Austria is home to one of the oldest and most vibrant cultures on the European continent. This is also reflected in its higher education landscape. Did you know that the University of Vienna, founded in 1365, is the oldest university in the country and even in the entire German-speaking world? With over 80,000 students, it is also the largest university in Austria.
In addition to the University of Vienna, there are 22 other public universities in Austria. They differ not only in size but also in their focus on teaching and research. When studying abroad in Austria, you can therefore look forward to a wide range of courses in all subject areas – you are sure to find something that suits you. Austria's cultural wealth can also be seen in the high density of music and art colleges: hardly any other country of comparable size has so many autonomous and state-funded art universities with an international reputation.
However, you can not only study at universities in Austria, but also at universities of applied sciences, teacher training colleges (Pädagogische Hochschule, short: PH) or private institutions.
Compared to public universities, universities of applied sciences in Austria are still relatively “young". They were introduced in the 1994/1995 academic year and have been an integral part of Austria's higher education landscape ever since. They are particularly active in the fields of technology and engineering, economics, social sciences, and health sciences, and provide scientifically sound professional training at the university level. If you see your professional future as a software developer, physiotherapist, media designer, or product manager, this is the right place for you!
Do you dream of teaching? Then you will complete your teacher training in an interdisciplinary, cooperative model at both the university and the Pädagogische Hochschule.
Are you already excited about studying abroad in Austria, or do you feel anxious about leaving your comfort zone? That's understandable; it's definitely a big step. But let us tell you: it's worth it! If you take a closer look, you'll quickly see that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. We've listed five reasons why studying abroad in Austria is worthwhile – pretty convincing, right?
Austria looks back on centuries of higher education tradition. But don't worry, teaching is anything but old-fashioned and dusty. Studying abroad in Austria combines historic buildings with modern facilities and practical teaching methods. The teaching staff is highly qualified the degree programs often have close ties to research and practice.
When studying in Austria, there is no grade-based Numerus Clausus. However, since the number of places available is not unlimited in Austria either, aptitude tests or interviews and state quotas are used for popular study programs. But even then, everyone has the same opportunities, and your school leaving certificate is irrelevant.
Students from the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland can study at public universities in Austria free of charge within the standard period of study. Only a small semester fee is required. Studying in Austria therefore allows you to study abroad at a low cost, spending more of your budget on accommodation, leisure, and travel.
Austria offers the ideal starting point for travel, as nowhere else is the rest of Europe so close. Once you have explored the diverse range of leisure activities available in the country (which is virtually impossible), simply hop on a train or bus and reach European cities such as Venice, Bratislava, or Munich in just a few hours.
In various surveys measuring the quality of life, Austria, and Vienna in particular, has been receiving top marks for years. There are many reasons for this: breathtaking nature, a rich cultural landscape, high social security, and a well-developed infrastructure. You will benefit from all of this when studying abroad in Austria!
You know you want to study abroad, but where should you go? The whole world is at your feet and you are spoiled for choice. North or south? A prestigious university that will give your career a real boost, or a semester abroad that feels more like a vacation than hard work? Ideally, you want it all. How can you possibly decide?
Our info pages will help you find the right destination and university for your study abroad adventure – whether in Europe, the US, or overseas:
To ensure that you are well prepared for your study abroad adventure in the Netherlands, we have put together a short list of useful details regarding the organization of your studies.
Since the Bologna reform, degrees in the European Higher Education Area are no longer any different. After three years of studying in Austria, students receive a bachelor's degree. This can be followed by a two-year master's degree. A doctorate, the highest academic degree, takes at least three years in Austria, but in practice often longer. The advantage of the Bologna structure is that these degrees are recognized at all higher education institutions in Austria and abroad. This promotes international mobility and opens up a wide range of career and further education opportunities.
Similar to Germany, a few degree programs – such as medicine, law, and theology – are still offered as integrated diploma programs lasting four to six years, which lead directly to a master's or doctoral degree without a prior bachelor's degree.
When studying abroad in Austria, a five-point grading scale is used, with 1 being the best and 5 the worst grade. The grades are: Very good (1), Good (2), Satisfactory (3), Pass (4) and Fail (5). A grade of 5.0 means that the exam has been failed and must be retaken.
The academic year in Austria is divided into two semesters. The winter semester begins at the start of October – usually on the 1st – and lasts until the end of January. The summer semester begins in March and runs until the end of June. Final exams are taken at the end of each semester or in separate exam weeks at the start of the semester break. Some universities of applied sciences in Austria deviate slightly from these dates, especially for part-time or practice-oriented degree programs.
