The University of Vienna is one of the most renowned universities in the German-speaking field. Born in 1365, Vienna University is the second oldest university in the German region, which is a source of admiration. When it comes to the capital of Austria, one of the first associations, in addition to Wiener Schnitzel, Sachertorte, tradition, music, and culture, is certainly the University of Vienna. This is how studying in Vienna looks like from my angle and experience.
University of Vienna
A large number of students, future masters, and doctors of science come to study in Vienna, one
- of he educational centers of Europe. Some studies show that 130,000 students
currently live in this city at various faculties of the University of Vienna.
Another info for admiration! At all faculties of the State University of Vienna,
studies are conducted in German. Certainly one of the more favorable criteria is the
low cost of education in Vienna, which is:
- 18.70 euros (for EU countries), respectively
- 382.06 euros (for non-EU countries).
When a young man chooses a place of education, he chooses not only faculty but also a city in which he will grow, advance and shape himself. Therefore, Vienna is another faculty of life, a man who is attending non-academic studies. Vienna is a city full of culture, orderliness and the comfort of life.
Studies in Vienna, language learning and exams
The life of a student in Vienna, despite all information, is closely related to acquaintances. Even with all the information, both in the form of a portal and an FB group, it is easiest for a friar to spend the first days of life with the help of an older colleague from Vienna, starting with an administration that is not unusual.
Take a look at the study at Charles University in Prague, through the words of our student.
My stay in Vienna, more precisely the beginning, was greatly facilitated with the help of the older colleagues who were there to help with enrollment at the Faculty, applications for staying and enrolling in the German language course. For a year, I have occupied various courses of language, starting with the one you gave yourself at the university (ORIENT), to various private courses, where I ultimately learned the most. Language courses awarded by faculty are largely inadequate to overcome a difficult and extensive language such as German. The groups are quite large, with the great presence of our people. This first year of stay in Vienna, which many people take to learn German, is good, because during that year "come to herself", it gets used to how much in the middle, city and culture in general.
As for studies, there are different student programs. The Faculty of Law of the University of Vienna, in which I study, is one of the most valuable and certainly one of the most difficult studies of state faculties. The studies are divided into 3 parts, and exams are somewhat similar to the Law Faculty in Belgrade. Exams are at the beginning of a written type, while later they are mostly oral. Attending classes is only possible in German. The most delicate difference in relation to our faculties is the level of applicability, that is, examinations at the Law Faculty include a large number of cases that will later be applicable in employment. The Faculty of Law in Vienna is one of the "mass" faculties, so you will not be surprised by the fact that at the beginning of the study, in the first part, nearly 5,000 students were found. The Faculty is divided into three "Abschnitt" (read: three parts). People who choose to do ERASMUS programs do this most often in the third part, where the opportunities are fairly wide, both in Europe and in other parts of the world (of course, people who are studying here).
There are optional lectures and compulsory exercises, while exams are quite extensive.
Optional lectures, at least in my case, are something I do not attend because they do not give us so much effect either because of the understanding of the language and the time-consuming. Since this semester, a new rule has been introduced: it is only 2 times that you can be unreasonably absent from compulsory exercises. If the student is absent more than 2 times, he is expelled from the exercise. As far as the exam is concerned, this is a fairly comprehensive examination, which is the case in Belgrade. Examinations are extensive and are prepared for a long time, and it comes out when you're ready (there is no exam scout: D), of course, because of the fact that the maximum number of exams is 4 times (4th is a road trip). Exams are, as already mentioned, oral and written.
Exams bring a number of ECTS credits (exercises usually carry from 1 to 4, while the exam carries 7 to 15 points - which is enough, for example, to extend the visa). Books are bought and not cheap. Of course, there is a possibility to rent books in Vienna, although the main textbooks have already been leased at the beginning of the semester.
Professors at Vienna University, Student Service and Examination Deadlines
Relationship and contact with professors vary from professor to professor. University assistants are communicative and easier to contact, while with professors, at least as far as the start of the studies is concerned, it is not easy to get in touch, and mostly because of the massiveness of the faculty itself. At the University of Vienna, there are 6 deadlines: January, March, April, June, October, and November. The student service is here, and in my case, it is very open to all questions, ready for help and benevolent advice.
Student home in Vienna
As far as homes are concerned, there are numerous student dormitories in Vienna. They are not exactly comparable with homes in Belgrade. Student homes here are cheaper hotels or hostels. In most cases, it is about single or double rooms with or without their own kitchen, and their own toilet. There is also an option called the WG (Wohngemeinschaft), where more people share one space, usually with their own room, while one bathroom is shared among the same people. To enter the home, of course, a certificate is required to study in Vienna.
In the beginning, it's hard to get a self-sufficient, unless you already know someone who lives in the same home. I got my single room after 4 months. Menza is not included in my home, which is most commonly the case with other homes, but there are also those homes where there is a personal café. Menza in Vienna has a considerable number, both at the faculty itself and in its vicinity. The prices of meals in a canteen in Vienna range from 3 to 5 euros, but even up to 6, 7 euros. Meals are quite sufficient, and the food is tolerable, given that it's still a canteen, not a restaurant.
Where to find more information for living and studying in Vienna
More detailed and necessary information for staying and studying in Vienna can be very efficiently and easily found on the website of the Organization of Serbian Students in Vienna, starting with the study itself, the necessary documentation for the Vienna University, the extension of visas and the like. On the other hand, information on the Law Faculty in Vienna can be found on this link.
Erasmus programs at the Law Faculty
The Faculty of Law in Vienna has a cooperation with 19 faculties in Europe, which is not very large compared to Vienna University (around 200 in the whole world). There are programs from one or two semesters. Erasmus is implemented in a way that the professor offers his program (this year it was done by 5 professors). Student programs are based in most EU countries. They are held in English, German, Italian, Spanish and other languages.
The Erasmus program can be done in the second half of the studies, that is, after completing the Civil Law and another exam from the second part of the study. People usually go to the ERASMUS program in the third part of the studies, because they are recognized as two exercises and two exams (International Law and European Law). Experience shows that people were quite happy with the time spent in another European country, which is later very important and useful in employment.
In the end, I would like to wish everyone lucky to study and enroll faculties abroad, whether it was the University of Vienna or someone else. Be persistent and worthy, because these are the qualities that are valued in their culture and definitely pay in Vienna, whatever you do!