Since 1960, education in Austria is no longer a prerogative of the elite, but a national property. Many foreign students are interested in studying in the country. There are many reasons for this: the world class universities are located here, tuition fees are low, and safety and a high standard of living promise interesting and prosperous student years. Located in the heart of Europe, Austria is renowned for its cultural and scientific achievements in various fields, from classical opera to automotive engineering. According to the survey of international students on the website StudyPortals, Austria is one of the best countries for education: it was rated 9 out of 10.

Admission requirements in Austrian universities:
The main language of instruction at Austrian universities is German. For admission to most universities, the level of German language proficiency must be at least C1. The tests accepted by universities are listed on the websites of the universities. Usually these are ÖSD Zertifikat, Goethe Zertifikat, TestDaF and others. There are also English-language educational programs, but they are few compared to the German ones. They are common in master’s programs and doctoral studies, especially in business, management, marketing and information technology. The minimum level of English proficiency is IELTS 6.0. Some specialties require a score of at least 6.5. In recent decades, Austrian university education has followed the Bologna Process. However, the old system with combined bachelor’s and master’s still exists in some specialties, for instance medicine.
There are 22 public and 16 private universities in the country that provide a wide range of degree programs. There is no unified system for admitting students in Austria, so each university puts forward its own criteria. Requirements for admission are indicated directly on the websites of universities.
As a rule, for admission you will need the following:
Copy of your passport;
Secondary education certificate / Bachelor’s / Master’s degree;
Proof of German or English proficiency (diploma confirming prior education in German / English or a language certificates);
Studienplatznachweis certificate (confirmation that the student has the right to be educated in a similar specialty at a higher educational institution in a home country);
Motivation letter and letters of recommendation;
Research proposal or project (for doctoral studies).
In addition to the standard set of documents, some admissions offices require written exams, oral tests and interviews. Since 2019, universities have begun to actively introduce entrance examinations, for example, to universities of applied sciences and medicine, to universities of arts, to programs in law, chemistry, political science and psychology. In this case, it is imperative to clarify the deadlines for submitting applications and the dates of entrance exams. The application deadline for them may end 6 months before the start of the semester. Additional information can be found on the websites of universities and on the German-language portal Studiversum.

Bachelor’s in Austria — Undergraduate
Bachelor’s programs are held by research universities and universities of applied sciences. Education is offered in a variety of disciplines, for example: arts and humanities, economics, engineering, law, medicine, veterinary medicine, natural and social sciences, education, theology.
Universities and programs put forward their own criteria for admission. Usually the requirements are as follows:

Secondary education certificate, or bachelor’s/master’s degree;
Transcript with grades from the last completed education;
Studienplatznachweis certificate (confirmation that the student has the right to be educated in a similar specialty at a higher educational institution in a home country), or if the student is already studying at a higher educational institution, a certificate from the university;
Proof of German language proficiency at A2/C1 level (ÖSD, Goethe Zertifikat, telc Deutsch, DSH2, DSD II, TestDaF 4);
Passing an entrance exam (not for all programs);
CV;
Copy of the passport.
Documents not in English/German must be translated and notarized. In large universities, it takes several weeks to process applications from international students. This period often coincides with visa applications, which can lead to missed deadlines. Therefore, it is advisable for applicants to start collecting documents and submitting an application as early as possible. In some cases, the letter of admission may be conditional: the candidate will be required to pass additional exams (English, mathematics, history or geography) and improve the German language proficiency from A2 to C1. In this case, the student needs to complete the preparatory program and pass the exam upon completion.

Typically, bachelor’s programs last for 4 years in engineering and 3 years in other fields. The number of ECTS credits is 180-240. Austrian universities do not have a fixed curriculum: the student himself chooses the schedule, professors and exam dates. At the end of their studies, students take final exams and defend their graduation work.

Master’s in Austria — Graduate/Postgraduate
Master’s programs are offered by private, public and universities of applied sciences. Before Austria joined the Bologna Process, the Master’s degree was merged with the Bachelor’s degree and lasted much longer. Such programs were called the Diploma program (Diplomstudium) or Magister. Now they can still be found in some universities (about 6 years of study), but most universities have switched to standard master’s programs. They usually last 2 years at universities and 1-2 years at Fachhochschulen.
The curriculum includes compulsory and elective courses. During the first year, students learn general subjects, and in the second year, turn to elective disciplines. All master’s students do research and write term papers and/or dissertations. For some one-year programs at Fachhochschulen, academic work is not required. In other cases, the thesis is worth about 20-40 ECTS credits and its defense takes place orally. Throughout their studies, students attend lectures, conduct research, and work on group and individual projects.
There is no centralized application system in Austria. Universities accept applications through websites. Usually the following documents are required:

Apostilled bachelor’s diploma (for most programs it is compulsory to have a degree in a related specialty);
Transcript with grades;
Studienplatznachweis certificate (not required if the bachelor’s has been completed in Austria);
Language certificate German/English (C1/B2);
GRE/GMAT exam results (rarely);
CV;
Motivation letter and letters of recommendation.
The documents must be translated and notarized. Terms and criteria are indicated on the websites of programs and universities.