at tapa bars and rather a slow life. Spaniards live in the moment and are not stressed. It is also super save, comparable to Vienna. It is pretty crowded tho I have to say, the tourist season never ends, but understandable in such a pretty city that offers that much - Good food, funny bars and clubs, pretty sights, a lot of rooftops and more. For public transport order the card up front (over city life or directly on tarjeta publica), if you're 25 or younger, the card is 10 euros a month for every public transportation in Madrid. You can also order it in Madrid and make an appointment to get your card, but that can take some time, so arrange that beforehand. There are a lot of sport options, also offered from the university (there is a school gym, a soccer team, a volleyball team, etc.) On the welcome days there will be explained more of these options.

My abroad experience was a movie! It was the most amazing time, I got to travel a lot and met amazing people all around the world. I would not want to miss out on that experience. I also got to learn so much about myself and about different cultures. I am entirely grateful for this experience.