• The online credit transfer database (german: Online-Anerkennungsdatenbank) offers a comprehensive list of courses that were completed abroad by WU students.

• Course combinations that have been approved in the past are very likely to be approved again.

• This database is meant as a means of orientation. The list does not guarantee that partner universities offer the same courses each semester or that courses are open to WU students (e.g. course is already full, academic requirements are not fulfilled, etc.).

• At WU, courses and lectures typically have a workload of 4 to 6 ECTS credits. If courses at the partner university offer more credits, credit transfer is still possible. You can use the spare ECTS credits for another curriculum-specific module.

• Example: If a course abroad is worth 8 ECTS credits, you can request credit transfer for two courses at WU (each worth 4 ECTS credits).

• BaWiSo 2019: It is advisable to use spare ECTS credits for “Free Electives” or the “International Elective” (major IBW, VWL). For other credit transfer possibilities, use the online credit transfer database as a means of orientation.

• BaWiSo 2023: Splitting ECTS credits is not really necessary since the modules “Courses Abroad” and “International Experience” ensure that all credits can be transferred. Any additional and leftover ECTS credits can be transferred towards “Free Electives”.

• If you need support, contact our colleagues from Study Regulations & Credit Transfer (Study Service Center).

• After you have been allocated an exchange place, you will be invited via your WU email address to the grant and credit transfer session (german: Stipendien- und Anerkennungsveranstaltung).

• The event takes place in the semester before your stay abroad and provides all the information you need about grants and credit transfer. Attendance is mandatory.

• In the study plan for BaWiSo 2023, an experience abroad is possible in each major.

• Through the modules "Courses Abroad", "International Experience" (major International Business Administration), and "Free Electives", transfer of credits earned abroad is easily feasible.

• "Courses Abroad" is available for students in the major Business Administration, Economics, Information Systems as well as Economy, Environment, Politics.

• As soon as you have completed courses worth 36 ECTS credits (excluding free elective courses), you can apply for an exchange semester at one of our partner universities. You can always check online to see if you fulfill the application requirements.

• If you have already completed an exchange semester or have already been allocated for an exchange semester during your bachelor’s degree, you cannot apply for another exchange semester.

• An application for an International Short Program is still open to you.

• Moreover, it is also possible to apply for an Erasmus+ grant for a self-organized internship abroad.

• Most partner universities have additional requirements (such as TOEFL, IELTS, EBC 1, EBC 2) that you need to fulfil. Information on these requirements is provided in the info sheets, which you can find on our interactive map of partner universities.

• You are not required to fulfill additional criteria required by the partner universities within the application period at WU. It is sufficient if you meet these requirements after you have been allocated an exchange place.

• Usually, proof of language proficiency must be submitted to the partner university when registering or applying. Note: If you do not submit the proof of language proficiency by the given deadline, your exchange place may be revoked under circumstances!

• You can download language certificates through the Online Services for Students. Certificates are available for EBC as well as for an English-taught degree program. In the Online Services for Students, click on "Mobility" and search under "Outgoing - My exchange program".

• You can apply for an exchange semester during the official application periods.

• Please note that you need to submit your application a year/two semesters in advance.

• There are two application periods per semester: the main application period "Europe and overseas" and another period called "second round of allocations".

• Second round of allocations: This application period is only available to you if you applied during the main application period "Europe and overseas" and did not receive an exchange place. You will have to use your score from the main application period to apply for remaining exchange places. You do not need to re-upload application documents or undergo another interview process. Simply select the remaining exchange places as your preferences. You will be notified about the outcome of your application via your WU email address.

As part of the application process, the following documents must be uploaded:

Application sheet for a semester abroad 

• Provide 3-4 sentences (approximately 100 words) per question

• Topics: Motivation, Engagement, and Social & Intercultural Skills

• Aim for personal and self-reflective answers

• PDF format, max. 2 MB file size

Curriculum vitae

• Language: English

• Information on education, work experience, volunteering, internships, international experience, language skills, and other competencies

• PDF format, max. 2 MB file size

• Photo is optional

Further references (if applicable)

• Professional references (german: Arbeitszeugnisse)

• Confirmations and certificates

• PDF format, max. 2 MB file size

These documents and information will automatically be added to your application from the WU database:

• Transcript including all WU courses which have been completed successfully

• Your grade point average (GPA) (updated for the day you send your application)

• You will receive an academic score and an extracurricular score. The academic score constitutes 60% of your overall score, while the extracurricular score accounts for 40%. The overall score will serve as the basis for the allocation of an exchange place.

