Guide for Incoming Students

Home , Hinterstoder, Upper Austria, Wels

GUIDE FOR INCOMING STUDENTS

School of Engineering Wels Campus

www.fh-ooe.at/campus-wels Contents

3 Reach Higher. 11 Services and Facilities

» The University of Applied Sciences Upper » Buddy System Austria » Student ID Card » Austria » Info Terminal » Upper Austria » IT Information » Library » Orientation Week 4 Life as an International Student in Austria 12 Events / Free Time Activities » General Information about Wels » Reductions for Students » Wels Campus » Sports & Leisure » The Structure of our Degree Programmes » Final Degree Awarded 14 Dos and Don’ts

6 Our Degree Programmes 15 Essential Information

» Bachelor’s Degree Programmes » Travelling to Austria » Master’s Degree Programmes » Registration with the Local Authorities » Confirmation of Registration » Climate and Clothing 8 Internationalisation » Currency » Shopping » Grading System » Living Costs in Wels » ECTS » Banks and Cash Withdrawal » Credits Cards » Accommondation 9 Academic Information » Medical Services and Pharmacies » Emergency Numbers » Type of Classes » Health Insurance Coverage » German Language Courses » Public Transport » Academic Calendar » Important Vocabulary » Survival German for Student Life » Getting to Wels » Personalised Schedule » Attendance Policy » Examinations 19 International Students in Wels

2 3 Reach Higher.

The University of Applied Austria

Sciences Upper Austria Austria is a beautiful country with a great cultural (FH Upper Austria) heritage, located in the heart of Europe. It is the home of Mozart, Klimt, Freud, and ’The Sound of Music‘. Austria’s snow-capped mountains, The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria crystal clear lakes and rivers and historic cities is the largest university of applied sciences in like Vienna and Salzburg attract tourists from Austria and is an integral part of the tertiary all over the world. The economy is very much education system. The organisation is defined export-orientated and the standard of living is by the requirements of regional employment high. The national language is German, but most and research needs. Four locations in Upper people speak some English. Austria’s central area offer innovative and inter- disciplinary academic degrees, each with a different focus. Upper Austria

» School of Informatics, Communications and The state of Upper Austria is located in the Media – Hagenberg Campus northern part of Austria and combines natural » School of Medical Engineering and beauty with a thriv-ing economy. Upper Austria Applied Social Sciences – Linz Campus is one of Europe’s leading regions in education, » School of Management – Steyr Campus technology and employment; in fact, about 25% » School of Engineering – Wels Campus 58° 48° of Austria’s66° Arctic Circle total32 exports° 24° 74 originate° 16° 8° here.0° 8° 16° 24° 32° 40° 48°74° 56° 64° Arctic Circle 66° 80° 58° 88° GR EE A ° GREENLAND NL SE 56 AND S SEA NT RE BA ST í Ob AN A R C T I C O C E A N rait WE mark St RI ° Den N 88 Universities of Applied Sciences – in German Ostrov Ko lguyav Ob í U BE AI ’Fachhochschulen‘ (FH) – are relatively new in R A SI PL Ir L 48° Murmansk ty ° Austria: the law authorising their introduction sh 50 Reykjavik M ICELAND KOLA sh PENINSULA O ty NO Ir R WE U was passed in the early ’90s and the first degree GIAN N Omsk SE T programmes were launched in autumn50° 1994. The A Arkhangelísk A 80° S I To a e N i ve bo n rn S h a l aim of Austria’s Universities of Applied Sciences FA EROES t ya o Dvin B a f FINLAND Yekaterinburg is to provide a more practice-oriented education SWEDEN o f a l on ° SHETLAND IS. u 40 kh RUSSIA to complement the range of courses offered by NORWAY G ATLANTIC Su Helsinki traditional universities. Education is founded on HEBRIDES ORKNEY IS. Sankt-Peterburg Magnitogorsk Oslo Stockholm Kazan A Tallinn academic, research-based principles; Universi- SCOTLAND E ga ak ESTONIA Vol NORTH rr S ge KAZAKHSTAN 72° Edinburgh Ska Gˆteborg ties of Applied Sciences are required to carryOC outEA N C LATVIA Belfast SEA I Riga Samara IRELAND DENMARK T Moscow applied research and development, which are L Dublin Copenhagen A LITHUANIA ° B Vilnius ríy a 42 Syda integrated into the curricula. Students are ENGLAND RUSSIA Ur 42° WALES Minsk Do al a ° Cardiff NETHERLANDS n 32 BELARUS sn ARAL involved in R&D projects at an early stage of London The Hague Pripyat Berlin Warsaw De SEA BELGIUM their studies. Brussels POLAND UZBEKISTAN GERMANY Kiev Vol Se Paris Luxembourg ga in Prague e UKRAINE Dn Loire LUXEMBOURG CZECH REP. C Dn ep A estr r Keeping in line with the Bologna Declaration, the u SLOVAKIA R C na P Do A MOLDOVA A FRANCE VViiennaenna Bratislava T Bay of H Pr Kishinev S Bern Budapest I ut P transition to the Bachelor/Master system at the Bi scay A TURKMENISTAN 64° SWITZERLAND S N I A P HUNGARY S Odessa N e Ljubljana C A U C Bilbao MASSI F L A S U S S Ashkhabad University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria has CENTRAL Ùn SLOVENIA CROATIA ROMANIA E A Sevastopolí A Rh Po Bucharest GEORGIA Tbilisi Baku 34° Porto Duer BOSNIA- Belgrade S o N already been completed in all degree program- Andorra la Vella Monaco San Marino HERZEGOVINA BLACK SEA AZERBAIJAN I A PORTUGAL Sarajevo Yerevan T ° Ta Madrid 34 jo ANDORRA Co rsica BULGARIA ARMENIA N mes. The transition does not only serve to impro- Lisbon Barcelona ITALY YUGOSLAVIA Sofiya U ° O 24 M Rome Skopje Z SPAIN Tirane Istanbul R ve international comparability and recognition, Sardinia MACEDONIA ELBU Ankara L.Van MADEIRA IS. Sevilla ALBANIA Tehran but also leads to a greater degree of flexibility for BALEARIC IS. TURKEY Malaga I St rait of Gi braltar M GREECE R Gibraltar E D A the students. Algiers I Si cily L Ti Z T Izmir A G g AG IRAN E Athens D ris R Rabat T O R O S OS Casablanca R M R OU Tunis A SYRIA E Baghdad N CANARY IS. MOROCCO u p TA Marrakech N Nicosia hra IN R I E N E t es S S A H A MALTA CYPRUS Beirut Las Palmas L A S A 26° A S A T N Damascus IRAQ Al Basrah T L TUNISIA S Cr ete LEBANON T A E A A U 26° H Tripoli KUWAIT Al Kuwayt El Aaiun Jerusalem Amman P ISRAEL e r Gulf of Benghazi JORDAN s i a n G u l f WESTERN Sir te Alexandria ALGERIA Cairo Abu Dhabi SAHARA Suez QATAR SAUDI ARABIA UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 56° 2 LIBYA EGYPT 3 Ni RED Riyadh 16° MAURITANIA l e SEA

