Study and Research Opportunities in Austria

Featured Opportunities in Austria

Long and short-term academic programs are available in Austria across many universities and educational centers. International students and researchers may apply to BA, MA, Ph.D., and postdoctoral research programs in Austria. Moreover, summer schools and conferences are other excellent academic activities that make Austria an attractive destination for scholars and scientists. Many programs also come with fully-funded scholarships and fellowships as well as travel grants and financial aid, thus every student, researcher, and professor can always find a suitable program in Austria and apply.

Academic Programs in Austria

Scholarships in Austria

Fellowships in Austria

Summer programs in Austria

Austria as an academic destination

Austria is located in the center of Europe, and by any means of transport, it’s easy for you to explore other European countries from there. Besides, it’s a unique country as an academic destination, offering a number of benefits, especially for EU citizens. 

First of all, the capital Vienna is home to the oldest university in the whole German-speaking world. The University of Vienna was founded in 1365 and is currently offering up to 200 degree programs, the majority of which in English. 

Generally, Vienna is home to many of the top Austrian universities, many of which are included in the global university rankings. Other than Vienna, the most attractive academic spots for international students include Graz, Innsbruck, Linz, and Salzburg. 

Combining the different sources of estimation, around 20-25% of all the students in Austria are guests from abroad. In the country, students have a choice of around 70 universities, corresponding to the global education standards. 

There are six main types of higher educational institutions in Austria, including:

  1. Universities of Arts
  2. Medical Universities
  3. Technical Universities
  4. Private Universities
  5. Universities of Applied Sciences
  6. University Colleges of Teacher Education

The majority of the country’s communication, including the academic one, is in German. Therefore, make sure to choose either program in English or allocate time for participating in preparatory programs. 

Among the variety of Austrian universities, you might wonder which are the best ones in the country. We answer this question by looking at the worldly famous university rankings, such as QS Ranking. According to the source, the best universities in Austria include:

Application to universities in Austria

In many countries, students firstly deal with the centralized application platform and then narrow their focus to a specific universities. In Austria, the process is reversed. 

You should contact your chosen university first, regardless of what you have read on their website. The university admissions department will validate that the courses for your chosen period and duration are available. They will also advise you on what particular application procedures you should follow to apply to your desired program. 

Student Visa for Austria

Like many other factors for international students, the country entry requirements also vary depending on the student’s country of residence. So, instead of searching for a unified Austrian visa approach online, contact the appropriate authorities in Austria or your home country for the details. 

In any case, the two types of entry documents to Austria are visa or residence permit

EU/EEA nationals are free of both. They can arrive and stay in Austria without a visa or permit. The only thing, those students need to register with the authority in charge of residence within the three months after arriving in Austria. 

Non-EU/EEA citizens need a visa C, visa D, or a residence permit. With visa C, you can stay up to 90 days in Austria, whereas visa D grants you with a better opportunity of up to 6 months of staying in the country. If your plans for staying in Austria are also more than six months, you need to acquire a residence permit. 

Please note: Austrian visa is not renowned. 

International Student Expenses in Austria

Austria might not be the country with the most affordable cost of living, but it’s rather attractive in terms of studying costs. Especially lucky are EU/EEA and Switzerland students, for whom the education in Austria is free of charge. 

The exceptions are Universities of Applied Sciences, which have an independent strategy and usually charge around 360 EUR per semester, even the students from the privileged group. 

For all other students, public universities set fees per academic year equalling 1,500 EUR. Also, all the students pay 20 EUR per semester for the student union membership and student accident insurance fees. 

In terms of international student accommodation, Austria is also unique. It does not have the culture of on-campus accommodation. Students either share private houses for rent or stay in halls of residence. Private house renting is usually shared among several students and costs 250-450 EUR/month for each student. 

We hope the opportunities collected in this section of ARMACAD will help you construct a successful career in the motherland of Schubert, Strauss, Beethoven, and other immortal individuals in the world of classical music.