• Academic score: The academic score corresponds to your grade point average (GPA). It includes all finalized grades. To ensure all applicants have comparable chances, the GPA is weighted and adjusted using an upward-scaling model (see example calculation - available soon).

• Extracurricular score: All applicants undergo an interview that evaluates the categories motivation, engagement, social & intercultural skills, and personal impression. Each category is assessed individually using a four-level scale: Outstanding - Good - Fair - Did Not Meet Expectations. Motivation makes up 40% of the extracurricular score, while the other categories each account for 20%.

Matching with a faculty member

• After you have submitted your application, your documents will be forwarded to a WU faculty member. Each faculty member is responsible for one or more geographical region(s).

• Based on the region predominantly chosen among the top three preferences, you will be assigned to a relevant pool of faculty members. For instance, if two of the top three preferences are partner universities in North America, you will be assigned to the North America pool and randomly matched with a faculty member responsible for this region.

• If your top three preferences span different regions (e.g., Asia, North America, and Europe), your first preference will determine the pool of faculty members you will be assigned to.

Interview process

• The extracurricular score is determined through an interview conducted by a WU faculty member. 

• Faculty members have access to the following application documents and information:

  • Application sheet for a semester abroad

  • Curriculum vitae

  • Additional uploaded references (if applicable)

  • Preferences listed in alphabetical order (not in order of preference)

  • List of successfully completed courses at WU (course titles only, no grades)

• Interviews can be conducted in individual or group settings. As International Office, we recommend a maximum group size of three people.

• Interviews can also be conducted online, for instance, if a faculty member is on research stays abroad or applicants are abroad for internships.

• Please check your WU email address regularly for interview invitations.

Evaluation process

Below, you will find a brief description of the categories assessed during the interview:

• Motivation: Refers to the reasons and goals that motivate students to participate in an exchange program.

• Engagement: Refers to general efforts to assume responsibility for society and describes commitment in various areas of life (e.g., volunteering, work experience, care obligations, etc.).

• Social & intercultural skills: Refers to one’s ability to navigate social and intercultural contexts.

• Personal impression: Refers to the impression applicants make during the interview, including conduct and authenticity.

• At the end of the application process, an overall ranking of all applicants is created. Your overall score, which is used for this ranking, consists of your academic score and extracurricular score.

• An algorithm assigns exchange places based on the overall ranking.The algorithm automatically matches rankings with selected preferences. It starts with the top-ranked applicant and ends with the lowest-ranked.

• The International Office informs all applicants via email about the outcome of their application, either positive or negative.

• If you did not receive an exchange place during the main application period, you can reapply during the second round of allocations.

• Note: During the application process, your personal data will be processed. For details, please read our disclaimer on data privacy.

• After a successful application process, your data will be forwarded to the respective partner university (“nomination”). Subsequently, you will also have to register with the partner university. The partner university or the International Office (IO) will provide you with further details and documents required for this process. The process may differ from university to university.

• Application documents including additional required documents such as language certificates and an application form must be submitted to the partner university in time.

• Depending on the partner university, you will receive an email or postal mail just before or during the registration process. The mail contains detailed information regarding visa, housing, orientation programs, and course registration. If you have not been contacted by your partner university six months before the start of your stay abroad, please consult your IO regional coordinator.

The application forms often include the following questions:

• Are you a full-time student? Yes

• Program: Business Administration / International Business Administration / Economics and Socio-Economics / Business Law / Information Systems

• Institutional/Exchange coordinator: IO regional coordinator

• Departmental coordinator: academic advisor

• Major: courses of study that match your specialization (e.g. Marketing, Finance, Management, etc.)