8° 0° 8° 16° 24° 32° 40° 48°

0 500 1000 1500 Miles

0 500 1000 1500 2000 Kilometres Life as an International Student in Austria

Congratulations on your decision to embark on one of life’s great adventures: a period of residence and study abroad. We hope that your stay here will be a wonderful and unforgettable experience!

International exchange students worldwide usually experience different phases of adjustment during their stay abroad. At first you will probably see everything through the eyes of a tourist. Everything is new and exotic. After this stage you get down to the business of living your everyday life, which for some people is accompanied by a sense of disorientation or culture shock. This is a natural phenomenon when someone is in completely unfamiliar and new surroundings.

If this affects you, please do not hesitate to speak to one of the staff involved in internationalisation. We have been through this ourselves and will be happy to listen and talk with you about it. Bear in mind that this is a phase that will pass and in the meantime try to keep an open mind and seek contact with other people.

General Information about enclosed with our Welcome Pack and the Wels Tourist Information website: Wels www.stadtmarketing-wels.at

The former Celtic settlement Wilabis became the city of Ovilava under the Romans. A range of Wels Campus beautiful buildings show the town’s 2 000 years of rich cultural history – e.g. the historic market The academic programmes in Wels are divided place with its colourful town houses and romantic into two main fields: Engineering and Environ- arcade or the medieval towers. mental Sciences. Our academic programmes include a range of Located in the heart of Upper Austria, Wels today genuine mechatronical programmes as well as is a busy centre for trade and industry, right bet- study courses which combine engineering with ween Munich and Vienna, Prague and Salzburg. business studies. A third group of programmes With a population of 60 000 and located 25 kilo- focuses on environmental aspects. metres west of Linz (the capital of Upper Austria), All our programmes are designed to provide Wels is a dynamic business location based on graduates with a comprehensive university high-tech industries (mainly SMEs), many of education that enables them to succeed on the which operate worldwide. labour market. The contents of our programmes directly reflect the increasing demand of industry Several Trade Fairs over the year are attended by for engineers with cutting-edge and as practice- companies from all over the world. oriented knowledge. In addition to its strong industrial infrastructure, Wels also offers a wide range of leisure facilities (municipal zoo, the medieval market, the open- The Structure of our Degree air film festival or the nearby thermal baths) and is near the Alps with their beautiful lakes and Programmes mountains. The Bachelor’s degree programmes (three years, The university campus which is situated in the 180 ECTS) require a professional internship during centre of Wels spreads its vibrant, lively atmos- which students work in companies or research phere about the city which offers a high quality of institutes in Austria or abroad. living, a rich cultural programme and an attractive gastronomy to its residents, students and guests. The Master’s degree programmes (two years, 120 ECTS) offer specialisation in specific fields For further information on the attractions of Wels with emphasis on strategic thinking and problem- and Upper Austria, please see the brochures solving skills.

