Study in Austria

Home to the Alps and Mozart, Austria combines traditional education with state-of-the-art research...

The Austrian education system

There are five types of higher education institutions in Austria:

• Universities offer a broad spectrum of study options for students.
• Universities of the arts are for those students who want to study music, drama, film, fine arts or applied arts.
• Private universities offer innovative and high quality education.
• Universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) offer their students profession-oriented higher education through practical work and internships.
• University colleges of teacher education train teachers, with extra emphasis placed on practical training in schools.

A list of institutions in the country can be found at University of Vienna - Universities in Austria .

Entry requirements

The majority of courses at Austrian universities are taught in German so you will need knowledge of the language to be able to study there.

Entry requirements vary for each university, so make sure you contact your chosen institution directly to ensure that your application is correct. Your point of contact is the admissions office (Studienabteilung) or international office at the institution.

Universities of the arts, universities of applied sciences and university colleges of teacher education require students to pass an entrance exam or produce proof of a relevant professional qualification, such as an undergraduate degree.

Course fees

Citizens of the European Union (EU) are entitled to attend university in Austria or any EU country. The same conditions apply to all EU citizens, whether a national of the country or not. This means that you are not required to pay higher course fees than Austrian students and may be able to get help with tuition fees.

For more information about tuition fees, visit the website of your chosen institution directly.

Funding to study in Austria

There are a number of grants and scholarships available to study in Austria, although there are hardly any that cover an entire study programme.

For a full list of awards for both Austrian and international students, visit OEAD Grants .

Austrian exchanges and placements

Students attending UK universities can take part in the flagship educational exchange programme Erasmus . The scheme offers work placements, study opportunities and language assistantships, which last from three months to one academic year in EU countries.

Financial support is also available to selected Masters and Doctoral students through the Erasmus Mundus  initiative.

Your university must have a formal agreement with a partner university in Austria. Check that your university is involved in the programme and offers the Erasmus scheme in your subject.

It isn't necessary to speak the German language, but if you want to, you can arrange intensive language courses before you go. Speak to the Erasmus coordinator at your university about available opportunities.

Student visas

As an EU citizen, you are permitted to live in any EU country while studying as long as you:

• are studying for more than three months;
• are enrolled at an approved university/other educational institution;
• have sufficient income (from any source) to live without needing income support;
• have comprehensive health insurance cover.

Some countries require you to register with the local authority after three months. Find out how to register at Europa - Rights, Conditions and Formalities .