Wondering what it’s like to study abroad in Austria? We recently spoke with Hannah, a history major and art history and music double minor from Willamette University, who spent her summer studying abroad in the picturesque city of Salzburg!
Discover how Hannah’s study abroad experience in Salzburg with AIFS Abroad helped her explore the region and improve her German language skills!
Choosing a Study Abroad Destination & Term
If you’re still narrowing down where to study abroad, the process may feel overwhelming—especially with so many amazing AIFS Abroad destinations to choose from! One helpful way to focus your search is to filter programs by academic interest or language. For Hannah, a destination where she could practice her German and study European history made Salzburg an excellent choice:
“I chose Salzburg because I had previous experience with German and I was interested in the region. My historical focus in my major is on modern European history, so I found Austria interesting. I would recommend this program to students who want to be centrally located to travel to other European destinations.”
While many college students relish the opportunity to spend a whole semester abroad, others, like Hannah, are more comfortable with a short-term program:
“I chose summer term because I didn’t want to miss a whole semester at Willamette. I loved the summer term, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything important because I would have just been working in the U.S.”
Academics Abroad
For those who want a supportive academic environment abroad featuring site-oriented curricula and unbeatable immersive learned experiences, studying abroad at an AIFS Abroad Global Education Center (GEC) is the perfect option. These academic hubs are located across Europe and provide close faculty mentorship and small classes that help students dive deep into the cultural and historical contexts of their program destinations. Hear Hannah describe how she liked her classes at our GEC in Salzburg:
“I attended classes at an AIFS Abroad [Global Education Center]. I enjoyed my classes so much and I feel I got a lot out of them. Both of my instructors lived locally and I was able to learn so much from them about our class topics and also the city and culture itself.”
She took two classes during her summer term in Salzburg, Austrian Folk and Folk Customs and German Language I, which she describes below. In Austrian Folk and Folk Customs, students studied ex voto paintings, a form of devotional folk art traditionally created as offerings of thanks or in fulfillment of a vow. Think of them as visual “thank you” gifts to a deity for protection or help.
“We went on several field trips in Austrian Folk Art and Folk Customs, which stood out as highlights to me in the program. As an example, we studied many Austrian-made ‘ex voto’ folk art paintings, and we were able to visit the folk culture museum where we got to see many of the paintings we’d been studying!”
Hannah also shared how her German Language I course and daily life in Salzburg helped strengthen her language skills:
“My German [language] course was very similar to the elementary German courses I’d taken at my home university. I was able to pick up the language more because I was living in a German-speaking environment. The structure and culture of my Austrian Folk and Folk Customs was very different from any class I’d taken at Willamette. As I mentioned, the class was organized around these field work opportunities, which I found very helpful to my learning style as a student. Our class was lecture-based but also very conversational, and I felt as though there was a mutual respect between the students and the instructor.”
Language Learning
While you’re not required to know another language or take foreign language courses to study abroad, it’s an excellent opportunity to learn a new language if you choose to do so. As someone with some prior German language knowledge, Hannah noted how much her proficiency improved over the course of her program:
“I studied abroad in Austria, which is a German-speaking country. You did not need to have German language skills prior to the program. I was taking Elementary German I and my language skills improved a lot over my time there. I was able to interact with locals mostly in German when I was at restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops, etc. The advice I would give to students is to just try to speak the language even if you’re not completely confident. Locals feel more respected if you put effort into communicating with them and it also helps you develop your skills.”
AIFS Abroad Activities & Excursions
AIFS Abroad programs include a range of social and cultural activities as well as trips and excursions designed to enrich your experience abroad. These inclusions help participants more fully immerse themselves in the local culture, explore more of the region with trusted guides, and have fun—all while they bond with fellow participants. As Hannah explains, they’re experiences you don’t want to miss out on:
“I attended almost every excursion opportunity that AIFS offered. Two of my favorites were the Vienna weekend trip and the pastry tasting. Our coordinators scheduled a bunch of cool opportunities on [the] Vienna weekend [trip]. For example, we got to go to the art history museum in the city center, while we were there… We [also] went on an excursion to the marionette theater in Salzburg, which was super fun!”
Weekend & Day Trips
In addition to going on AIFS Abroad trips and excursions, you’re welcome to explore your host country and the surrounding region during your free time. One weekend, Hannah set out to visit Prague with some of the new friends she’d made:
“I went to Prague one weekend with 6 or 7 girls in my program and it was wonderful!… This was a great opportunity to explore a different area.”
While Salzburg’s location offers easy access to other European countries, Hannah discovered there’s tons to do just outside the city, as well:
“It’s useful for students to know that you can get to almost any place from a bus in Salzburg. My friends and I went to a lake about an hour away from Salzburg a couple of times, and it was only about 12 euros round-trip.
I really admired how connected Salzburg was with the surrounding rural areas. Many people that I spoke to (including my instructors) had a deep appreciation for historical sites in Salzburg as well as sites located further away from the city, like the Basilica of Maria Plain.”
AIFS Abroad On-Site Support Staff
From our amazing excursions to our award-winning academics and housing, there are countless reasons to choose AIFS Abroad. One of the factors that really makes our programs stand out is our dedicated on-site support staff, who are there to provide in-person assistance when you need it. Hannah was especially grateful for her Program Director in Salzburg when she had to visit the doctor:
“Our Program Directors were incredibly helpful while I was abroad. When I had to go to the doctor while abroad, my [Program Director], Katherina, was incredibly helpful and helped me figure everything out.”
Words of Wisdom
When reflecting on her time abroad and pondering advice to future students, Hannah had this to say:
“I really learned to step out of shell socially while I was abroad. I also committed to saying yes to almost everything while I was in Europe and I gained a lot of valuable experiences by being open. I’ve tried to carry that mentality back to my life at home.
Say yes to things! You will gain so many valuable experiences by having an open mind. You will do so many more things and learn so much more about yourself. You may form a meaningful relationship with someone you wouldn’t normally be open to. The possibilities are truly endless!”
Are you ready to take the leap and study abroad like Hannah did in Salzburg? We’d love to help you start your journey!
Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students study abroad. Our programs come with many valuable inclusions (which really take the stress out of planning!), such as housing, cultural and social activities, trips and excursions, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, and more. When you choose AIFS Abroad, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.