4 Final Degree Awarded

1 General university entrance qualificationor Pre-entry course for university

2 Bachelor (6 Semesters)

3 Master (4 Semesters)

4 Eligible for Doctoral study programme at a university

5 Our Degree Programmes

B M Automation Engineering B M Eco-Energy Engineering Students learn how to work in the field of automa- This course produces graduates who are qualified ted plant and process technology with machines, to develop and apply new energy technologies, manufacturing and production systems which are helping ensure that energy is used sensibly and automated by use of appropriate measuring, con- efficiently to save resources and the environment trol and regulation technologies. They are primarily while considering the needs of business, industry concerned with optimising the operation and pro- and society. A double degree with INSA ductivity of machines, systems and plants by the Strasbourg is offered at Master level. integration of digital communication, computers, robots and handling technologies. B Electrical Engineering This English-taught programme is focused on M Automotive Mechatronics and the design and production of devices for modern Management electrical power supply and power applications. Rapid developments in vehicle engineering have This covers components for smart grids, renewa- led to a merging of the fields of Mechanics, Elec- ble energy utilisation and electrical mobility. tronics and Informatics. In this context specific ex- pertise in the mechatronic disciplines, combined with social- and business economics competen- B M Food Technology and Nutrition ces, will be central requirements of future emplo- Graduates will manage, secure, develop and yees and managers in the automotive industry. improve the production of food. They will also be active in research and development of new foods, consulting, quality assurance and control B M Bio- and Environmental across the food production industry. Technology This programme deals with the development and operation of components and plants in Bio- and M Innovation and Product Environmental Process Engineering as well as Management the planning and design, operation and opti- Intensifying global competition means that in- misation of biotechnological production in the novation is becoming increasingly important for pharmaceutical, agricultural and food industries. international companies. The sustainable develop- Further topics are corporate environmental ma- ment of product innovations can only be secured nagement, waste management, waste recycling by combining marketing, design and technology and sales and marketing of environmentally with strategic thinking. Students can specialize on friendly and biotechnological plants and systems. Product Concept Design or Development Process Engineering. A double degree with Università della Calabria is offered at Master level. B M Civil Engineering Civil engineers know everything about buildings – from planning to construction, renovation to de- B Innovation Engineering and molition. Civil engineers are in demand: they plan Management and design buildings and coordinate construction Highly qualified employees with a sound know- teams. This BSc in Civil Engineering will teach ledge of tools and approaches for the design, students to improve their skills and knowledge in development and implementation of innovative the field of building automation, and to optimize products and services are an essential part of new and existing buildings. any business. The systematic development B BSc M MSc Programme taught in English

6 7 of ideas to drive forward the innovation and academic degree of MSc and thus improve their development process is the main focus of managerial career prospects. this course.

M Plant Construction B Leightweight Constructions and The MSc in Plant Engineering offers graduates Composite Materials of technical BSc or Diploma degree program- This programme educates processing specialists mes a higher qualification and specialisation in with a basic understanding regarding the process this field. A number of internationally successful chain raw materials, product development and construction companies based in Upper Austria design for polymer composites and lightweight supported the development of this course. materials.

B Process Engineering and Production B M Materials and Process Every type of chemical production involves Engineering process engineering. Graduates of this program- A sound knowledge of materials and the various me are able to develop and operate plants and ways of processing them determines the design, processes in this field. function and durability of products. Intensive research and development is undertaken to make new materials and methods of processing B Product Design and Technical them possible. The MSc offers specialisation in Communication ’plastics processing‘ and ’metals‘. The aim is to give students of this programme on the one hand a comprehensive education in product design and on the other competences B M Mechanical Engineering in the field of Technical Communication and Developing light weight structures in automotive Documentation. or aerospace systems requires the application of innovative design and computation methods. Graduates are able to develop and optimise me- M Sustainable Energy Systems chanical systems and components using modern This international programme combines an edu- methods, such as simulation, 3D design, bionics cation in energy systems with special respect to etc. Numerical experimental testing are incre- sustainable energy resources, energy efficiency, asingly used in the fields of machine and plant continuous replacement of traditional energy construction, aviation and space flight and the systems by sustainable and energy effi cient steel and plastics processing industries. systems and the management of (international) energy-related projects.

B M Mechatronics and Business Management The inter-disciplinary field of mechatronics International Foundation Programme requires personnel who are flexible and trained Applicants who lack entrance requirements for selected in social skills as well as having a good under- study programmes in Engineering and Business can acquire standing of technology, economics and manage- the necessary additional qualifications, tailored for studies at ment. The MSc programme offers employees the the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. opportunity to upgrade their qualifications to the

6 7 Internationalisation

The International Office is in charge of interna- Contact International Office Wels tional relations between Wels Campus and our Phone: +43 5 0804 43140 partner institutions around the world. We main- [email protected] tain contacts to partner universities on almost https://www.fh-ooe.at/campus-wels/international all continents. Our International Office realises www.fh-ooe.at/incomings exchanges of students as well as academic staff. ECTS Moreover, the International Office provides services for incoming as well as outgoing ex- ECTS (’European Credit Transfer System‘) change students and staff. It is also responsible credits are a numerical value (between 1 and 60) for acquisition and administration of bilateral allocated to course units to denote the student agreements with our partner universities and it workload required to complete them. They reflect is involved in ’internationalisation at home‘ a quantity of work required by each course unit on our campus. in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of academic study at the institution. That includes lectures, practical work, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork and private study as well as Grading System assessment activities. The ECTS is thus based on a full student workload and not limited to con- The Austrian education system works with 5 grades: tact hours only. The basic allocation of academic credits in ECTS is 60 credits for a full year of Austrian Grade Equivalent study, 30 credits for a semester. sehr gut (1) excellent Credits are awarded only when the course gut (2) good has been completed and all required examina- befriedigend (3) satisfactory tions have been passed. In other words, students genügend (4) sufficient do not get ECTS credits simply for attending classes or spending time abroad, but must nicht genügend (5) insufficient fulfil the assessment requirements of the

Usually 50% of available points have to be obtained to pass an exam, but professors can host institution to demonstrate that they define their own assessment criteria. satisfy the specified learning objectives for the course unit.