How your everyday university life will look when studying in Austria depends on whether you are studying at a university or a university of applied sciences. This already starts with the organization of your studies: While universities are very flexible and you can put together your own timetable with compulsory and elective courses, universities of applied sciences are more strictly structured. You will be given a fixed timetable and attendance at classes is often compulsory. At universities of applied sciences, practical and interactive exercises and seminars predominate over lectures, creating a more personal atmosphere between students and lecturers.
Let's get straight to the good news: there are no tuition fees for studying in Austria. Provided you come from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, study at a public university, and remain within the standard period of study (plus two additional tolerance semesters). When you enroll, you will only be charged the so-called ÖH contribution, which currently amounts to approximately €25 per semester. ÖH (Österreichische Hochschüler*innenschaft) is the legal student representation in Austria, of which every student in the country automatically becomes a member. The costs include accident and liability insurance, among other things.
If you exceed the standard period of study in Austria by more than two semesters, you will be charged €363.36 per semester in tuition fees. Students from outside the EU pay a flat rate of €726.72 per semester plus the ÖH contribution. However, exemptions are often granted here too on the basis of bilateral agreements.
Tuition fees are only waived at state universities. At universities of applied sciences, tuition fees of €363.36 per semester for EU students and €726.72 per semester for non-EU students are usually charged. At some universities of applied sciences, such as the FH Burgenland, EU students can also study in Austria free of charge.
Private universities in Austria set their own fees, which is why they vary greatly from university to university. They often amount to several thousand euros per semester.
Compared to other popular study destinations such as the USA, the UK, or Australia, Austria is an extremely affordable choice for studying abroad. Even within Europe, tuition fees are among the lowest – a clear advantage for your budget.
You don't have to worry too much about the cost of living in Austria either. Although it is slightly above the European average, it is not nearly as high as it is when studying in Norway, for example. Students should budget for monthly expenses between €900 and €1,100 in smaller cities and €1,000 to €1,300 in Vienna.
One way to study in Austria (even) more affordably is to opt for a semester abroad in Austria instead of a full bachelor's or master's degree. If you only study in Austria for a shorter period of time, you will automatically have lower living expenses and tuition fees. If you choose an Erasmus partner university for your semester abroad in Austria, your tuition fees will even be waived completely. You can find out more about the various external funding options for international students in the next section. Don't let high expenses stand in the way of your dream of studying abroad in Austria! Contact the International Office at your university to find out about the options for studying in Austria as part of a semester abroad.
With Munich Business School (MBS), your dream of studying abroad in Austria can come true! At MBS, stays abroad are an integral part of the bachelor's and master's programs. Here, internationality is not only taught, but also lived. Of course, Austria is also represented in MBS's global network of partner universities. Get an overview of the universities in Austria where you can study with MBS.
Even though there are no tuition fees for studying in Austria, you will of course need to be able to finance your studies abroad. As a rule, studying abroad involves higher costs than studying in your home country, if only because of the travel expenses. Fortunately, there are a number of ways in which you can cover the costs of studying abroad in Austria. Here are a few ideas:
In order to receive Erasmus+ funding, it is important that both your home university and your host university participate in the Erasmus program and have signed a bilateral cooperation agreement. If this is the case, you can apply for an Erasmus study program at your home university. Study stays in Austriaof at least two and no more than 12 months are eligible for funding. This means that you will not be able to finance a complete bachelor's or master's degree in Austria with Erasmus+, but one or two semesters abroad are possible.
With Erasmus+, you not only save on tuition fees when studying abroad in Austria (if applicable), but you also receive an additional monthly financial allowance and a contribution toward travel expenses. Since Erasmus+ is a grant, you do not have to repay the money. In addition, Erasmus+ can be combined with other funding, such as BAföG for studies abroad.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the largest provider of scholarships for study abroad. Here you will find a wide range of scholarships for all courses of study as well as subject- and country-specific funding. In addition to the DAAD, there are other private, church, and political foundations that award scholarships.If you would like to study in Austria, you should definitely take a look at the database of the Austrian Exchange Service (OeAD). Similar to the DAAD, it offers a wide range of funding opportunities for short and long-term stays, summer courses, research stays, and complete studies. In addition, many universities in Austria award performance-based scholarships. The best place to find out what requirements you need to meet is on the individual websites of the universities. Please note that applications for scholarships must usually be submitted together with your application for a place at the university.
So check right away whether you meet the relevant requirements. If so, your tuition fees in Austria will be subsidized by up to €5,600 for a maximum of one year, regardless of whether you are studying in Austria for a semester abroad (at least 12 weeks) or completing an entire degree program there. In addition, for the entire duration of your stay abroad, you will receive a monthly allowance for living and accommodation costs, a lump sum for travel expenses for the outward and return journey, and a supplement for international health insurance.
