Exchange Report

I was part of the first group of students to experience the new application process, which was standardised to include a 60% GPA and a 40% interview with a randomly assigned professor. I liked this new process personally, as it seemed much more transparent, and it also tried to standardise grades for BBE and WISO students so that everyone had an equal chance. I recommend reading the information on the website thoroughly, don't just skim it! This will give you a good idea of how to prepare for the interview. I would also recommend looking up the professor who will interview you, in case you have not met them before. This can also be helpful in preparing for the interview. I wasn't used to speaking English on a daily basis, so I practised a lot with ChatGPT, but how much you practise will depend on your English skills. Although you should take the preparation seriously, I would recommend going into the interview calmly and being yourself. I think authenticity plays a big part in how the professor perceives you. If you are interviewing with others, listen to what they say and consider referring to it during the interview. This demonstrates how you treat your peers and shows that you respect them.

Searching for accommodation for the winter semester was rather difficult, since fewer UT students go abroad at this time of year, resulting in a higher proportion of incoming students. Also, most apartment buildings outside the campus only offer full-term leases. Thankfully, I found my accommodation through Josh Rucker (my academic advisor at UT), who sent an email to all exchange students about a business student subletting her room at Lark Austin for the Fall semester. I responded immediately, but due to visa issues, it took some time until I finally signed the lease (I signed in July, about four weeks before flying to the US). Also, don't have too high expectations: the campus apartments are promoted as luxurious, which they definitely are to some extent, but there is less 'Mieterschutz' compared to Austria, and some odd fees (e.g. if you don't pay with an American card, there's an extra fee of about $100, but this can easily be avoided by creating a US Revolut account and paying with it). Although it's not perfect, I would live there again as being that close to campus, friends, and the social scene in general was totally worth it. In general, I don't think there's such a thing as the perfect apartment if you're on a budget like most exchange students are! For example, my friends had issues with long waiting times for elevators, which I did not experience. Just do proper research, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Before I found my apartment, I used platforms such as the UT student housing platform. There was also an Excel spreadsheet created by Josh Rucker where incoming and outgoing exchange students listed their apartments, and there are multiple Facebook groups. However, be aware of scammers. Since I had confirmed my apartment pretty early on, I stopped looking at some point, but it's a good idea to start early and regularly check for new apartments. One thing I wish I had known beforehand is that, even though it's not listed as a housing option, you should try to apply for the dorms via the international student housing program of ISSS. Some of my friends lived in the dorms, and I would have loved to as well. Just apply as soon as you receive your confirmation from UT, and be open to sharing a room. I think I would have got in if I had selected "single room" as well as "double room". Also, open a US Revolut account as soon as you arrive to avoid the aforementioned card fees. If you need to transfer money to the account, use a different Revolut account (e.g. from your parents, not possible to have two at once) to save on transfer fees. However, don't let this discourage you, it will be so worth it in the end, and I would choose UT again, even though the housing search was a bit complicated and also a little bit tied to luck in my case.

If you've researched UT, you've probably also come across their impressive academic reputation and beautiful campus. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The campus is truly a dream, even better than imagined. The school spirit is evident in everyone, and everyone is proud to be a Longhorn and wear burnt orange. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor study spaces, and the campus is very green with lots of shade. There is also a super cute turtle pond behind the tower. My favourite study space was the library in the tower, as it looks very traditionally academic, like a Harvard library. Sports enthusiasts will find pretty much every facility they could imagine, from outdoor pools to a bouldering wall and organised outdoor trips to California. There are also three dining halls on campus. Kins is the best, but unfortunately it is the furthest away from McCombs. If you're not a vegetarian like me, you'll probably be fine anyway, most of my friends liked the food. There is always something going on on campus, so you won't get bored. Also, be prepared to get freebies. I returned home with about five free T-shirts and got free energy drinks on campus every week. Regarding course selection, I recommend researching the various departments at McCombs and choosing the one that best aligns with your interests. I mostly chose MIS (Management Information Systems) courses and was very happy with them. I also took one Management course. To get a feel for the courses, read all the syllabuses and previous student rankings. Don't overthink it! Also, look up your professors! I was lucky enough to get into an amazing course called Enterprise Computing, where our professor also worked at the Google office downtown. All my professors were amazing and really kind. Overall, the experience was better than I could ever have imagined, and I loved being on campus and attending all my classes.

NÖ Auslandsbeihilfe

Public transport is OK. It's not the best, but just be aware of your surroundings. Don't drive alone at night; just take an Uber or Lyft instead. UT provided a free Lyft budget of up to $100 per month for rides near the campus at night. I sometimes used it and was glad it was available. However, I never felt unsafe on campus or in the surrounding area. There are always lots of students around. Use your common sense and you'll be fine. If you want to be extra safe, get some pepper spray, but I found this unnecessary. It's a different story in downtown Austin, though. Austin is generally safe, but there were times when I felt slightly unsafe, although nothing serious happened. Some friends of mine had their belongings stolen at Buford's, but that could have happened anywhere. Just take common-sense precautions and you'll be fine! The nightlife is amazing! Walking along 6th Street and visiting the bars at night is an unforgettable experience. However, always stick with your friends and never walk alone. Go two-stepping and visit all the cool clubs, such as Latchkey, Bufords and Austin Gardens. Also, check the Ticketmaster website for details of upcoming concerts. I went to two concerts and the ACL festival in October, both of which I would highly recommend. As for football games, nothing quite compares to Longhorn Gamedays. The spirit is unmatched. From early in the day, people walk around in cowboy boots, white skirts, cowboy hats, and orange quarterback jerseys. Buy the Big Ticket and the Longhorn Foundation Ticket, which gives you access to tickets one day before Big Ticket holders. It's definitely worth it! Also, make sure you go to the Red River Rivalry in Dallas!

I really recommend applying to UT to anyone looking for the ‘classic’ US university experience, but who also values a university with a strong academic reputation and an amazing campus. Austin is an extraordinary city and, for good reason, one of the fastest-growing cities in the US. Be warned: you’ll leave with plenty of burnt orange T-shirts and cowboy boots. Hook 'em!