8 9 Academic Information

Although the primary language of instruction at Wels Campus is German, as part of our commitment to internationalisation an increasing number of courses are offered in English. Courses in German are available to foreign exchange students with sufficient command of the German language. Exam- ination for incoming exchange students is usually held in English. Students are strongly advised to take part in the German language course that is offered to facilitate their participation in the courses. A cata- logue of courses currently taught in English is available online at www.fh-ooe.at/courses.

Types of Classes Academic Calendar

Block Instruction The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria In many cases, particularly in subjects which are has an academic year divided into two semes- taught as a lecture combined with a laboratory, ters. instruction does not take place weekly, but is instead delivered in blocks of more intensive ins- » Winter Semester: truction (e.g. one block every two weeks or even Beginning of October to mid-February one block per term). Blocked laboratories are » Summer Semester: often following blocked lectures. Beginning of March to mid-July » Examination Period: Excursions Throughout the semester to mid-February Some courses occasionally include excursions, (winter semester), and attendance is generally obligatory. Trans- Throughout the semester to mid-July portation is either arranged by the university or (summer semester) individually by the students. » Breaks: Christmas (2 weeks), February (1 to 4 weeks), Project Work Easter (1 week), summer holidays in July/ These are not theoretical projects but ’real‘ work August/September (9 – 12 weeks). – with all the responsibilities that go along with it and have therefore proven popular with our exchange students in recent semesters. Students work on problems relevant to the par- Public Holidays: ticular company they are working for in teams of 1 January New Year’s Day – Neujahrstag four to six on an allocated weekday throughout the semester. They are supervised and guided by 6 January Epiphany – Hl. Drei Könige a faculty member but most of the time they work 1 May Labour Day – Tag der Arbeit on their own. Finally, the teams have to present 26 October Austrian National Holiday – Nationalfeiertag their results to both their supervising faculty member and the company. 1 November All Saints’ Day – Allerheiligen The main aim of these projects is to train stu- 8 December Immaculate Conception – Maria Empfängnis dents in teamwork. Teamwork and team spirit are key elements of Wels Campus philosophy – students learn to work together rather than competing with one another. The following church holidays are also public holidays in Austria:

German Language Courses Ascension Day Christi Himmelfahrt Whitsuntide Pfingsten We offer German language courses at various Corpus Christi Fronleichnam levels and with different scopes throughout the Assumption Maria Himmelfahrt semester . Easter Monday Ostermontag

8 9 Survival German for Personalised Schedule

Student Life Due to our policy of keeping groups small, every student has a personalised schedule. Timetables This short glossary of German terms related to (as well as grades) are available in our online life at Wels Campus should help you in student information system ’Levis‘. For exchange your orientation as a student here. students, there is a meeting at the beginning of each semester during which you get assistance in setting up your schedule. Bibliothek library Endnote final mark / grade Attendance Policy Fachbereich department Students are expected to attend and participate FachbereichsleiterIn (FBL) head of department fully in all lectures, seminars and projects in Hauptberuflich Lehrende/r (HBL) full-time professor which they have chosen to take part. In many cases, attendance and participation during class Hörsaal (HS) lecture hall contribute to the final grade of a course. Atten- EDV-Raum IT room dance lists may be kept by the faculty members. Integrierte LVA (ILV) combination of lecture and If students miss seminars, practice classes or practice class laboratories, they have to make up for it by sub- mitting an extra assignment or participating in Jahrgangs- class representative another class instead. sprecherIn Klausur written exam Labor laboratory Examinations Laborübung laboratory tutorial Main examinations usually take place in Janu- Lehrveranstaltung (LVA) course ary/February and June/July (e.g. at the end of each semester) but also troughout the semester. Mensa university cafeteria Sessions for resits (called ’Sammeltermine‘) take Mündliche Prüfung oral exam place throughout the academic year at regular Nebenberuflich Lehrende/r (NBL) part-time lecturer intervals. Students decide on a date and time of examination together with the professor and Note mark / grade inform the degree programme administrator ÖH student union in Austria accordingly. Exchange students are strongly Prüfung exam encouraged to take the first exam date, as the other dates might be scheduled only after Sekretariat administration office their departure. Seminarraum (SR) seminar room Studiengang (STG) degree programme Students are automatically registered for the first exam date. If they do not wish to take it, they StudiengangsleiterIn (STGL) head of studies have to de-register in Levis. Stundenplan schedule The lectures are generally assessed by final course examination. The academic Studienplan curriculum achievement for tutorials, seminars, projects, Übung (UE) practical class integrated courses, laboratory and behaviour Vorlesung (VO) lecture training is assessed continuously during the course.

10 11 Services and Facilities

Buddy System and your 10-digit registration number (mentioned on your student ID card). A few weeks before you arrive to Wels you will » Example: S1500444123 come in contact with a buddy. Your buddy is a fellow student who can help with all kind of Web Mail System practical things and to get adjusted to Austria Each student is provided with a personalised and Wels. The buddies are helping the internatio- e-mail address. It is ’firstname.lastname@ nal students on a volunterly basis. students.fh-wels.at‘.