Half of the BAföG for studies abroad is a grant and the other half is an interest-free loan, which means that you must repay half of the money you receive after completing your studies. The subsidy for tuition fees is exempt from repayment.
During semester breaks, students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland (visa students) can usually also work without restrictions. Typical part-time jobs for students include waitering, tutoring, or working in retail. With a part-time job, you can at least cover some of your expenses while studying abroad in Austria. At the same time, you will get to know the country and its people up close – a truly unique experience.
If you only want to study abroad in Austria for one or two semesters, you can apply for a KfW student loan or, if you are already enrolled in a master's program, a education loan of the German federal governement. The latter is also suitable for financing a complete master's degree in Austria. An education fund that explicitly focuses on studying abroad is the Fonds der Deutsche Bildung.
Before signing a contract, you should carefully compare the providers and be aware that these financing models are loans and that you will have to repay the money you receive (plus interest). You can find more details on how student loans and education funds work on our blog.
If you want to study in Austria, you need to know more than just how to finance your studies. There are also a few things to keep in mind when it comes to applying and admission – from study requirements to legal basics. To help you be as prepared as possible, we have compiled the most important information here:
Studying in Austria is a dream for many young adults – and with good reason! At the same time, studying abroad in Austria is a big step that needs to be well planned and financed. To provide you with the best possible support in organizing your stay, this FAQ section provides answers to frequently asked questions about studying abroad in Austria.
Of course! Provided you meet the relevant admission requirements, you can study medicine in Austria – regardless of where you come from. To study medicine in Austria, you need a school-leaving certificate that qualifies you for higher education, as well as sufficient German language skills (usually C1 level). English-language medical degree programs are only available in Austria at a few private universities that charge tuition fees. The good thing about studying medicine in Austria is that there is no Numerus Clausus (NC), so all interested students have the same opportunities at the outset. Instead of your school leaving certificate, your performance in the MedAT, Austria's entrance exam for medical studies, is decisive for admission to medical studies in Austria. Furthermore, there are quota regulations: approx. 75% of places are reserved for people with an Austrian school leaving certificate, 20% for EU/EEA qualifications and 5% for non-EU countries.
MedAT is the entrance exam for medical studies in Austria. There is no fixed score for a good MedAT result – study places for human medicine and dentistry in Austria are allocated according to a ranking list. This means that what counts as a good MedAT result depends heavily on how many points the other participants achieve in the same year. In recent years, the required score for a place in human medicine was often 75–80% for Austrian applicants, 80–85% for EU applicants, and particularly strict at 85–90% for non-EU applicants. The scores may be slightly lower for dentistry, where manual dexterity is also tested
The cost of studying in Austria depends on various factors: your choice of university, your country of origin, and the length of your planned stay. There are no tuition fees at public universities in Austria, which means you can study there (almost) free of charge – provided you remain within the standard period of study (plus two tolerance semesters) and come from the EU/EEA or Switzerland. Non-EU students pay a flat fee of €726.72 per semester, but exemptions are sometimes available. Tuition is free for all subjects, including medical studies in Austria. At universities of applied sciences in Austria, tuition fees amount to €363.36 per semester for EU students and €726.72 per semester for non-EU students. Studying at private universities in Austria is significantly more expensive, with tuition fees often amounting to several thousand euros per semester.
It is generally cheaper to study in Austria for a semester or a year than to complete an entire degree program. If your home university has a partnership with a university in Austria and both participate in the Erasmus program, you will even be exempt from tuition fees (if applicable). In addition to possible tuition fees, you should also factor in the cost of living in Austria, which is slightly above the European average.
Yes – Austria offers dual study programs, primarily at universities of applied sciences. These programs alternate between theoretical phases at the university and practical phases at a company. Depending on the model, the switch is made in blocks or in parallel. A dual study place is often linked to an employment contract with a partner company, so that you apply to the university of applied sciences and the company at the same time. Offers are mainly available in technical, economic, and social science fields.
Here are some examples of universities of applied sciences with dual programs:
Many Germans decide to study in Austria because most degree programs do not have a Numerus Clausus (NC) admission requirement. Those who are unable to secure a place in Germany due to the NC often have significantly better chances of finding a place in Austria. In addition, there are renowned universities with high-quality teaching, modern facilities, and close links between research and practice. Low or no tuition fees, the high quality of life in cities such as Vienna, Graz, and Innsbruck, and the common language make Austria one of the most popular destinations for Germans studying abroad.
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