I’m a master’s student of biochemistry and Erasmus+ funding enabled me to work in a structural biochemistry lab at the Max Perutz Labs Vienna from February to August 2024.

During a previous internship, I greatly enjoyed both the vivid scientific community of the Vienna BioCenter, of which the Max Perutz Labs are a part, and the beautiful city of Vienna itself and I was thrilled to return for a longer stay.
About half a year in advance I contacted the group leader whose research I was interested in and asked about the possibility of working on a thesis project in their lab. With the support of our Erasmus coordinator I applied for funding roughly three months prior to my stay abroad. The entire application process went very smoothly and was accompanied by helpful administrative teams at the FU and my host institution.

Ranging from the investigation of developmental and cellular physiological processes, through RNA and chromatin biology, to structural and computational examination of biomolecules, the Max Perutz labs present a diverse research profile. Meanwhile, the Vienna BioCenter as a whole offers research opportunities in virtually every aspect of life science. Coming from the green and spacious FU campus the Vienna BioCenter seemed a bit cramped to me at first, but I quickly came to appreciate how close the six different institutes are to each other since this proximity promotes collaborations, sharing of state-of-the-art equipment, and exchange of information- all of which greatly benefit the scientists on this campus.

The members of my lab made me feel very welcome from the beginning, and the administrative team equipped me with a computer and all necessary accounts, accesses, and programs within a couple of days, allowing for a fast start into my lab work. My colleagues and I went for lunch together every day. While the canteen serves decent food and offers vegetarian options daily, it is technically a shared facility of three institutes other than the Max Perutz Labs, which means it is quite pricey for Max Perutz Labs members (7-8 Euros per dish). During the various “social hours” (it felt as if there is some sort of event almost every week) I got to know more people from this very international and versatile campus. Additionally, you can connect with others through music or numerous sport clubs. There is even an amateur drama club, whose plays are always captivating.

One of my absolutes highlights was the Microsymposium on RNA biology, which my entire lab joined. This international conference is hosted by the Vienna BioCenter, and I was lucky enough to attend it for the second time. Both times, I was filled with exciting input from the talks and the copious amounts of cake that were provided during breaks.

Vienna is not only a good place for high-quality research- the city itself is a wonderful place to live. I stayed at a room from CoLivi, a company which rents out individual, fully furnished rooms in shared apartments. The rooms are a bit pricey, and you don’t get to know your roommates in advance, but the entire process, from asking about room availability to signing the lease agreement, is very fast and convenient. It is also possible to register in Vienna if you are a tenant there. As an EU-citizen the registration in Vienna required me to visit a district administration first, followed by an immigration authority. While this process may sound laborious, it actually went very smoothly and without complication.

Because I lived very close to my workplace, I didn’t use public transport on a daily basis, but whenever I needed it, it was very reliable and reasonably priced. A monthly ticket normally costs ca. 50 Euros, with additional discounts for students of Viennese universities. Vienna can also be explored by bike as a lot of bicycle lanes ensure comfort and safety of cyclists.
I experienced Vienna as a vibrant city, full of lovely places to visit. The historical city centre invites you to long strolls through beautiful streets. In particular, the circular road that follows the past city wall is lined with pompous buildings and charming little parks. One of my favourite aspects of Vienna is the plethora of traditional coffee houses, several of which were established more than a century ago. Those offer high-quality coffee and sweet treats at affordable prices in an elegant setting. If you are staying in Vienna during summer, you can join several free outdoor events organized by the city such as movies

and concerts that are shown on public places. On hot summer days, you can cool off by swimming in the Danube or by seeking shade in Prater, a vast forest park within the city. Speaking of nature, I loved the green hills surrounding Vienna and went for many hikes there. There are a couple of so-called “Stadtwanderwege” (city hiking trails) of low to moderate difficulty, which start at spots that are well connected to public transport and are well signposted. I can especially recommend Stadtwanderweg 1, which ends at a hill in the north of Vienna with a few wineries. There, you can enjoy the Viennese summer drink, a “Spritzer” (white wine mixed with sparkling water), while enjoying the view over the city.
All in all, I was extremely happy with the city I choose for my stay abroad and I’d recommend Vienna to anyone interested in cutting-edge science, good coffee, gorgeous architecture, and hiking.

Tips for other interns

Preperation

As mentioned above, I asked the group leader whose lab I was interested in half a year in advance about the option to work with them. Circa three months prior to my stay abroad, I applied for Erasmus+ funding and searched for an accommodation.

Visa application
A visa is not necessary for EU-citizens. However, if you stay in Vienna (or Austria in general) for longer than three months, you have to register there. You can find detailed information on what do to in this case on the Austrian governments website.

Internship search
After a professor here at the FU made me aware of the Vienna BioCenter, I searched its website for interesting labs and quickly found one that I was excited about.

Apartment Search
I booked a fully furnished room close to my workplace via the CoLiVi website. From other students I know that they used the website https://www.wg-gesucht.de to find a room. There are also quite a few student dorms in Vienna at which you can apply.

Insurance
The European Health Insurance Card that comes along with any health insurance in Germany (in my case Techniker Krankenkasse) covered my medical care in Austria. I took out an additional accident insurance and health insurance for international travels at Debeka Krankenversicherung. Through one of my parents I had a liability insurance at Die Haftpflichtkasse.

Telephone/Internet connection
During my stay in Austria I continued to use my German mobile contract without any problems.

Bank/account opening
I did not open a new bank account and did not encounter any difficulties to use my German credit card in Austria.

Going out options
Vienna is a beautiful big city that offers far more things to do than I could recommend here. In addition to what I mentioned in the report above, you can explore the rich history of the former emperors family, the “Habsburger”, for example by visiting the famous castle Schönbrunn or the Imperial Crypt. The city is full of museums, many of which are already worth a visit because of their architecture alone. Especially if you are into art you will be pleased by the plethora of galleries. I went to the opera, a well-known theatre (the Burgtheater), and a traditional music hall (the Musikverein) without spending too much money, as these rather prestigious institutions also offer affordable tickets for young adults or people who don’t mind if they don’t get a perfect view on the stage. Of course, the city is full of cafés, restaurants and bars to while away the evening. Lastly, I highly recommend to try out as many Austrian desserts as possible. Aside from the classics like “Kaiserschmarrn” or “Sachertorte” I fell for “Eismarillenknödel” (from the ice cream place Tichys) and “Mozarttorte” (best at Café Prückel).