» Example: [email protected] Student ID Card In order to log in to the web mail system, you have to start the browser first and then link to At the beginning of the semester you will get http://webmail.fh-wels.at. your student ID card which contains your student number. The ID card also works as a key to the rooms where students have free access. Library These are: student working rooms, the computer labs as well as other labs in which you might be Your student ID card enables you to borrow working throughout the semester. books from the library at Wels Campus. The library staff can help you to use the library, but you can also use the library terminal for withdrawal. Info Terminal The terminal language can be changed to Eng- lish. You can keep your books for 4 weeks free of When you enter Wels Campus through the main charge. During this period, you can contact the entrance you will find an INFO TERMINAL on the library for extension of your withdrawal. Please left side. You can operate the terminal by using mind that the library will charge a fee if you hand the touch screen. If the terminal operates in in your books too late. If a book is currently not German, you can change the language by touch- available, the librarian can put you on a waiting ing the button ’Zurück zur Willkommen-Seite‘ list and will contact you as soon as the book is and then select ’English‘ and the main menu available again. will appear. The INFO TERMINAL provides you Wels Campus is a member of a library network, with information regarding: the search of people, so you can also have books from other Austrian rooms, train and bus schedules and the or foreign libraries sent to Wels. And, of course, FH webpage. there is also online access for our students to a broad variety of online databases of books and scientific articles. Please contact the librarians IT Information for further details.

Wireless internet is available in the main buildings of the university. In order to use this ser- Orientation Week vice, you first need to register with the IT system. Before the official start of the semester Interna- Login Procedure tional Office organises an Orientation Week for Before you can log in for the first time, you need international students. During this week students to register with the campus IT system. After are given the most important information about registration you will receive your student ID. Wels Campus and the ’FH system‘. The exact In order to log in to your personal account, you dates of Orientation Week are published at have to enter your user name and password. https://www.fh-ooe.at/en/wels-campus/ The user name is a combination of the letter ’S‘ international/incomings

10 11 Events / Free Time Activities

Wels Campus organises a varied programme of events ranging from sports events and the campus beer brewing parties to more formal events such as guest lectures and the Wels Campus Ball in the winter semester to which formal evening dress must be worn.

Our FH beers are brewed as student projects and sold throughout the town. ’InsBIERation‘, ’Sündenbock‘ and all our other beers form an important part of every event at as well as around Wels Campus. Our beers have won several prizes in national and international brewing competitions. The robotics team of Wels Campus is very active and regularly win national and international competitions. Since 2012 students also compete in the so-called Solar Car Challenge at Wels Campus, a race of toy cars driven by solar power and engineered and constructed by the students themselves! Regularly on Thursdays, the student union ÖH organises student parties on or off-campus – especially the ’Mensafeste‘ should not be missed! Information about current ÖH events can be found under: www.fh-ooe.at/studentenleben-wels

Reductions for Students

Austria is a very student-friendly environment, www.wels.at/welldorado/index.html (Entrance many businesses grant price reductions to stu- fee reduction with valid student ID, age limit: 27). dents. Upon entering sightseeing spots, events, concerts, balls or even parties, just ask whether The sports team of the University of Applied reduction is given and you have to identify Sciences Upper Austria offers a wide variety of yourself as a student by showing your student different sports activities. Further details at ID card. http://sportsteam.fh-ooe.at

For more information on student reductions in Tennis enthusiasts can choose between several Linz, visit: www.studay.at indoor or outdoor courts. Tennis centres with indoor courts often offer squash courts as well. Soccer enjoys a similarly high degree of populari- Sports & Leisure ty and can be played on several grounds (indoor and outdoor) in and around the town. Of course there’s more to student life in Wels than just studying – there are plenty of leisure time In 2009 an indoor climbing hall with more than activities to pursue here as well. Especially those 1000m² of climbing area was opened and special interested in sports can find a variety of suitable courses for students are offered. facilities in and around the town. Sports like soc- www.kletterhallewels.at cer, volleyball, climbing or jogging are very popular among Austrian students, so it is quite easy to Since Wels is located on the edge of the Alps, find company when engaging in these activities. hiking and mountain biking can also be done in the city’s immediate vicinity. In winter the In summer, Wels boasts several public swimming mountains offer wonderful slopes for skiing and pools (some have indoor pools that are also snowboarding. Famous winter resorts such as open during winter) where entrance fees are qui- Windischgarsten and Hinterstoder, where world te low for students. Within walking distance you championship races take place, can be reached can reach the ’Welldorado‘ which is located near within an hour by car, as well as with public the fairground ’Messezentrum‘. transportation.

