Study and find schools in Austria

Studying in Austria

Austria is a German-speaking country in Central Europe with 9,215,956 inhabitants on 1 January 2026, according to Statistics Austria. German is the predominant language at its universities and universities of applied sciences, but the number of English-taught programmes is growing, especially at master's level. Students come for the combination of old research universities, universities of the arts with a strong music tradition and practice-oriented universities of applied sciences, all within easy reach of one another.

According to the Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research, more than 390,000 students are registered across the four higher-education sectors. Study in Austria, the national portal run by the OeAD (Austria's agency for education and internationalisation), counts 23 universities, 21 universities of applied sciences, 19 private universities and higher education institutions and 14 university colleges of teacher education, and states that international students make up 30% of the student population.

The education system

Higher education is divided into four sectors:

• Public universities (Universitäten), the largest sector, including universities of the arts and medical universities
• Universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen, FH or UAS), with practice-oriented degree programmes and a limited number of places
• Private universities, which are accredited but do not receive their standard budget from the state
• University colleges of teacher education (Pädagogische Hochschulen) for teacher training

Degrees follow the Bologna structure of bachelor's, master's and doctoral studies, with ECTS credits: one academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS. Admission to a master's programme requires a relevant bachelor's degree of at least six semesters (180 ECTS), and doctoral programmes require a master's degree in the same field. All universities and universities of applied sciences have been required since 2004 to issue a Diploma Supplement. The academic year has a winter and a summer semester. Language schools in Vienna and other cities, as well as university language centres, teach German as a foreign language; the ÖSD (Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch) is Austria's state-approved German exam.

Admission and recognition

Admission is handled by each institution, and applications go directly to the university, university of applied sciences or university college of teacher education. To apply, you need a general university entrance qualification. A foreign school-leaving certificate counts if it gives access to higher education in the country that issued it, and the institution itself checks this. Foreign documents must be submitted in the original with a copy and must be legalised; documents in languages other than German or English need legalised translations.

At public universities, the application deadlines are 5 September for the winter semester and 5 February for the summer semester. Some programmes, such as medicine, psychology, architecture or business, may have admission restrictions, with an entrance examination or a selection process. Universities of the arts and universities of applied sciences run their own entrance procedures, often with tests and interviews, and have different deadlines.

For German-taught programmes, universities usually ask for level B2 or C1 of the CEFR. Students who have been admitted but still need German can join a University Preparation Programme, which requires at least level A2. Study in Austria lists around 580 programmes taught in English. Recognition of foreign higher-education qualifications for professional purposes is handled by ENIC NARIC AUSTRIA at the OeAD.

Student visa and residence

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a visa, but must register their address within three working days and apply for a confirmation of registration (Anmeldebescheinigung) if they stay longer than three months.

Students from other countries need a "Residence Permit – Student" (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student). In most cases the application is submitted in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate in the country of residence; the authority decides within 90 days, and after approval a visa D valid for four months is issued for travel to Austria to collect the permit. Students who may enter Austria without a visa can also apply at the residence authority in Austria. The OeAD recommends applying six months in advance. Applicants must prove sufficient funds for twelve months: in 2026, 722.58 euros per month for students under 24 and 1,308.39 euros per month from the age of 24, plus health insurance and accommodation (information checked on 7 October 2026 on the OeAD entry and residence database).

Costs

At public universities, EU and EEA students pay no tuition fee as long as they stay within the minimum duration of their programme plus two semesters; after that the fee is 363.36 euros per semester. Students from third countries holding a Residence Permit – Student generally pay 726.72 euros per semester, with exemptions or refunds for some scholarship holders, exchange students and students from specific countries. All students pay the student union fee (ÖH-Beitrag) of 26.20 euros per semester, which includes accident insurance. Universities of applied sciences may charge tuition fees, and private universities set their own fees.

Study in Austria estimates average monthly living costs for a student at about 1,300 euros, based on the 2025 Student Social Survey: about 450 to 700 euros for a room in a student residence, about 300 euros for food and about 500 euros for study materials, transport and leisure. Vienna and other large cities are more expensive than smaller towns.

Where to study

• Vienna: the University of Vienna, founded in 1365, has about 85,200 students and more than 186 degree programmes. WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) has 33% international students and offers an English-taught bachelor's programme in Business and Economics and nine English-taught master's programmes. TU Wien has more than 26,000 students in 62 programmes. The city also has universities of the arts such as the mdw and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, the private Modul University Vienna, the Diplomatic Academy and language schools such as the DeutschAkademie and the abc Bildungszentrum.
• Graz: the University of Graz is Austria's second oldest and second largest university; almost 20% of the city's inhabitants are students.
• Innsbruck: the University of Innsbruck has 28,000 students, and 49.9% of them are international.
• Salzburg: the Mozarteum University offers more than 40 programmes in music, performing and visual arts, all taught in German and with an entrance examination; its International Summer Academy dates from 1916.
• Klagenfurt: the University of Klagenfurt has around 13,300 students, about 2,500 of them from abroad, and 55 degree programmes, several in English. Its campus also hosts the German in Austria language centre.
• Leoben and Krems: the Montanuniversität Leoben is a technical university of around 3,000 students focused on raw materials, materials and processes, and the University for Continuing Education Krems serves 8,000 students from 90 countries.

Practical life

Everyone living in Austria must register with the local registration office within three working days of arrival. Students from the EU and EEA can use the European Health Insurance Card; regular degree students with legal residence can take out student health insurance with the Austrian health insurance fund (ÖGK), or choose private insurance that meets the residence authority's requirements. Austria takes part in Erasmus+, so exchange semesters are common. Whether you may work while studying depends on your nationality, the type of work and, for third-country nationals, your residence title.

Frequently asked questions

Is studying in Austria free?

For EU and EEA students at public universities, tuition is free within the minimum study duration plus two semesters. Students from third countries generally pay 726.72 euros per semester, and everyone pays the ÖH student union fee of 26.20 euros per semester.

Can I study in English in Austria?

Yes. Most programmes are taught in German, but Study in Austria lists around 580 programmes taught in English, many of them at master's level.

What level of German do I need?

For German-taught programmes, universities usually ask for level B2 or C1. Admitted students with lower levels can attend a University Preparation Programme, which requires at least A2.

When do I have to apply?

At public universities, the deadlines are 5 September for the winter semester and 5 February for the summer semester. Universities of applied sciences, universities of the arts and private universities set their own deadlines, often earlier.

How much money do I need per month?

Study in Austria estimates about 1,300 euros per month on average. For the student residence permit, students under 24 must prove 722.58 euros per month for twelve months (2026).