13 best universities in Vienna for foreign students. Description, rankings, 2023 fees

Austria is famous for its high-quality higher education in German and English and interesting academic programs. Austrian universities do not lag behind the trends of modernity, therefore, only advanced methods are used in teaching, and educational institutions are equipped according to the best standards. Every year, the European country receives many foreign students who want to get a first-class education and a valuable diploma in order to successfully find a job in prestigious Austrian and international companies in the future.

Higher education institutions in Vienna provide high-quality academic education to students from different countries. Vienna universities accept applicants for many specialties without entrance exams. Some universities are loyal to the level of German language proficiency and even provide additional courses at the educational institution.

Vienna is home to some of the oldest and most famous universities in Europe. There are large state universities here, as well as several private universities. The University of Vienna, one of the oldest and largest in Europe, was founded in 1365. This is an international university, where students from 130 countries study. There are 9 Nobel laureates among the graduates of the University of Vienna. University of Vienna is the alma mater of Erwin Schrodinger. A quarter of the students of the Vienna Technical University are foreign students. It was this university that Ferdinand Porsche and Josef Strauss graduated from. The university is known for achievements in economics, engineering, physics. The Vienna University of Economics and Business is another international university known for its business education. Exchange programs are widespread at the university. Vienna Medical University is a large university where Sigmund Freud worked for 35 years. The Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts is the largest conservatory in Austria. The city is home to a branch of the private American Webster University.

To enroll in TOP universities in Vienna, the foreign students need to collect a package of documents and translate it into the language of instruction — German or English. The documents must be checked for errors, valid and notarized. The deadline for submitting documents for the winter semester is October 1, for the summer semester — March 1.

For admission to the university and further registration of the scholarship, a package of documents will be required:

• Completed entrance form from the university's website
• Diplomas and academic certificates with a list of grades and completed courses
• A certificate from a higher educational institution confirming the possibility of admission to the university
• Certificate of knowledge of the German language (ÖSD B2)
• Recommendation letters
• Portfolio
• Motivation letter.

The availability of entrance exams in the universities in Vienna depends on the specialty you are applying for, as well as on the competition. So, doctors, psychologists, lawyers, architects – they always pass entrance exams. Other faculties can accept applicants without exams, but only if the number of applicants is not too large. Otherwise, the best are chosen by testing. Universities of applied sciences always have exams, but they are held in the form of an interview.

Citizens of EU countries can study at state universities for free, and for students from other countries the payment will be about $ 1,700-$1,800/year. If a foreign student studies in German, the cost will be about $ 800-$ 1200/year (for administrative fees and necessary academic expenses). In English, the price will be higher — from $ 1500 / year. Private institutions set rates from $ 1,000 to $ 45,000 per year — a lot depends on the prestige of the educational institution and its location.

Additional expenses:

• Registration fee — from 300€
• Medical insurance — from 200€/month­
• Accommodation in Vienna — from 500€/month.

You also need to consider spending on food, transportation and pocket expenses. Many universities provide the opportunity to live in their own dorms.

The management and distribution of grants and scholarships in Austria is handled by a centralized structure – the Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD-Gmbh).

Student funding can come from different sources, for example:

• Special scientific and cultural foundations
• National funds
• Austrian government organizations
• International organizations (UN, IAEA).

In total, almost 1,700 grants and scholarships are available here, but their number varies significantly by specialization: most programs are offered by programs:

• Biology
• Medical research
• Chemistry
• Physics.

It is difficult to find funding for a humanitarian specialty, but it is possible. Usually, grants are designed for a short period of time — for the time of writing a scientific paper or performing research in a certain field. It is quite difficult to get full funding, basically the scholarship covers one or two semesters. There are different types of scholarships in the format:

• Full payment for tuition and meals in the student canteen (accommodation, medical insurance, travel is paid by the recipient himself)
• Compensation of part of the tuition fee
• One-time payment for certain purposes
• Monthly payments that the recipient spends at his own discretion + payment for work and research trips.

Usually, the largest funding is offered for doctoral programs. Candidates who meet the requirements of the foundation have the opportunity to receive full funding for several years of scientific work — students will receive 2,000- 3,000 euro per month.

• Webster university
• Modul University
• Medical University of Vienna
• Technical University of Vienna
• Vienna University of Economics.