IES Abroad Vienna

I had an incredible time in Vienna! The city scene and cafe culture is so nice, and there are so many different exhibitions and attractions to go to. There are many student discounts, so that also made the city very student-friendly! Both the people in my program and locals in Vienna were all so kind and understanding (language wasn't an issue). I found my professors to be really helpful, and all of the IES staff were really resourceful. We didn't have class on Fridays, so I got to travel elsewhere with my friends during our free time.

My time in Vienna through IES Abroad was the most influential experience I've had in my college career. I had the opportunity to meet life-long friends, explore new cities, immerse myself in new cultures, and take courses that challenged my worldview and helped me grow into a more compassionate and well-rounded individual. The people I met in Vienna are some of my closest friends. Our time traveling together cemented a bond that I will cherish forever. IES: Vienna also sponsors trips and provides information to aid students in traveling both in Austria and across Europe. IES: Vienna provides a space for its students to take academically rigorous courses that are designed to interact with the city of Vienna itself. My classes took trips to museums, parks, churches, and monuments to explore Vienese history and culture. IES guided us every step of the way through pre-departure, our time abroad, and as we transitioned back home. I would recommend the program to anyone looking to study abroad!

I am a classical vocalist, so I already knew that Vienna was THE place for me to study abroad. What I didn't know was how absolutely wonderful the program I would study overseas with would be! The cultural and musical education I received with IES Abroad Vienna was top notch as I expected, but this experience was truly life-changing in a personal context. I absolutely fell in love with life in Vienna, so much so that I hope to at least look into getting a masters degree in Austria, with the intent of pursuing a career in opera there one day. The faculty involved in the IES Abroad Vienna program are all wonderful and reliable individuals. They were devoted to every students’ personal health and mental well-being, but they also fostered an environment where we could venture out on our own in a safe and informed way. In addition to networking and professional connections made through IES Abroad Vienna, I formed many wonderful life-long friendships through program social events. If you are considering this program for study away, you should definitely do it!

Studying abroad will always remain one of the best decisions I have ever taken during my college career. It was an opportunity for me to learn about myself more. I am already an international student in the USA, and at first, I did not know I needed to expand my horizons by participating in the Study Abroad Program as well. The IES Abroad Vienna Team is very organized and super interactive. It has been nothing short of a blessing for me. The classes were awesome, and the professors are excellent, they remain part of my connections today! My experience in Vienna has been rewarding, educational, transformative, and most of all, FUN! They really make sure that every participant is well cared for and has all the resources needed to thrive!

As a voice student, I always knew that I wanted to study abroad in Vienna. If I could spend another semester (or year, or years!) in Vienna, I would do so in a heartbeat. I could attend the opera and classical concerts - for just a few Euros! With a few exceptions, the pre-departure staff were generally helpful with choosing internships, housing, and courses. The on-site staff were phenomenal, organizing frequent community-building activities. In a weekly newsletter, the staff gave us suggestions for additional events, customs, and restaurants to try out in Vienna. There was a wide variety of music courses. All my professors made an effort to teach me about the culture of Vienna. The music professors were fabulous, introducing me to new aspects of music history.

I spent my fall semester of 2022 in Vienna, and I can safely say it changed my life. I attended the Psychology and Social Sciences program as a psychology major, and I had the chance to take courses that were not offered at my home school, such as Psychology and Society in Vienna and the Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination. These classes met usually once a week. I also had an intensive German class that met 3 times a week; I had taken German before so I was placed in a higher German class, but I heard from friends that they benefitted greatly from intro German classes. Classes were held at the IES Abroad Center, in the 1st district, near Stephansdom.
I lived in the 2nd district, in a studio apartment with a shared kitchen. The shared kitchen let me connect with new friends from IES while still having a space to go back to that was my own. The commute from the 2nd district to the 1st for class was about 15 minutes, and the IES Vienna staff walked us through it the first time. I appreciated this as someone who had never lived in a city before.
IES staff were incredibly welcoming and easy to talk to; they helped with everything from housing issues to personal issues, and were a great resource to better understand the culture of Austria.
IES Vienna gave the opportunity to explore not only Vienna, but Austria as a whole. The program offered trips around Austria, such as to places like Wachau and Graz, as well as the legendary ski trip in the Austrian Alps. I also had the opportunity during the week-long break to tour Salzburg, Vorarlberg, and Innsbruck. Overall, I saw as much of Austria as I could, and I grew as a person in ways I could not have imagined. I had the time of my life and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I enjoyed my time in Austria for the most part. I tried a lot of different foods, looked at a large variety of art and learned a lot about language. I had some difficulties with class structure and choices and the rigidity of the IES system. The people in the program staff were quite nice and helpful and usually available. There were a lot of difficutkirss getting adjusted to the culture abroad but it's all part of the process I suppose. Given this it still had its fun moments. Vienna has a lot of things to offer and the housing situation I was placed in provided me a lot of opportunities to go out and explore and see places close by. I found myself really enjoying getting immersed in the culture abroad. Food was fantastic. Public transport was easy to figure out and overall it was enjoyable.

The IES program in Vienna created the best semester abroad I could've ever asked for. I felt welcomed right away by the staff who were extremely attentive and very experienced in helping in various situations. They really created a home base for their students. One of my favorite parts were the incredible trips they organized, such as the ski trip on a glacier in the Austrian Alps (many people learned to ski for the first time on this trip), a journey through the beautiful mountain villages in the west up to Prague, and a weekend trip to the Wachau Valley for hiking and wine tasting. Pretty much all students lived in apartments. I lived in the 5th district of the city with an easy 20 minute commute to school (Vienna’s public transportation system is so easy to master). Classes take place in an old palace in the city center between the Opera house and St. Stephen’s cathedral. For many classes I got to tour museums during class period and really learn hands-on about art, history, architecture and psychology. The central location of the school enabled me to explore the ins-and-outs of Vienna on a daily basis after or between classes. The IES program helps make things happen for its students. They make known events from the film festival at the Rathaus to how to join a gym or sports club team. They help create incredible experiences, such as providing discounted tickets to attend an infamous Vienna ball and dancing lessons to prepare. I was able to see the dress rehearsal for a world premiere at the State opera house. We were able to have a big Thanksgiving dinner in a traditional countryside tavern. And they helped people get involved with locals through setting up local German language buddies and helping students get internships. The program at IES Vienna creates a community and enables its students to explore and soak up every possible second of the most incredible semester imaginable. I would give anything to be back in Vienna right now.