Located in Central Europe, Austria is a wonderful country, with a focus on offering quality higher education. Universities in Austria are well-developed and provide you with a great experience. As well as this, Austria is a beautiful, advanced and cultured country, in the perfect location for international students who wish to do some exploring in their downtime.
Highlighted courses in Austria
Austria’s commitment to international students is reflected in the fair tuition fees and rise in enrolling students since reforms. As well as the chance to study at world ranked higher education institutions, you will also be able to pick up the German language. German is the first language of 100 million people worldwide, and joining those people would open up some great further study and employment opportunities!
Austria has a long history of outstanding higher education, with some of Europe’s finest philosophers, scientists and writers having worked and lived here. Vienna in particular has a long tradition of academic achievement. This is where the Vienna Circle, one of the most significant movements in Philosophy since the Ancient Greeks, was born. You will find 6 Austrian universities in the 2023 QS World University ranking top 500. The highest ranked of these is the University of Vienna, which is ranked in 151st place.
Bordered entirely by other countries, Austria is located in the heart of Europe and is a member of the European Union. Home to over 8.8 million people, the country is consistently named as one of the richest countries in the world in GDP terms. Austria has developed a high standard of living, and declared its perpetual neutrality in foreign political affairs in 1955. The country lies within the Alps, making it highly mountainous.
With a long and impressive history, Austria has many tourist attractions, and something for every person. The cities are modern and developed, with a high-income economy; perfect for international students looking for a metropolitan experience. The countryside is littered with amazing scenery and provides entertainment for the most adventurous of people, with skiing and hiking being popular past-times.
The currency used in Austria is the Euro (€).
Tuition fees in Austria will depend on more than one variable. One of these is where in the world you are from, and the other is whether you choose a public or private university. Public universities will charge considerably less than private universities. You should also expect to pay a higher tuition fee at a university of applied sciences as well.
If you are from an EU/EEA country, you are not required to pay tuition fees so long as you complete your course in its given timeframe, or within the additional two semesters allowed. If you do not finish your course in this time, you will need to pay a small tuition fee each semester you remain enrolled. This is usually around €363.36 per semester.
If you are from any other country, you are required to pay a tuition fee per semester. This is usually around €726.72 at a public institution. Both international and EU/EEA students will need to pay a student union membership fee, which is normally around €18 per semester.
Another cost that international students need to be aware of is health insurance. If you are from an EU/EEA country and hold an EHIC card, you will be able to access the same healthcare as Austrian citizens without taking out health insurance. If you are from certain other countries, like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey, you will also not need health insurance. You will however need to acquire an A3 form from your national health insurance provider, which can then be exchanged for an Austrian healthcare form. If you are from any other country, you will need to either purchase health insurance for your stay in Austria, or ensure that your current policy is valid throughout your studies.
In order to help to fund your studies, you might be able to apply for a scholarship, or get a part-time job. If you are from an EU/EEA country (excluding Croatia) and Switzerland, you will be able to work part-time with limited restrictions. Your institution may require you to only work a certain amount of hours per week however, to ensure that studies are your priority. If you are from any other country, you will need to apply for a work permit, which is subject to you holding a valid residence permit. If you are from Croatia, you will also need to apply for a work permit. This condition is part of the transition to EU membership, and will remain this way until 2020.
If you are from an EU/EEA country and Switzerland, you will not need a visa to study in Austria. You will need to have valid health insurance (in the form of an EHIC card if you have one), and will need to prove you have sufficient funds. Other than that, all you need is a valid travel document such as your passport.
If you are staying in Austria for more than three months, you are required to get a residence permit within four months of your arrival.
If you are from any other country, you will need an entry or residence permit to enter Austria. The procedures and requirements differ depending on your length of stay and degree programme, visit OeAD – Nationals of Third Countries for information.
The official language of Austria is German, but there are also other recognised languages; Hungarian, Slovene and Burgenland Croatian.
Courses at Austrian universities are taught in either German or in English. It is more common to find postgraduate courses taught in English however.
No matter which language you choose to learn in, you will need to prove your proficiency in that language. If you are not able to meet the required standard, it is common for institutions to offer language courses to help you improve.
You should take the opportunity to learn some German where you can, communicating with the locals and other students is the perfect way to practice. This is a skill that will look great on your CV/resume, especially as German is a prominent business language.
The capital city of Austria, Vienna is home to more than 1.8 million people. Hosting international organisations such as the United Nations, the city is the economic, cultural and political centre of Austria. The city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, although its status is at risk due to the modernisation of the city.
Located in the city are several higher education institutions. This includes one of the country’s many universities of the arts; Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. You will also find the University of Vienna, which is one of the oldest universities in the German-speaking world.
Find out more about Universities in Vienna.
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