• Semester dates: Please note that other countries often use different semester descriptions (e.g. "spring term" for our summer semester or "autumn/fall term" for our winter semester).

• Erasmus code: WU's Erasmus code is: A WIEN05

Frequently requested documents:

• Transcript: Partner universities sometimes request an English version of your WU transcript. You can print your WU transcript at one of the self-service terminals in front of the Study Service Center (LC building, level 2), or access it online via WU’s Online Services for Students.

• Bank confirmation (financial statement): All US partner schools and some other overseas partners require proof of sufficient financial means to fund your exchange semester. The required amount varies depending on the university. Click here for an example of a financial statement/bank letter.

• Medical report and vaccination pass: Many overseas universities require an English health certificate issued by your physician.

• Language certificate: Some partner universities require language certificates. This may be a TOEFL, an IELTS, or an EBC certificate (see below). A confirmation about the language of instruction of your degree program may also be accepted. To find out which universities require such tests and how many points are needed, please see the info sheets on our website or ask your IO regional coordinator.
  
  OeAD International Testing Services: http://testing.oead.at/
  British Council: https://www.ielts.org/
  
  You can download language certificates through the Online Services for Students. Certificates are available for EBC as well as for an English-taught degree program. In the Online Services for Students, click on "Mobility" and search under "Outgoing - My exchange program".


 

• Cancellation of an allocated exchange place is only possible in exceptional cases (e.g., illness, pregnancy, crucial family commitments, or unforeseen serious events). Proof will be required. If you are facing such circumstances, contact your exchange coordinator immediately.

• Note that canceling without a valid cause (see above) excludes students from participating in any further WU exchange programs in their current study cycle.

• Course selection: Choose courses at the partner university that can be recognized for receiving a grant at WU. It is recommended to complete a full workload (30 ECTS credits). Please adhere to any partner university requirements regarding courses and credits.

• Grants: Every mobility is supported by a grant. The type of support is depending on your chosen country. Details are provided in the mandatory grant and credit transfer session before your exchange semester. You will receive an invite via your WU email address.

• Pre-recognition notice and Learning Agreement: Before you go abroad, you must fill out the online application for the pre-recognition notice (german: Feststellungsbescheid). Do this to clarify which courses at the partner university are eligible for credit transfer after you return to WU. Find further details here. In the semester before your exchange, you will also be invited to the mandatory grant and credit transfer session (german: Stipendien- und Anerkennungsveranstaltung), where you will be given all  necessary information.

• International Business Administration (IBW): As part of the International Business Administration major, an experience abroad is mandatory. Information about the IBW international experience can be found on this page.

• Intercultural skills: In the semester before the exchange, nominated students must complete a mandatory intercultural skills training seminar. This seminar provides students with cultural preparation for the exchange. Attention: BBE students must take the class in English ("Cross-Cultural Competence"). If no English class is offered for the chosen region, students must choose a class which does not have a focus on a specific region.

• ÖH dues: Pay your Students’ Union (ÖH) dues during your exchange semester to avoid disenrollment.

• Tuition fees: Participation in an exchange semester results in a tuition waiver for one semester at both WU and the partner university.

• Housing: Many partner universities offer assistance in finding accommodation. Also make sure to check info sheets and exchange reports by former WU outgoing students.
  
  The International Office (IO) partners with Housing Anywhere, a platform for student-to-student housing offers. Use Housing Anywhere to search for accommodation in your host country and consider subletting your space during your stay abroad. These services are free for WU students, and the IO also recommends Housing Anywhere to incoming students.
  
  Please be cautious when looking for accomodation through inofficial channels!

• If you need special support during your stay abroad, you can contact the partner university or WU Services, such as BeAble and Student Counselling. In addition, you can always contact the person responsible for you from our Outgoing Exchange team.

• After you have been successfully allocated an exchange place, you can network with other students.

• Click on "Mobility" in the Online Services for Students and search for "Contacts" under "Outgoing - My exchange program". For your respective partner university, you will find contact data of outgoing and incoming students. Important: You can only access data of people who are associated with the partner university and have agreed to share their contact information.

• If you want to network with students who are studying at another WU partner university but in the same city, please contact your coordinator at the International Office.

