Journalism & Broadcasting Study Abroad Programs in Vienna, Austria

The IES program in Vienna created one of the best experiences I have experienced and will ever experience in my life. The staff was extremely attentive in the process of preparing for study abroad and while in Vienna. They created incredible opportunities for us such as setting up a ski trip to the Alps, provided us with insider information on our new city, and have a hot line to call in at any hour in emergencies. IES really set up a home base for me while studying abroad in Vienna. I lived in an apartment in the 5th district of the city with an easy 20 minute commute to school (Vienna’s public transportation system is so easy). 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 about art, history, architecture and psychology first-hand. The central location 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 such as the film festival at the Rathaus and they help create incredible experiences. They helped us get discounted tickets to an infamous Vienna ball and provided 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.

If you are wondering if this program is for you then I have your answer, it is. This program is for everyone regardless of major or interested there is something for everyone in this program. It is well organized and the staff are amazing, they are truly there for your best interests. Vienna is an amazing and easy city to live it.

I had an amazing time with IES Abroad! They did an amazing job with orientation - they made sure to prepare us for the cultural differences we would be experiencing, how to navigate around the city and find our niches, and gave us tips on how to blend in in the city. I felt a lot more prepared and comfortable with my city than my other peers studying elsewhere. They also provided a lot of options for academics - I did not have to take a semester away from my main courses and the professors were very qualified and great resources to use.

Most everyone that comes back from a semester abroad says that they have found their new "home" or their "favorite place," and at first I thought it was drab and clique, but lets face it, they're right. Studying abroad in Vienna, Austria truly fostered a love, appreciation, respect and longing for the culture, the people, the food, the language, and everything in between. I nurtured life long friendships and professional relationships with my peers, IES Abroad Staff and Faculty, and also Viennese locals. Exploring the city, traveling around Europe and assimilating to a new culture with my new travel buddies not only strengthened our bonds, but also allowed me to gain some personal perspective and introspection. The IES Abroad faculty and staff were a huge foundation of comfort for me for a time where I was vulnerable without home or family around. I, personally, went abroad with a lot of emotional baggage still looming over my head. I thought leaving the states would help that burden, but in some ways the distance just made it more insulting and daunting. After reaching out to the IES Abroad staff that weight was lifted off of my shoulders and they did everything they could possibly think of to help me in my personal situation. They made my problems their problems in order to insure that I had the chance to live the abroad experience I had hoped and dreamed about. If I could do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing, and if that's not a testament to an amazing program, I don't know what is. They say "home is where the heart is," and as clique as it may be, Vienna stole mine. See you soon, Wien.

I studied abroad with IES Vienna this past spring and had an absolutely amazing time. Through my experience in Vienna, I was able to take psychology classes in an essential location for the foundations of psychology, while also applying skills and ideas in an internship in a Psychotherapist's office. I was able to learn and apply so much in that one semester, that helped me narrow my career and educational foci immensely. Outside of the classes for my major, I was also able to study German and apply the learning through living and communicating in Vienna. Learning the language was definitely a challenge for me, but I loved it, and grew a lot throughout the semester. While learning and living in Vienna, I also made great connections with my fellow students, the Center Staff, native Austrians in my housing complex, and the individuals I worked with in my internship. So many great connections were made, and I honestly just had so many amazing experiences, large and small, throughout the 4 months. I can genuinely say that I grew so much academically, professionally, and personally during my time with IES Vienna, and that my study abroad experience was the best one of my life so far,

I could sing my praises for the IES Abroad Vienna Music program for days (literally, because I am a vocal music major). This program truly made my semester abroad one to remember. The IES Abroad faculty at the Vienna center, located in an old Palais in the heart of the city, by the way, were helpful, supportive, and all-around excellent. The staff truly took care of us and always went the extra mile to personally see that each student had a fun and successful semester. As a music student, it was so amazing to be able to take music courses in Vienna that would actually transfer to my home university and that gave me the opportunity to perform there, as well. The course selection in Vienna is wide, especially because there is also a European Culture and Society program there, so I got the chance to take some courses outside of my field of study, which definitely enhanced my learning experience. IES Abroad also provided amazing field trips and social programs throughout the semester that exposed us to more of Vienna and Austria and helped make the city feel like a home-away-from-home. I can't wait to return for reunions and more time in the city of music.

As an international student studying in the US, I had a different approach to "studying abroad". I was already abroad so why would I go? Well, I'm glad I did! For me, it wasn't my first time traveling or staying at a different country for more than a month. For me, it was a great opportunity to be back at a culture that is relatively similar to mine and be back in a city where I can explore every single day and be surprised each time. With IES Abroad, I got to feel at home in this new city right from the start! Everything was organized so well and a sense of community was already built! I initially thought that having an orientation in a different city than Vienna was a bit unusual and unnecessary --I was so wrong! Being in the same resort for a few days right from the start was the best thing possible to form close friendships right from the beginning. We had nothing to do but sight seeing in Mariazell, play endless volleyball games, hike around and chat for hours, all as a group! I made so many good friends right there and then. To talk more about the program itself and life in Vienna, I can start by saying that it was great to live in a city with great public transportation, take classes in a magnificent old building -a palace-, and attend great events. As one of the cultural capitals in the world, Vienna had so much to offer. And IES made it much easier and much more accessible. We could get Opera tickets, attend rehearsals, have a Heuriger trip and Thanksgiving celebration and much more. Every month there were at least 2 or 3 events that the IES Staff and RA's (Resident Austrians who were living with some of the students and were in charge of technical things like talking to the landlady/landlord etc. --they were pretty cool and great way to learn more about the Austrian culture and make Austrian friends!) were organizing. These events were great to immerse us into the culture and into the city life without being stressed about organization and other details. There were also a few weekend trips organized by IES that were simply amazing! We had wine-tasting in Wachau (one-day trip), skiing in Salzburg and weekend in Graz! We had a really cool and friendly staff who would organize dodgeball trips, tell us cool places to go for a weekend, give advice on restaurants and always send information on events happening all around. I really enjoyed my time in Vienna as well as all across Europe --I went to many trips with my friends from the program! I definitely recommend going to Vienna for a semester, learning German with amazing professors, get immersed into the culture with organized trips, travel to many countries that are only 2 hours away and just enjoy the cafes of Vienna!

