Follow the jump links to learn more about Austria:
Lifestyle and Family Living
Teen Life
Dress and Appearance
Diet and Meals
Educational System
Geography and Climate
Population
Language
Government
Religion
Spending Money
Safety and Support
Fun Facts Lifestyle and Family Living
Austrians speak German, but they have their own distinct customs, attitudes and values—a long rich cultural tradition that remains strong even though Austria has given hospitality to many refugees.
Austrians love to learn. They especially enjoy informal conversations about current affairs.Austrians value the environment, cleanliness, good manners and punctuality.
Although a quarter of the Austrian population is in Vienna, you may be placed in a rural (50%) or suburban (30%) area. In these towns, families are traditional in their ways; a relatively patriarchal and authoritarian family structure is common. Nevertheless, Austrians are known to be highly open-minded and innovative people.
Austrian host families, like all AFS host families worldwide, are volunteers and are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives.Teen Life
Austrian teenagers enjoy visiting each other’s houses, relaxing and chatting in the beautiful local cafes, watching movies and going out to dance clubs.
As Mozart’s homeland, music is highly appreciated and many people play music or attend concerts.
Austrians love the outdoors and sports, and taking walks is a national pastime. Soccer is the favorite sport, although winter sports obviously have an important role.
Outside of school, you will have a good amount of free time (although a big chunk of it has to be dedicated to homework) during which you are expected to become involved in family and school activities and to meet new friends.Dress and Appearance
Austrian students tend to dress casually. For school, jeans, T-shirts and sweatshirts are fine as Austrian schools do not require uniforms.
Other important items to bring include a raincoat for summer, slippers and hiking boots.
It is also a good idea to bring warm clothes, like a woolen hat, gloves, scarf, heavy jacket and warm, waterproof shoes or boots as winter can be very harsh, especially in the Alpine regions.
On special occasions, more formal dress is expected: for women a dress or blouse and skirt; for men a jacket and tie.Diet and Meals
Austrians love good food and have a rich and varied cuisine. Austrian pastry is especially renowned. For example, strudel, along with wiener schnitzel (veal cutlet), is known around the world.
Meals generally consist of soup, meat (often pork) with potatoes, salad, vegetables, and dessert.
Other favorites include sausages, sandwiches, pastries, eggs, many different cheeses, and apples. Although Austrians enjoy meat, vegetarian options are sometimes available.
Tea, apple juice with mineral water, other fruit juices and soft drinks are popular.
Austrian families generally enjoy eating together. Snacking or raiding the refrigerator is not commonly done.Educational System
Being compulsory since 1774, Austria’s public school system has a long tradition. After four years of elementary school, students attend eight years of high school.
AFS students will be placed in an AHS (Allgemeinbildende Hohere Schule), an academic high school which is mainly a preparation for university studies. The other type of school is the BHS (Berufsbildende Hohere Schule), a technical/vocational high school. Austrian students may then attend one of the universities or the six academies of music and arts.
You will have to participate in all subjects (about fourteen), although you can choose a minimum of seven subjects in which you will get grades. Several branches of study are offered at AHS, including German and other languages, humanities, business, music, sciences and history.
You will most likely be placed in year 11 with classmates who are 16 and 17 years old. Schools generally do not accept students in year 12 because Austrian students are very busy preparing for national exams during their last year.
You may receive a voucher for schoolbooks redeemable at the bookshop. Otherwise, you will have to buy the books, and AFS will reimburse you. You are highly encouraged to participate in class activities such as school trips, dance courses and “Vienna week” or “South Tyrol week,” and in extracurricular activities such as sports teams, theater and skiing club (bring funds to cover these expenses – €450-550).
School runs from September to July. Classes are Monday through Friday and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., although in some areas there is no school on Saturdays.
All instruction, with the exception of foreign languages, is done in German. In the beginning, you may find it hard to follow, but as you learn more of the language, school will become less challenging, so be patient, work hard, and keep at it!
While it may be possible to obtain academic credit for the coursework you successfully complete abroad, AFS cannot guarantee this. Please discuss your plans with your school before you go abroad.