12 13 Dos and Don’ts

Austria is a German speaking country and most Austrians received a good general education in English from primary school onwards. However, some of the older people don’t speak any foreign languages. In tourist areas many people do in fact speak English but elsewhere most shop assistants and waiters speak very little English if any. Especially the older generation may consider it arrogant to expect everyone to speak English. Showing respect for Austrian culture by learning a few key words of German can help make everyday communication run more smoothly.

you will be told so. Whenever talking to staff of a ’Bitte‘ please traditional university never forget to use their title. ’Danke‘ thank you Austrians usually take their shoes off as soon as ’Entschuldigung‘ excuse me / they enter someone’s home. Most of the time the pardon me host responds by telling you not to do so; it is ’Guten Morgen‘ good morning however better to take them off nevertheless as the host’s request to leave them on might be just ’Grüß Gott‘ hello (formal) politeness. If other guests are present the easiest ’Guten Abend‘ good evening way is to do as they do to get it right.

’Auf Wiedersehen‘ goodbye Austrian waiters generally expect tips. This applies not only in restaurants but also in cafés and pubs. It is not customary to leave the tip on the When entering shops, especially smaller ones, table when leaving but to inform the waiter when but even larger ones, greet the salesperson. A paying what he should keep. For example, if the ’Guten Tag‘ or ’Grüß Gott‘ is simply expected bill comes to € 9.20, you should round it up and of well-mannered people. This even applies to tell him ’make it 10‘. In good restaurants Austri- outdoor markets. In Austria it is traditional that ans tip 10% for particularly good service. academic degrees and some professional qualifications are used as titles. Especially in When invited to someone’s home for a party or academic environments many Austrians are a meal it is always wise to bring along a little quite sensitive about this and feel insulted if not present. Austrians usually bring along a bottle of addressed by their titles. Although many of the wine, sweets, flowers ... academic staff at Wels Campus prefer to be addressed simply as ’Herr A‘ or ’Frau B‘, this is Under Austrian law it is required to separate your not the norm. Whenever you are in a company, waste for recycling. Special bins are provided for doing some project work however, always pay glass, metal, plastic packaging, organic waste, attention to the company culture. When in doubt, recyclable paper and remaining non-recyclable it is always better to use the title than to omit it. waste. Additionally, all packaging materials have If it is not common in the company to use titles to be cleaned before being thrown away.

14 15 Essential Information

Travelling to Austria ’Anmeldebescheinigung‘ – EU Citizens For students from EU countries and Switzerland, Confirmation of Registration a valid passport is sufficient. (For Nationals of EU/EEA countries only!)

Non-EU Citizens If you are staying in Austria for longer than 3 months you Non-EU citizens have to contact the local Austrian have to apply for a confirmation of registration (Anmeldebe- Consulate in their home country for details regar- scheinigung) at the municipal authority (Magistrat). You have ding current visa regulations for Austria. In order to apply for this confirmation within the first four months of to enter Austria and to live here for more than six your stay in Austria.This registration is necessary in addition months, you have to apply for a residence permit. to the registration according to the Residence Registration (Meldezettel). In case of non-compliance with this regulation, For stays shorter than six months an application a fine may be imposed. for a visa type D is sufficient, but the duration of the visa cannot be prolonged. Detailed information as well as a list of required documents can be found at www.oead.at/welcome_to_austria/ legal_practical_issues/EN Climate and Clothing

The letter of confirmation for the embassy will Austria gets very cold in the winter with tempe- be sent to you by the International Office. Please ratures sometimes dropping below -10˚C, so we note that the residence permit is NOT a work recommend that you bring warm clothes and permit for Austria. shoes with good sturdy soles for the winter semester, however, although you may associate Austria with winter sports, we often enjoy warm Registration with the Local summers with temperatures sometimes up to Authorities and even above 30˚C.

Under Austrian law, all changes of address have Currency to be registered with the local authority within three working days, of course this also applies to Since the beginning of 2002, Austria’s currency international exchange students. In order to re- has been the euro (€). 1 euro = 100 cents gister, you will need to take your passport (with a valid visa, if applicable) and a Residence Registra- tion, ’Meldezettel‘, to the local registration office, Shopping ’Meldeamt‘. ’Meldezettel‘ forms are available free of charge at your residence hall. There are several supermarkets near the student Furthermore, your Residence Registration must be residences in Wels. Wels also have two shopping signed by your landlord/lady prior to registration. malls nearby that can be reached with public After registration, you will be given an official transportation. In Wels city center you can also printout of your registration details which should find most kind of stores. be kept safely and will be needed along with another ’Meldezettel‘ when registering your de- At most stores you can pay either with cash, your parture. Austrian bankcard, Visa or Mastercard.

The Meldeamt can be found in the City Hall, Flea markets are regularly held, details can be ’Rathaus‘ Magistrat der Stadt Wels, 4600 Wels, found in local newspapers or at Stadtplatz 1, Phone: +43 (0)7242 235-0 www.flohmarkt.at/flohmaerkte/wels

14 15 Monday to Friday and often close for one or two Living Costs in Wels hours at lunchtime. Many banks also close on Friday afternoons. You will need to check the Typical prices of everyday products exact opening hours of the bank of your choice, as the above is just a general guideline. Student Accommodation incl. bank accounts are usually free of charge in Aus-

halfboard ��€ 370,– to € 440,– tria. Your buddy can help you to set up a bank account. 1 litre of milk ��e 1.00

1 loaf of bread ��e 2.80 e 100g cheese �� 1.20 Credit Cards 1 yoghurt ��e 0.50 e ½ litre of beer (supermarket) �� 0.80 An increasing number of businesses in Austria e 150g ham �� 1.90 accept international credit cards such as Visa e 1 kg apple �� 2.40 and Mastercard, although some companies 1 litre of orange juice ��e 1.00 only accept these for purchases above a

500g pasta ��e 1.00 certain price.