I knew I wanted to study abroad but before finding IES Abroad, I never would have imagined I would end up in Vienna. The IES Abroad staff and facilities are wonderful and very inviting. The staff are always ready to help in any way they can with all sorts of things from helping us find secrets spots around the city to letting us borrow a hair dryer when ours didn't work. They also do an excellent job of getting you accustomed to the culture and life in the city when you arrive and being a support system until the day you leave! The classes were great as well. I never felt overwhelmed by the amount of work (the teachers totally understand that you are there to experience as much of the city and country as you can) and taking the beginning level German was more helpful than I had imagined. By the time I left I found myself understanding basic German being spoken around town and felt a much stronger sense of belonging. Most importantly, the city of Vienna is absolutely amazing and I felt right at home within the first day of being there. Like always, there are some cultural differences you have to adjust to but it is a very laid back city and it doesn't take long to feel right at home! There is so much to do right there in the city and there are lots of amazing cities in close proximity that you can easily visit on the weekend. While I was there, my roommates and I managed to travel to Salzburg, Hallstatt, Prague, Munich, and Budapest all while still finding plenty of time to enjoy our home city of Vienna! This program is a great way to learn so much about the birth place of psychology, the Austrian culture, other European cities, as well as learning things you never knew about yourself. In only 6 weeks, I found great friendships I never expected to form and have grown a deep appreciation for Vienna that makes me constantly wish I could go back.

IES Abroad’s Vienna program, focusing on European Society and Culture, was an absolutely amazing experience. Not only did I get to learn about new subjects that aren’t offered at my home university, but I got to actually go out and see manifest examples of the material I was studying. For example, after learning about the Hapsburg royal family of Vienna in my Vienna Past and Present course, the next class period was spent visiting their national treasury in the city hosting all of the family jewels, crowns, and royal robes. This classroom and tour combination style of learning really put a new and tangible spin on the material I was learning, and made it very fun and connectable. This also gave me opportunities to see parts of the city I was living in, that I may have not known about otherwise or have been able to see. Thanks to my Music in Performance class, I learned about the least expensive way to watch one of the classic Viennese operas that are so beloved to the locals. Outside of the studying aspect of the program, IES offered many extracurricular trips such as day trips to Austria’s stunning Wachau Valley, or a weekend trip to partake in a traditional apple festival and tour the beautiful city of Graz. Both of these trips that I partook in (among the many more that IES Vienna offers) were amazing and provided insights into Austria and its people and culture. These are experiences that were so real and unique, that I definitely would not have been able to participate without the help of IES’ planning. On top of all this, the people you will meet in Vienna will become your lifelong friends. From the students you live with, to the friends in your German class, and the extremely helpful and friendly staff in the IES Vienna office. Overall, the study abroad experience was truly life changing and taught me so many life skills that will be immensely helpful in the future. IES Abroad made this all possible for me.

I fell in love with this city. The program was amazing. I wasn't even nervous about having no previous German experience because of how well organized and reassuring IES staff was. We were met at the airport when arriving in Vienna, and taken immediately to Mariazell for an orientation period of 3 days. The tiny town was about a 3 hour drive, and the entire stay was magical as they prepared us for living in a European city for the next 4 months. After a 3 week German intensive, I was comfortable in Vienna. Walking around was easy, using City Bike or the U-Bahn was straightforward and I always felt safe. Personally, the music is what drew me to it. Opera everywhere, symphonies, theatre-- I was in paradise, and it was all unbelievably cheap (3 euros) ! The classes I had were amazing, with teachers who were fantastic lecturers but also super understanding about creating a good work balance for us. One music history class I had went on excursions to see Mozart's apartment and Haydn's house! Independently I traveled to Zentralfriedhof to see a bunch of famous composers' graves. And another thing I liked is that IES had optional pre-planned trips! The Cultural Heritage Tour that I signed up for was a week long trip that IES already had planned out for us, so I didn't have to worry about booking hotels or budgeting for food. We visited Salzburg, Hallstatt, Cesky Krumlov, and Prague all within a week! Other trips included a day trip to Wachau, Styria or a weekend skiing in the Alps. There were always events scattered throughout the semester to provide opportunities for us to get involved in Viennese culture, whether it was taking us to the Prater (amusement park) for the day, or readying us to attend our first ever Viennese ball. Overall, the program struck a good balance: just enough structure that there was a wonderful support system, and enough freedom to live life to the fullest and keep exploring what the beautiful city of Vienna had to offer!

Austria was not my first choice, in fact, I wanted to go to London. However, after researching Vienna a bit more, I came to realize there's a reason why there are songs written about this place. Indeed, Vienna was nothing short of being the best city I have ever been to. Prior to studying abroad, I had never been out of the country. However, the transition from the U.S. to Vienna was not a cultural shock. In fact, the transition was more of a cultural shift. Most of the people in Vienna spoke English. Traveling to other countries was also very easy to do. I took a day trip to Slovakia via ferry and it was fantastic. IES did a great job at finding housing close to the palace (YES, palace) where classes were taught. Coming across palaces, especially on accident, in Vienna was quite the norm. I often went on jogs and found myself at yet another palace. Long story short, no amount of text box space will ever be enough to write about how amazing the experience was.