13 Things to Know Before Studying in Austria

On most exchanges you will be expected to take a German class as part of your semester credits. That means you can’t avoid picking up a little bit of German and if you take the course seriously, you have a great opportunity to learn a new language.

An incredibly important thing to know before studying in Austria is that it’s not the same as Germany! Austrians have their own traditions and a clearly distinguishable culture, and it definitely annoys the locals if you group them in with Germany.

I found that generally Austrians were far more relaxed. Although they have a strong work ethic, they value time off with family and friends above all else. They also know how to party, with loads of public holidays and festivals held throughout the year.

Austria is predominately a Catholic country which means all shops close on Sundays. The only places open are petrol stations where you can get a few essentials. I wish I’d known this before going as I arrived in Salzburg on a Sunday which made getting bedding and food pretty difficult! 

Surprisingly, Austria is very cheap to live in. In 2015, I paid 280 euros for my en-suite dorm room in Salzburg which included all bills.

Food and public transport were a little bit pricey but still cheaper than you’d expect if studying in the UK. With your student loan from home and the Erasmus grant, life is pretty easy going!

Expect to see a lot of snow if you’re in Austria for the winter semester. Likewise, if you’re there for the summer semester, prepare for hot weather.

I loved living in a country with real seasons because it opened up opportunities to try so many new things. In winter you can ski, while in summer there’s a chance to escape to one of Austria’s many alpine lakes for some wild swimming.

I spent a lot of time hiking in the Austrian countryside, a popular activity for locals. Even though Austrians are some of the heaviest smokers and drinkers in Europe they all seemed extremely fit and healthy.

The most popular form of transport in Salzburg is cycling and almost everyone here can ski so you can expect to spend some of your time here embracing the great outdoors.

Obviously, this is a sweeping statement and not everyone in Austria is conservative. However, there are times when you feel it more noticeably, in Upper Austria for example.

Vienna is very cosmopolitan, multicultural and liberal which I loved. Salzburg was also very multicultural and full of Erasmus students from all over the world. I made friends with many international students and actually found it harder to make friends with locals because I didn’t meet as many. However, the ones I did meet were all lovely!

Traditional Austrian cuisine is not the best for vegetarians and vegans, being very meaty and often including cream and cheese. However, the international food available is extensive and varied which makes eating out a breeze.

There are also plenty of vegan restaurants to choose from in Vienna and also smaller cities like Salzburg and Innsbruck. Cooking at home is easy too with supermarkets like Basic Bio selling all sorts of meat alternatives and organic produce.

Prague, Budapest and Munich are all easily accessible by train, as are Italy, Switzerland and many other countries worth exploring. If you’re from the UK, it also means you won’t be that far from home so going home for Christmas or a weekend is an option.

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