Exchange Report

University: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Country: Germany
Semester: WS 2025
Duration of stay: 5 months
Level: Bachelor level (undergraduate)
Degree program: Bachelor's Degree Program in Business, Economics and Social Sciences / IBW
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1. Preparation

Have a look on the course catalog from the previous semesters. It helps detecting whether the chosen uni provides courses you like.

2. Accommodation

Humboldt offers a possible allocation to student housing however they let me know by the end of July. By the time I have already found a private housing which was much more expensive. Housing in general is more expensive than in Vienna. I think it’s the best for you if you can live somewhere near the city center as Berlin is really a big city and you could end up commuting for over 1 hour one-way if you do not chose your location carefully

3. Academic life at host university

When it comes to the format of Humboldt it is pretty much the opposite of WU. Everything is a VO and you can come to the UE afterwards if you want. You don’t need to sign up anywhere which was really confusing for me. Every course is being held in big groups.

4. Cost of living in €

Number of months at the partner university (Count from the orientation session to your last exam.)

Preparation before departure (e.g., insurance, vaccinations, visa, university fees)

Travel to/from the host destination (round trip)

Accommodation (rent, utilities)

Everyday living (groceries, local transport, phone, basic expenses)

Total cost of living for complete stay in €

Monthly living costs (includes accommodation and everyday life expenses)

Monthly living costs in host country compared to those in Austria

Student received a mobility grant administered by WU (e.g. Erasmus+, WU Mobility Grant, CEEPUS)

Yes No

Grant type

Other grants received

5. Everyday life

Once you paid the university fees you get a free ticket for the public transport. With the public transportation you can reach basically all you need within Berlin. I did not feel unsafe during my stay. Of course there are some parts of the city I didn’t enjoy to go there in the evening but I think that’s normal for a big city. Berlin has a lot of small cafes and events to offer

6. Exchange semester in a nutshell

At the beginning it was really hard but it is definitely worth it. Berlin can be very unkind during winter (lots of snow, darkness, cold) but I loved it anyways. The courses work completely differently but it is nice to see another way of doing things.

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