Studiare all’università in Austria

An Overview of University Education in Austria

With its location at the very heart of Europe, its high quality of life and diplomas recognised across the European Union, Austria is a standout study destination among German-speaking countries. Vienna above all, followed by Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck, are the cities most preferred by international students. On this page, we at Weroglobal Student have summarised the key points for students considering studying in Austria, based on the information in our partner sources.

The Higher Education System

Our partner sources state that there are more than 70 higher education institutions in the country. These institutions fall into three groups:

Public universities: Research-focused institutions with a wide range of programmes and relatively low fees.
Universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschule – FH): Practice-oriented programmes working closely with the business world.
Private universities: Smaller institutions whose fees vary considerably depending on the programme.

A bachelor's degree is completed in 3–4 years with 180–240 ECTS credits; a master's degree takes 1–2 years with 60–120 ECTS. The language of instruction at bachelor's level is mostly German; at master's level, there are many English-taught programmes.

Admission Requirements

Bachelor's

The source lists the requirements for a bachelor's application as a passport, a motivation letter, a high school diploma and a document showing that you were placed in the same programme through the YKS. For German-taught programmes, the expected level is mostly between B2 and C1; the University of Vienna's page states that C1 is expected for most programmes. German proficiency can be proven with TestDaF, ÖSD or equivalent certificates. English-taught programmes require IELTS or TOEFL; for example, for WU Wien, scores in the range of 6.0–6.5 for IELTS and 80–90 for TOEFL are mentioned. Some programmes, such as psychology, business administration and medicine, may have an entrance exam.

Master's

For a master's degree, a transcript, a bachelor's diploma in a related field, a motivation letter, a CV and a language certificate are expected; some programmes may also require a reference letter and GMAT/GRE. For English-taught programmes, the source reports that at least B2 level is required, with IELTS 6.5+ or TOEFL 90+ recommended for most programmes.

Leading Universities

University of Vienna: Founded in 1365, it is among the oldest universities in Europe; the source states that it has more than 90,000 students and 15 faculties. In addition to law and psychology, it has strong academic staff in the social and natural sciences.
TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology): Founded in 1815, it provides research-focused engineering education across 8 faculties, from architecture to computer science.
WU Wien (Vienna University of Economics and Business): Founded in 1898; the source states that it holds AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accreditations and that English-taught master's programmes are widespread.
Medical University of Vienna: Stands out in medicine; an entrance exam is required for admission.
University of Music and Performing Arts Graz: Known for its performing arts and music education.

Which City, Which Institution?

Vienna is the first choice for most students as it is home to the country's largest universities and the widest range of English-taught programmes; however, it is not the only option. Graz stands out with its institutions in the arts and technical fields, Innsbruck and Salzburg with a quieter campus life, and Linz with its close links to industry. If you are looking for practice-oriented education, universities of applied sciences (FH) can be a good alternative with their smaller classes and internship-heavy curricula. When choosing the type of institution, we recommend considering your budget, language of instruction and post-graduation goals together.

Fees and Cost of Living

According to our partner sources, non-EU students at public universities pay a fee of approximately €726 per semester, plus a student union contribution of €20–25. At private universities, annual fees ranging from €5,000 to €20,000 are mentioned.

For the monthly budget, the source allows €350 – 700 for accommodation, €250 – 350 for food and €30 – 60 for transport; total monthly expenses are given in the range of €800 – 1,200. In the capital, Vienna, these figures are likely to approach the upper limit; cities such as Graz, Linz or Innsbruck may offer a more comfortable option in terms of budget. As amounts may change from term to term, planning should be done with current data.

Application Calendar

The source summarises the general calendar for 2026 as follows: applications for the winter semester starting in October are generally made between March and July, and for the summer semester starting in March between October and January. However, universities apply their own calendars. For example, TU Wien's 2025/26 calendar states that non-EU applicants had to complete their applications between 16 January 2025 and 15 July 2025; at the University of Vienna, bachelor's applications are generally open between March and June; and at WU, bachelor's applications mostly close at the end of January. Arts and medicine programmes apply their own exam dates. For this reason, it is important to follow the official calendar of your target programme early on.

Work and After Graduation

The source states that students may work up to 20 hours per week during their studies. It reports that graduates are granted a residence entitlement of up to 12 months to look for work and that, in the long term, there are options leading to permanent residence via the Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte). Conditions are set by the official authorities and may change.

To assess together which university and programme in Austria suit your profile, you can get in touch with the Weroglobal Student team.