Elliot's Exchange to Salzburg University of Applied Sciences | Austria
My name is Elliot Lander and I studied abroad at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences in Austria in Semester 1, 2019. At Murdoch University, I
am studying a Bachelor of Arts in Sound.
The key factors for myself choosing to study at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences were...
My exchange university was situated on the outskirts of Salzburg, surrounded by forest and a short walk to the River Salzach that runs through Salzburg. The city itself is situated by the Eastern Alps so living and studying outside of the city was really peaceful. As an arts student, this encouraged me to do more nature based creative exploration. Austria and Salzburg have a very rich musical history, with Composers like Mozart being born in Salzburg, and a thriving EDM scene. Being a sound student, just beginning the composition portion of my studies, Salzburg felt like a good mix of classical history and modern producing.
A little about Salzburg University of Applied Sciences...
I studied three sound units: Audio Post-Production, Composition and Arrangement, and soundscape for games. I also took on a German language class, graphic design, working in multicultural teams, and tandem learning with an Austrian student to get the most out of the culture and improve my German while living there. There were no separate lectures for any of the classes, so generally the tutorials were longer with some of the classes running for four or more hours. The classes where I noticed the most difference in learning were in sound. There was a lot less focus on theory and discussing the fundamentals and more focus on hands on, creative projects from the start. None of the classes that I took ran for the entirety of the semester, some ran consistently for a few weeks while others would be a few weeks on and off.
A little about the city I lived in, Salzburg…
Salzburg was a very easy city to travel around, especially when living on campus, due to the train running directly to the city centre and through to the main shopping centre/Ikea from the university. Being a small city, you could walk to most places of interest without the need for public transport. My favourite place to visit would have to be Augustinerbrau- the local brewery and beer hall; a great place to go for traditional food and plenty of cheap beer! I found the locals pretty friendly and generally open to helping me improve my German.
The best parts of my experience…
One of my most memorable
experiences is attending my Swedish friend's Sommarfest at their apartment, which included traditional foods, drinks, party games, and songs that they taught us
throughout the night. It was great! I loved being able to experience a genuine
part of someone else’s culture.
Some of the challenges about studying abroad…
I didn’t find anything that hard to get used to in Austria, most people spoke English so I never felt totally stranded. I’ve also lived away from family before, so touching base over FaceTime didn’t feel all that different.
A little about my accommodation whilst studying abroad…
I lived on Campus at the studio apartment complex, Urstein SUD, which was great! The rooms were spacious enough for one person and included amenities, such as communal laundry on the bottom floor. We were only a few minutes walk from the train, which takes you directly into the city. The main university building was adjacent to the apartments with an open grass/entertainment area which included a volleyball court, BBQ, and tables. It’s pretty easy to live at Urstein. My only advice is to be aware that things such as bedding, kitchen items, etc. aren't included so you need to source all of that yourself. You can grab all of those items and more at the local Ikea, located behind the main shopping centre.
Funding my exchange experience…
I used personal savings and also got a scholarship to fund my exchange experience.
My volunteer experience whilst on exchange…
I volunteered while on exchange! I
met an employee from RadioFabrik, Salzburg’s only community radio station, and was able to organize an opportunity to host an Australian music show called ‘The Eureka Moment’. Due to the fact that class times clashed with the available time slot, I created pre-recorded episodes. I recorded them at the station or at
home and sent them in once a week to be played on their station.
Whilst on exchange, I travelled to…
Being in central Europe, I
travelled every chance I got. There were other exchange students
that wanted to explore and go to similar places, so we would often organise travel
plans in groups. The units were taught a lot differently than
at Murdoch, so my timetable would change each week. This meant that I would have some weeks where I would have
the majority of my time free for travel.
Advice I would give to someone considering studying abroad…
Just do it! It’s an amazing idea
to immerse yourself in an experience completely foreign to what you already know.
You’ll make friends from all over the world, get to immerse yourself in another
culture, and just being somewhere different you’ll be more open to doing and
trying new things.
- Elliot studied abroad at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences in Austria.
WEBSITE:https://www.murdoch.edu.au/mymurdoch/support-advice/murdoch-experience/travel-while-you-learn