375g cereal ��e 2.20

Student union fees for one semester are approximately Accommodation € 20,- which entitle you to various services and student reductions. Wels has 2 student residence halls, both located at less than 10 minutes walking distance from the campus. The rent ranges from € 400 to € 440 (depending on single or double room) and includes breakfast and dinner: Banks and Cash Withdrawal » Kolpingheim: www.kolpingwels.at » Schülerheim Wels: www.ooe-heimbauverein.at Most banks offer free student accounts. To open an account with an Austrian bank you need your If you are an applying exchange student you can student ID card, your passport and your ’Mel- fill in the accommodation form in your appli- dezettel‘. After about a week, the bank will send cation. The International Office will then make your ATM card with the additional option called a room reservation for you. Room allocation is ’Quick‘ to you on the postal way. made on a first come – first serve basis, therefore To charge money on the ’Quick‘ chip on your our deadline for receipt of the accommodati- ATM card, you can use a conventional cash on form is the same as the general application machine or special loading unit (one is located at deadline, 1 June or 15 November respectively. the campus building on the second floor). On campus the ’Quick‘ function is used to load Please note that the first month’s rent, and in up your print and copy account. You can also most cases also a security deposit, will have use ’Quick‘ to pay for your lunch in the cafeteria to be paid in advance or within the first few or get yourself a coffee at the coffee machine. days after arrival. Further information about the When you insert your Austrian ATM card into residence halls and our accommodation form the cash machine, most machines will directly can be found in the ’Applications‘ section of our change to German language mode, but you are website: www.fh-ooe.at/incomings usually able to change the language to English. Another possibility is to find accommodation in Banking hours in Austria vary, but as a gene- a private apartment/flat on an individual basis or ral rule, banks open between 8:00 and 16:00 sharing with other students. Please note that the

16 17 International Office cannot provide any assis- Health Insurance Coverage tance for private house hunting. The university has a platform for this purpose: www.fh-ooe.at/ Austria has an excellent public health care sys- wohnungsboerse-wels tem. If you are staying in Austria for less than one year, you should find out if there is an agreement between your home country and Austria regarding health insurance. Between EU countries Medical Services and there is a reciprocal health insurance system. Pharmacies Make sure to request an EHIC (European Health Austria boasts an excellent network of phar- Inscurance Card) before your arrival to Austria. macies and medical practitioners. Pharmacies You need to bring a proof of health insurance co- operate a rota system for night and Sunday duty. verage of your own insurance company or your When a pharmacy is closed, a notice is displayed health insurance card before coming to Austria in giving details of the nearest pharmacies that are order to ensure that you will be treated in Austria open. You are not able to buy antibiotics without in the event of any illness without having to pay a prescription in Austria. anything yourself.

Pharmacies close to the campus building: At any event, international exchange students » Stern-Apotheke who are non-EU citizens must obtain full health Bahnhofstr. 11, Phone: 07242 46711 insurance in Austria with the Upper Austrian » Apotheke zum Goldenen Einhorn Health Insurance Company (OÖGKK) for a fee of Plobergerstraße 7, Phone: 07242 46488 currently about € 50 per month. Students can in- » Apotheke zum Schwarzen Adler sure themselves for as long (minimum 6 months) Stadtplatz 12-14, Phone: 07242 49016 as necessary.

Hospital: To register for insurance with OÖGKK you need » Allgemeines Öffentliches Krankenhaus the following: Grieskirchner Straße 42, Phone: 07242 4150 » Confirmation of enrolment at Wels Campus (Inskriptionsbestätigung) » Your Residence Registration (’Meldezettel‘) Emergency Numbers » Proof of health insurance coverage in your home country during the last 12 months. EU – Emergency Call Attention and service are then all free of (English-speaking operators, free charge (with a medical insurance record

of charge from every phone) ��Phone: 112 card available at the OÖGKK), reduced Ambulance (Rettung) / prescription charges of currently about € 6 each. Emergency Doctor (Notarzt) ��Phone: 144

Fire Brigade (Feuerwehr) ��Phone: 122

Police (Polizei) ��Phone: 133 Mountain rescue service Public Transport (Bergrettung) ��Phone: 140 Railways There are two operating railway services with Information on local medical emergency services destination Wels. Austria‘s Federal Railway (ÖBB) is available from local police stations as well as in and Westbahn. Be aware that they are using telephone directories and daily newspapers. different ticket systems. For more information see www.oebb.at or www.westbahn.at

16 17 Discount Rail Travel » Kolpinghaus with line 15 It is recommended that students intending to tra- (stop Traungasse) vel extensively within Austria purchase an ’ÖBB- » Schülerheim Heimbauverein Wels with line 2 Vorteilscard‘ (customer card). The Vorteilscard (stop Wiesenstraße) entitles holders to a 50% discount on all ÖBB- » Railway station with lines 2, 3, 15, 16 tickets for travel. In order to buy a Vorteilscard, (stop Wels Hauptbahnhof) you need to bring a passport-sized photograph » SCW Shopping City Wels with line 4 and a valid ID. The data form is available at the ÖBB website or at the ticket counter at any train station. Getting to Wels