• On this website, you can find advice on how to make a stay abroad more sustainable (tips and tricks for traveling as well as on-site behavior).

Travelling to non-EU countries

• If you complete your semester abroad in a non-EU country or if you are not an EU citizen, please familiarize yourself with your host country’s entry requirements in due time.

• To travel to overseas countries, Austrian students usually need a student visa. Non-Austrian students may need additional documents.

• As soon as you have received the registration forms and the Letter of Acceptance from the partner university (US universities also require the DS-2019 form), you can apply for a visa at the appropriate consular authority in Vienna. Be sure to contact the consulate in advance to find out which documents will be needed!

• USA/Canada: The US consulate charges a so-called SEVIS fee when issuing a visa. In the plane, you will need to fill out the white immigration form. To travel to Canada for a stay of up to six months, students with Austrian citizenship do not need a student visa. However, upon your arrival, you have to present the Letter of Acceptance to immigration authorities on your own initiative, and you have to state to the authorities that you enter the country as a student and not as a tourist.

• Some countries require special travel and/or health insurance. Please inquire about the applicable insurance requirements with the appropriate consulate.

Travelling to EU countries

• If you are not an EU citizen, please be sure to inform yourself about any visa or entry requirements made by the host country (early enough to make the necessary arrangements).

Overseas/non-EU countries

• Additional travel and/or health insurance is recommended. For insurance policies issued in Austria, it’s a good idea to take an English translation with you to demonstrate what is covered by your policy. Some universities require students to purchase separate student insurance in the host country.

EU countries

• If you are a citizen of an EU member state, the health insurance provided by your home country is usually sufficient. Don’t forget to take your European insurance card (e-card) with you when you go abroad! If you are not an EU citizen, be sure to arrange for the necessary insurance coverage well in advance.

Accident and liability insurance is optional but recommended. The ÖH insurance includes accident and liability insurance also at the place of study in the host country. Please inform yourself accordingly, for example here.

• Before your departure, please ask your coordinator at the partner university if your transcript will be issued automatically or if you will have to request it.

• For recipients of an Erasmus+ grant: Please make sure to take the Learning Agreement and the Confirmation of Stay home with you. Both documents have to be signed by the partner university.

• Represent WU at your host university’s exchange fair: Many partner universities organize “exchange fairs”. If a fair takes place while you are studying abroad, we would like you to represent WU. For this purpose, information material will be sent to the International Office of your host university in advance. You can find a PowerPoint presentation with information on WU here.

• WU Alumni Hubs: WU graduates are found all over the world, also in cities with WU partner universities. For outgoings, the Alumni Hubs offer a unique networking opportunity for exchange students. Find out if there is an Alumni Hub close to your partner university and attend Alumni events. The local WU graduates are looking forward to hearing from you.

• Transcripts of Records are usually sent directly to the International Office and your coordinator. You will be informed by email once the document is ready to be picked up at the IO Front Office. That is usually one ore two months after the end of the semester. Some partner universities send their Transcripts of Records directly to the students via email or postal mail.

• Credit transfer: Please note that credits taken abroad are not automatically transferred to your WU degree. You have to apply for credit transfer via Study Regulations & Credit Transfer (Study Service Center). You can apply for credit transfer via an online form on this website.

• If you are not able to pick up documents at the International Office in person, you can authorize a person of your trust to do it for you.

• The authorized person has to bring the following documents: completed authorization form, photocopy of the student's ID as well as a photo ID of the authorized person.

• WU students who have completed an exchange semester are required to write a report on their experiences, including an evaluation of the courses taken. Completed reports are reviewed by the International Office and made available online.

• Please fill out the report template and upload it here.

• After your return to Vienna, you have to complete several formalities related to your grant. Please click here for further information on grants.

• Exchange stays organized through the International Office will show up on your Diploma Supplement at the end of your studies. In case you receive more than one degree from WU, your exchange stay will be noted only on the program’s Diploma Supplement which your exchange stay was part of.

• Share your experiences from your stay abroad with other students at the annual Go Global - Your Event to Internationalize Your Studies. Spread the word about your host university!