Study in Austria

Hi! Welcome to Austria!

Hallo! Willkommen in Österreich!

Located in Central Europe, Austria is home to over 8 million people and shares its borders with Germany and the Czech Republic to the North, Slovakia and Hungary to the East, Slovenia and Italy to the South, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the West. It may be relatively small, but there are many reasons to study in Austria, including a number of universities which rank among the world's best. In terms of area, Austria is half the size of Sulawesi, and in terms of population, it is home to roughly the same number of people as Jakarta. But this beautiful Central European country, full of stunning landscapes and exuberant cities, should certainly not be judged on size.

A naturally beautiful country, it is known for its pastoral landscapes, stunning mountain vistas and timeless cities steeped in history and culture. Austria combines a long tradition of higher education with state-of-the-art research – its higher education institutions have accomplished outstanding achievements on an international level and gained a high reputation. 

Austria’s past as a European power and its cultural environment has spawned world class artists in various art forms but most notably in music, with composers such as Mozart and Strauss whose works continue to inspire. Austria has also been the birthplace of many famous scientists and Nobel Prize winners.  In fact, as of late 2012, 19 Austrians had been awarded Nobel  Prizes, including seven in Physiology or Medicine, four in Chemistry  and three in Physics and the country has one of the highest number  of Nobel laureates per capita in the world. Austria’s capital city Vienna, also described as Europe’s cultural capital, ranks as one of the most attractive cities in the world and has been ranked as the top city in Mercer’s Quality of Living survey in 2016. This metropolitan city has a charm, vibrancy and flair that is unique and found nowhere else. The official language of Austria is German.

Higher Education System

There are a wide variety of higher educational institutions in Austria.  A total of 22 Austrian universities offer a broad range of study options for students. Some 500 different study options are available in Austrian Higher Educational Institutions. About one fifth of the students at Austrian universities come from abroad.  The following academic degrees can be obtained in Austria; University level first stage (Bachelor’s degree): Bakkalaureus,  Bakkalaureus (FH); University level second stage (Master’s degree):  Magister, Magister (FH), Diplom-Ingenieur, Diplom-Ingenieur (FH);  University level third stage (PhD): Doktoratstudien.   The Austrian education system is of a high standard and five Austrian universities recently featured in the Global Top 400 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-2016 – the highest of which is The University of Vienna ranked overall 142 in the World.

Applying to study in Austria

In order to study in Austria, you should apply directly to the Austrian university at which you wish to enroll. Your secondary qualifications must be considered to be of an equivalent level to those offered in Austria, and must be sufficient to gain entry to a similar program in the country where it was earned. You will also need to prove that you speak German or English to the level stipulated by the university, depending on the language in which your program will be taught.

At undergraduate (bachelor’s) level, the majority of courses in Austria are taught in German, with a larger selection of English-taught programs available at master’s level. If you are applying to a Universität der Künste (university of the arts), you will be asked to sit an entrance examination.

You might find all the information on Austrian universities and study options here.

Visas to study in Austria

Information brochure of the Austrian entry and residence requirements for foreign students wishing to study in Austria: http://www.bmi.gv.at/cms/BMI_Niederlassung/allg_infos_neu/guide_entry_students.pdf

Students coming from countries which are not EU/EEA members need to apply for a Visa Type D if they want to stay less than 6 months or for a residence permit if their intended stay exceeds 6 months.

As a matter of principle, first applications for a residence title or visa shall be filed abroad and in person at the Austrian Embassy, before entering Austria. Once having submitted the application for your Residence Permit, the general processing period is three up to six months until you will get a decision from the Austrian authority. Do take that into consideration in your planning!

You can find detailed information about studying and doing research in Austria and for applying for a Visa or a Residence Permit on the website of the Austrian Agency for International Mobility and Cooperation in Education, Science and Research (OeAD) under the following link.

The website and the guides provide checklists for the application for Visa or Residence Permits; you can also find all necessary links to application forms, explanation of the application forms in English and contact details of universities and Austrian authorities.

www.migration.gv.at provides additional information.

In case of further questions, contact the Austrian Embassy.

Fees and funding

If you come from a non-European Union country such as Indonesia, the tuition fees amount to only €726.72 (~US$780) per semester. The student union membership fee is €17.50 (~US$19) per semester, and is compulsory for all students. Some scholarships might be also available for international students – for example through LPDP for master studies. For PhD students a variety of scholarships are available (find more info here: http://grants.at/).

Fast fact

• Federal republic, split into nine states
• Parliamentary democracy, headed by president and chancellor, with bicameral legislature
• Landlocked country in central Europe, with a population of around 8.6 million and a total area of 83,879 square kilometers
• Borders with Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia and Lichtenstein
• International dialing code: +43
• Central European Time (UTC+1)
• Member state of the EU, but not a member of NATO (the only continental EU country that is not a member of NATO)
• Austrian males must serve for six months in the military or nine months on civilian service when they reach 18.
• Official language: German
• Currency: Euro (€)
• Main religion is Roman Catholic, but as well big groups of Muslims and Protestants
• Capital: Vienna (also by far the largest city)
• 62% of Austria's total land area is covered by the Austrian Alps.
• The Austrian flag is one of the oldest national flags in the world, dating from 1191.
• The oldest zoo in the world is the Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, founded in 1752.

Wish to enjoy your time in the heart of Europe? Austria is the right decision to land. Austria offers you great social security, economic stability and the warmest welcome from the Austrians. When it comes to educational opportunity, for sure Austria offers you a broad spectrum as it combines a long tradition of higher education with state-of-the-art research.

Wide range of degree program you could choose to experience includes: research-based courses at research universities, a world-famous education at any of the universities of the arts, high quality of practice-oriented courses at the universities of applied sciences, and innovative courses at private universities. Before you made your choice, here are the scholarships available to make your study plan comes true: