Studying at university in Austria

How Austrian higher education is organized

Austria has public universities, including large comprehensive ones in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck and Salzburg and specialized technical, medical, arts and life sciences universities; universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) with practice-oriented programs and fixed numbers of places; university colleges of teacher education; and a smaller number of private universities.

Most bachelor's programs last six semesters, followed by a master's of two to four semesters. Some fields, including medicine and law, are organized as diploma programs that run longer. Grades go from 1 (very good) to 5 (fail), so a lower number is better, the reverse of North American percentages.

Many programs at public universities are open to all qualified applicants. Others, with more demand than places, use an admission procedure with a test.

Entry requirements for North American graduates

To be admitted, you need a school leaving certificate that is equivalent to the Austrian Matura and gives general access to university. Many universities also require that your certificate would give you access to the same program at a university in the country where you earned it. When a foreign certificate is not fully equivalent, the university can admit you on condition that you pass supplementary exams (Ergänzungsprüfungen), which some universities offer through preparatory programs.

For North American applicants, universities look at the diploma together with the subjects and level of your final years, and often ask for AP exams, college credits or proof of admission to a comparable program in Canada or the US. Because each university decides, compare the admission pages of your chosen universities early. The IB Diploma is usually accepted when it meets subject conditions.

How to apply and when

You apply online to each university. Public universities set an admission period for each semester, and many set an earlier deadline for applicants from outside the EU, typically several months before the semester starts, so documents can be checked. Universities of applied sciences run their own application windows, often in the first half of the year for an autumn start, with interviews or tests.

Programs with entrance procedures require online registration well before the test date, often in spring for the following winter semester:

• Medicine and dentistry: the MedAT, a joint admission test for the public medical universities in Vienna, Innsbruck and Graz and the medical faculty in Linz, held once a year in summer. In 2026, online registration ran through March and the test took place in early July.
• Psychology, business, biology and other high-demand programs: admission tests at individual universities.
• Arts and music: entrance examinations or auditions.

Missing the registration window for a test usually means waiting a full year, so check the 2027 dates as soon as you know your target program.

The first year: STEOP and exam culture

Bachelor's programs at Austrian public universities begin with an introductory and orientation period called the STEOP (Studieneingangs- und Orientierungsphase). It consists of a set of first-semester courses and exams that you must pass before you can take most later courses. Its purpose is to give students an early, honest picture of the field, and it works as a filter in programs without entrance tests.

Exams can be written or oral, and you usually register for each exam separately in the university's online system, within fixed registration windows. Missing a registration deadline can push an exam back by weeks or months. North American students used to automatic exam scheduling should set calendar reminders for every registration window.

University cities differ a lot. Vienna offers the widest choice of programs, while Graz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz and Klagenfurt are smaller, with lower living costs and easy access to the Alps.

Costs and funding

At public universities, students from the EU and EEA do not pay tuition if they finish within the standard period of study plus a tolerance. Students from other countries who hold a student residence permit, which includes most Canadian and US students, generally pay EUR 726.72 per semester, according to Study in Austria, run by the national agency OeAD. All students also pay the Austrian Students' Union (ÖH) fee, listed at EUR 26.20 per semester including student accident insurance. Some groups, such as certain scholarship holders, exchange students and students from specific countries, can have the tuition fee waived or refunded; each university publishes its rules. Universities of applied sciences and private universities set their own fees.

Scholarships for international bachelor's students are limited. The OeAD scholarship database (grants.at) lists options, many of them for graduate study or exchange.

Language of instruction

Most bachelor's programs are taught in German. Applicants usually prove German with a recognized certificate, often at B2 level or higher, depending on the university and program. Universities may admit applicants who do not yet meet the level on condition that they complete a university preparation program (Vorstudienlehrgang) first. English-taught bachelor's programs exist, especially at universities of applied sciences and in business, economics and some technical fields, and ask for proof of English.

To get used to academic English in parallel, try the Bridge academic English flashcards.

Visa and residence permit

Canadian and US citizens can enter Austria without a visa for short stays, but students staying longer than six months need a residence permit for students (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student). Applications are normally made from abroad at the Austrian representation before you travel, although visa-free nationals may in some cases apply within Austria during a legal visa-free stay. You must show proof of admission, health insurance, accommodation and sufficient funds, with annual amounts based on age that are updated every year.

Read the details on the official Migration platform of the Austrian government and the OeAD guidance. This guide is not immigration advice.

Practical tips

1. Shortlist programs and check whether each one has an admission test.
2. Confirm how your university treats a Canadian or US diploma and whether it needs AP exams or proof of admission at home.
3. Register for the MedAT or other tests early in the calendar year.
4. Build German to the required level, or plan a preparation program.
5. Apply for the residence permit as soon as you have your admission letter.

Austrian universities expect independent study and long exam periods. See the study skills for university flashcards and high school to university. Compare Austria with Germany and Switzerland on the universities hub.