"Graz" The Exchange Student Heaven

If you are thinking of going on exchange for school I would highly recommend looking into the city of Graz, Austria. Even though I personally haven't gone on exchange to Graz I still know so much about city since my sister went on a 6 month exchange there. From the stories I have heard and the pictures I have seen I can guarantee that anyone travelling to Graz on exchange will truly enjoy themselves.

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

Graz is a city of about 300,000 people which makes it the second largest city in Austria next to Vienna. Graz has an old town feel with its medieval structures as well as amazing art seen throughout the city. The city almost reminds me of Calgary because the people in Graz live such an active lifestyle such as the 106 kilometres worth of pathways within the city for people to ride their bikes on or even the short trip to alps to ski. One of the main reasons that this city is so attractive for university students is the fact that almost 15% of the city is made up of students. This gives any exchange student living in Graz a great opportunity to make new friends from across the globe.


Another great thing about Graz is that it is borders 8 countries and it is situated almost directly in the center of Europe. This gives exchange students the opportunity to travel on weekends and view different areas of europe. The good thing about Europe is that you can fly from country to country for a fairly reasonable price. If you have access to a vehicle you can also make a short drive to many of the bordering countries such as a 3.5 hour drive to Budapest, Hungary. You could also take a trip down south to Croatia and view the wonderful beaches, and if you are lucky enough to be staying in Graz during October you can take a 4 drive to Munich for Oktoberfest.

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

What do you think about travelling abroad? Would Graz, Austria be a place on your list to go for exchange? Please leave your comments below.