Geography and Climate
A landlocked country in central Europe, Austria is bordered by eight nations: Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia.The south and west feature Alpine regions with high mountains studded with lakes and apple orchards. To the north are the forests of the Bohemian Massif, divided from the Alps by the great Danube valley.
Austria generally enjoys a mild climate; spring and summer are temperate (with a high temperature of 35°C/85°F), while winters in some mountainous areas can be very cold. Autumn is a lovely, mostly dry season with temperatures between 10°C (50°F) and 20°C (70°F). Winter weather varies depending on altitude: the temperature range varies between –10°C (15°F) and +5°C (40°F).
Population
The population of Austria is 8.2 million, with 1.7 million living in Vienna. In Austria, people from many different nations live together (mainly from Eastern Europe).
Language
The official language is High German, although each region also has its own dialect. Other languages spoken are: Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3%
In order to aid your cultural adjustment, a basic knowledge of German is mandatory for all AFS programs in Austria. This language requirement can be met through formal classes at your high school or community college (one semester is sufficient), study with a private tutor, or even an independent study plan. So if you are interested in studying in Austria but don’t haven’t yet studied the German-language, that’s O.K. as long as you are willing to learn as much as possible before departure.
AFS Austria will also arrange language courses for you during the first months of your stay. Please bring € 35 (about $50) with you to cover the cost of any study materials.
Government
Austria is a federal republic composed of nine states (Bundeslaender). The president is elected by popular vote for a term of six years. The bicameral legislature consists of the 58-member of Bundesrat and the 183-member Nationalrat.
Religion
Approximately 73% of Austrians are Roman Catholic and the rest are Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2% and some claim none 12%.
Spending Money
The Euro is the official currency in Austria.
Your program and country information packet (provided in the months prior to your departure) will give you an idea of how much spending money is appropriate and whether you should arrive with any amount of the local currency in hand.
Host families pay only for ordinary family events in which you are expected to participate. When you do such things as shopping for yourself or going out with friends, the expenses are your responsibility. Depending on the cost of living in your host country, we recommend you budget about $100-$300 per month.
Remember: never travel with large amounts of cash. Instead, bring travelers checks or follow the advice in the country and program information packet. Another option for obtaining money while overseas is to use a debit card linked to a checking account back home (but try not to use a debit card for daily purchases since there are ATM and currency exchange fees). Or, you can transfer money using wiring services such as Western Union.
You and your parents should determine a budget and preferred money transfer plan before you depart so that you are not caught without spending money while abroad.
Be conscientious of your spending since conspicuous consumption may not be viewed favorably and spending more than your peers and family may create a distance between you and them.
Safety and Support
AFS has the utmost concern for the welfare, safety, and security of our participants. We’ve been exchanging participants throughout the world for 60 years—that’s six decades of history and experience in international education with an exemplary record of safety, security, and service.
AFS maintains a network of experienced staff and trained volunteers who provide support in each country. In the event of an emergency, 24-hour assistance is available to students, their parents, and the host families. Furthermore, your AFS tuition includes comprehensive medical insurance coverage to ensure that medical care is available to our participants anywhere in the world and at all times.
While we have the above support structures in place, we also encourage you to take responsibility for your own safety and we give you the guidance to do so. Many of the AFS orientation activities, both at home and abroad, are intended to give you the tools to stay safe. We also provide country-specific safety tips to each participant prior to departure.
Learn more about the AFS safety and support network.
Fun Facts
- Austria has one of the world’s oldest school systems, dating from 1774 when the reigning Empress Maria Theresia declared it mandatory.
- The oldest zoological garden in the world is the Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, founded in 1752.
- The Austrian flag is one of the oldest national flag in the world. It dates from 1191, when Duke Leopold V fought in the Battle of Acre during the Third Crusade.
- Austria has given the world many famous classical music composers, including Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Liszt, J. Strauss, Mahler, and Bruckner.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Hollywood actor and current governor of California, grew up as an Austrian citizen.
- The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, was Austrian.
- The founder of the German sports car company ‘Porsche’ was the Austrian Ferdinand Porsche. He also designed the Volkswagen (the “people’s car”).
