Exchange Report

My interview for the exchange semester was conducted online and the atmosphere was pretty relaxed. Just be genuine, explain why you want to study at the universities and cities of your choice and inform yourself about them in advance. One thing to keep in mind: SWUFE has two campuses. Your courses will be held at the Liulin campus, which is around one hour away from the city center. Be sure to connect with previous exchange students or incoming exchange students from the partner university and ask all the questions you need. Don't forget to get the student visa (X2) and be aware that you generally cannot travel outside of China with the X2 visa. (But there's lots to explore in China anyways.) Also, prepare to download lots of apps, get familiar with WeChat and Alipay, download a reliable VPN and maybe learn some basic Chinese phrases (or use a translator app).

Unfortunately, the university does not offer on-campus accommodation for exchange students. However, they did connect me with a realtor on WeChat before the start of the semester who showed me a few apartments when I arrived in Chengdu. Since I only arrived in Chengdu a few days before the semester started, I didn't get a lot of choices and had to settle with an apartment that had a few issues. I'd definitely recommend looking for apartments online in advance or coming to Chengdu a bit earlier so you have more options and more time to view places with the realtor or check out some apartments near the campus (there are some near the west gate which is only a 5-minutes walk away). You can also try connecting with other exchange students going to the same university and see if sharing an apartment is an option. One upside to my apartment was definitely the space. It was a loft and pretty spacious, around 2 subway stations away (around 25 mins) or a 7-minute ride with didi (basically China's Uber, cost around 1-2€ to the campus). I never felt unsafe in China. Looking back, I wish I had arrived earlier to explore more housing options. My apartment cost around 1,900 RMB per month which is about 230€, but you can find places for around 1,500 RMB or even less (about 180€), but overall housing is very cheap in Chengdu compared to Vienna.

The Liulin campus is huge and beautiful, with lots of greenery and a pond. It has everything you could need on a campus. There is a library, several cafeterias with very affordable food options, coffee shops, bubble tea stores, a bakery, a print shop and convenience stores. There are also a few malls nearby with even more restaurants, cafés and shops. In terms of academic culture, both students and professors are generally pretty relaxed and friendly. Everyone is especially accommodating toward international students and the course structure feels quite familiar. Some classes are mainly graded by a midterm and final exam, while others focus more on group work, presentations and essays. If you have any questions, you can always contact the ISA members (international students association) on WeChat or you can ask the teacher or your classmates as well. They are generally always happy to help.

Public transport in Chengdu is so cheap, it costs up to 1€ to get around the city. You can also get around the city or the campus by renting a bike (simply scan the QR code using WeChat). China is very safe and lively, even during the night. Most malls and stores are open until around 10pm, while some restaurants stay open until the early morning (like Haidilao). At the beginning of the semester, there's an orientation day where you can meet other international students. The university also offers clubs and activities you can join, as well as events like sports competitions. During my exchange, we even had a New Year's gala where you could perform or watch performances by other students on stage. You can reach the city center by subway (takes over an hour) or by taking the didi (usually around 50 minutes during the day and maybe 30 minutes during the night). Things you shouldn't miss in Chengdu: Panda Research Base (visit in the morning!), IFS Mall and Taikoo Li for shopping, Kuanzhai Alley or Jinli Ancient Street for a stroll through "traditional" streets and souvenir shopping, SKP Chengdu Mall to see the giant LED bamboo installation, People's Park to enjoy some tea and check out the famous matchmaking corner. You can also visit the Dujiangyan Scenic Area, where there's a "Blue Tears" river that lights up blue at night and a cool library. If you enjoy hiking, go visit the Leshan Giant Buddha or Mount Emei on a day trip, but be careful with the monkeys, they will try to steal your food and bottles. Also, don't forget to try some spicy hotpot. Even though there's much more to do in Chengdu that I haven't even mentioned yet, use this opportunity to travel to other cities in China. There's so much to explore, Chongqing is just one hour away by high-speed train, and if you have time, Shanghai and Beijing are definitely worth visiting too.

Overall, I really enjoyed my exchange semester in Chengdu. It was a completely new experience for me and I met a lot of people, some whom I value very deeply. While I did face a few challenges along the way, they helped me grow as a person and I'm genuinely grateful that I got this chance to experience a different university system in a completely different country. The exchange allowed me to communicate with people I might have never met otherwise and to immerse myself in a new culture. I'm very thankful to WU for offering this opportunity and I would definitely visit China once again if given the chance.