The 50% discount is guaranteed immediately if Wels is located at 120km from Salzburg and you buy your train ticket at a ticket machine. If 200km from Vienna. The city has direct train you buy the ticket at the counter, the reduction connections with Vienna, Salzburg and Linz. The on the regular fare is 45%. Special group offers train station is located at less than 10 minutes may apply. walking distance from the campus. By plane, it is recommended to arrive at Linz, For city travelling to selected cities within Salzburg, Vienna or Munich airport and then to Europe, ÖBB offers extra cheap ’Spar Schiene‘ take the train to Wels (from Munich airport by tickets. It is recommended to book as early as train via Salzburg to Wels). possible (usually 3 months before you want to travel) because only a limited number of tickets From Linz airport are available in each train. For detailed informati- Linz airport is situated between Wels and Linz. on please check the ÖBB homepage. There is a free shuttle bus from the airport to the train station in Hörsching, where trains for Wels CITY Bus ’Linie Wels‘ leave every hour. Tickets are currently € 3,40 and For information on Wels’s city bus services, see must be bought at the ticket vending machine their website: www.liniewels.at before boarding the train. You can also take a taxi from Linz airport to Wels (approx. 20min.). The bus terminal on Kaiser-Josef-Platz is located very close to the campus, from there you can From Salzburg airport reach for example: Bus no. 2 departs from Salzburg airport every 15 minutes to the train station. Tickets for the bus can be bought at the newspaper shop inside the airport, in the ticket machine next to the bus stop Important Vocabulary or directly from the driver (€ 1.80). There are trains between Salzburg and Wels at least every hour.

Praktischer Arzt general medical practitioner From Vienna airport Facharzt medical specialist There is a direct bus connection between the airport and the ’Westbahnhof‘ (train station west) Zahnarzt dental surgeon where trains to Wels leave hourly. The Airport bus Frauenarzt gynaecologist leaves directly in front of the arrival hall. Tickets cost € 8 and are sold on the bus. The travel time Augenarzt eye specialist from Vienna Westbahnhof to Wels is approxi- Urologe urologist mately 2 hours. HNO-Arzt ear, nose and throat specialist Make sure to inform your buddy about your time Ordination medical practice of arrival so that he/she can meet you at the Sprechstunden consulting hours trainstation and help you to find your way to the student residence. Termin appointment Nach Vereinbarung by appointment Schmerzen pains

Behandlung treatment Acknowledgment and Disclaimer – Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this booklet, Rezept prescription but the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels Campus, cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. To the best Apotheke pharmacy of our knowledge the most accurate and recent data at the time of going to press have been used. (January 2017)

18 19 International Students in Wels

’Warmhearted people here in Austria, with a great ’This was a wonderful experience! I made a lot location to travel around Europe :)‘ of friends from all over the globe and learned Chih-Chen Tsai, Taiwan about new cultures. Additionally, I was able to take courses in subjects that were not offered at my home institution and practice the basic ’It was a really nice experience to get to know German language skills I picked up in a German students from my neighbour country and other speaking environment.‘ Erasmus students. Many parties are organised by Bridget Campbell, Canada the students here, by part of the student union as well as in the various student flats. I particularly like the location of Wels – it is really ’It is a great opportunity to spend an exchange easy to travel from here to many different places.‘ semester in another country thus getting to know Karel Sluka, Czech Republic new people and their culture, tradition and language. You can take language courses and the teachers are very cooperative and supportive.‘ ’I am glad I came to Wels Campus for the ex- Malgorzata Birowska, Poland change. The school is nice and the people are friendly. The town has a convenient size – not too small, not too big. It is very easy to get to know ’I had the best experience in Wels and at the FH! people here, and I like the beautiful landscape You meet different perople from all around the scenery around Wels. Salzkammergut region with world, experience new cultures and new ways of its Alpine lakes and mountains like in Gmunden thinking that make you realize how diverse the or Hallstatt are wonderful to spend a weekend.‘ world is. I met my new family as an exchange Amanda Niinisaari, Finland student and it is sad to realize that the journey full of adventures is almost over.‘ Jesús Indalecio, Mexico ’This year in Wels is a very beautiful time of my life. Coming from a big university, I like to study here because the groups are small and it is easy ’Studying in Wels this semester allowed me to meet to work with the other students. I also liked the various people from across the world to share ex- German intensive language course because it periences with. Wels is a great place to travel to the makes life much easier in the beginning. I would mountains, cities and neighboring countries which definitely make the same decision again and was a huge plus for me. Living abroad was a great come here as an exchange student.‘ way to get out of my comfort zone.‘ Alberto Villanueva Garcia, Spain Jos Albers, The Netherlands

18 19 © OÖ Tourismus Marketing/Popp, TV Almtal-Salzkammergut/Röbl, OÖ Tourismus/Erber, TV-Linz/Röbl, FH OÖ/Smetana TV-Linz/Röbl, OÖ Tourismus/Erber, Marketing/Popp, TV Almtal-Salzkammergut/Röbl, © OÖ Tourismus

HAGENBERG | LINZ | STEYR | WELS 12/2017

University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria School of Engineering

Stelzhamerstraße 23 4600 Wels | Austria Phone: +43 5 0804 43140 [email protected] www.fh-ooe.at/campus-wels www.fh-ooe.at |