TOP-5 important things you need to know about education in Austria

Austria is a popular country among students who want to get an international education and experience living abroad. Parents are happy to decide to send their child to study in Austria for a long-term or short-term program. In this article, SMAPSE experts will tell the benefits of studying in this country and TOP-5 most important things you need to know when entering Austrian schools and universities.

There are prestigious and popular educational institutions in Austria: the organization of education has always met international standards, teachers have applied modern teaching methods and techniques, and the quality of education has an impeccable reputation - these factors attract foreign students to study in Austria. Students have the opportunity to choose subjects of interest, starting from the middle classes, students participate in research and devote a lot of time to practical exercises, and in their free time, you can organize leisure for every taste.

While studying abroad it is very easy to make new friends, because the international environment facilitates communication with representatives of different cultures and nationalities - students are united by a common cause, and in their free time they have the opportunity to spend time together. Schools and universities often have developed infrastructure on campus: sports grounds for team games, sports fields for professional training, creative studios, computer classes, libraries. Austria always follows the latest innovative and technical developments: the school campus and classrooms are equipped with the most modern equipment so that the learning process brings even more pleasure to students.

TOP-5 important things you need to know about education in Austria

1. Foreign students can enter an Austrian university immediately after graduating from the school or transfer after several semesters of study at a university - this depends on the requirements of a particular university. Regardless of the requirements for admission, school graduates have the opportunity to go through an international pre-university program and gain additional academic and linguistic knowledge, which increases the chances of entering top and prestigious universities.
2. In Austria, the official language is German, but English is also spoken throughout the country. According to statistics, education for obtaining a bachelor's degree is most often carried out in German, for obtaining a master's or doctoral degree in English. For admission to the first year of the institute, you may need a certificate of passing a language exam in the German language not lower than level B2 or C1. School programs are available in both German and English, and you can enter elementary school even with a minimum level of knowledge of a foreign language.
3. When enrolling in a long-term program and staying in Austria for more than 180 days, the student is required to apply for a residence permit. If you choose a short-term course that requires a stay in the country less than 6 months, it is enough to apply for a student visa type D.
4. Admission to some educational institutions in Austria for long-term programs is available twice a year (usually in September and February), but it is recommended to apply for admission a year before the start of education.
5. During their studies at the university, students have the right to get a job with restrictions on the number of hours: 10 hours a week are allowed to work with a bachelor's degree, 20 hours to future masters, and during the holidays the number of hours allowed is increased to 40.

Education in Austria for foreign students: requirements and prices

Among foreign students, foreign boarding schools with full-board accommodation are popular, but often there are age restrictions for living on campus (usually children over 11 years old are accepted). Benefits of staying in a boarding school:

• international environment
• more new acquaintances
• continuous practice of communication in a foreign language
• interesting leisure in your free time with classmates
• increase of independence and level of responsibility
• safety and security 24/7
• regular extracurricular activities.

It is not necessary to live in a school residence - in Austria, accommodation in a host family or day school attendance is available.

Students can receive one of the following secondary education diplomas:

• Matura - Austrian Certificate of Maturity
• High School Diploma - Diploma of the American system of education.

TOP universities in Austria and major faculties:

The above-mentioned universities have high rankings due to the fact that the best specialists of the country are included in the teaching staff, students are offered a wide selection of specialties and areas, and the universities themselves are equipped with the most modern equipment. For example, 15 Nobel laureates graduated from Vienna University and 6 laureates from the University of Graz named after Karl and Franz: these indicators positively affect the ranking of universities.

Popular destinations for higher education in Austria:

• economy
• the medicine
• programming, IT
• engineering
• political science.

The cost of higher education in Austria for a year of study and types of programs:

Knowledge of the German language will help significantly reduce the cost of an academic program.

If the level of knowledge of English or German is not high enough, students can take pre-university courses, where in addition to language skills they will also receive academic knowledge, which will significantly increase the chances of entering prestigious and elite universities in Austria. Examples of preparatory programs:

• International baccalaureate
• International Foundation.

Austria provides students with a unique opportunity to travel while studying - it is worth noting that Austria borders on eight countries:

• Switzerland
• Germany
• Hungary
• Czech
• Slovenia
• Slovakia
• Italy
• Liechtenstein.

When receiving a residence permit, the student has the right to travel freely in the Schengen countries.

Admission to the best schools in Austria on the example of Amadeus International School

Amadeus International School is a private boarding school where you can get a secondary school education and additionally music. Students over 11 years old (from grade 6) are accepted. Before starting education on a long-term program, students can take summer language courses to study English or German.

Required documents for enrolling in an Austrian school:

• completed school application
• motivation letter
• English Language Exam Certificate ( IELTS or TOEFL)
• diplomas, awards, cups, acknowledgments, recommendations from teachers, director, class teacher
• medical record showing all vaccinations.

Additionally, the school has the right to ask you to pass a personal interview, to pass exams in mathematics or other subjects.

The cost of an academic program of middle classes or International Baccalaureate is from 14,000 € / term, linguistic courses - from 1,180 € / week, but you should also consider other costs associated with studying at school.

Additional expenses:

Getting a secondary education is more expensive than a higher education, but the high quality of acquired knowledge and a prestigious international diploma open many doors for graduates and allow you to enter the TOP universities around the world. Tuition fees at a boarding school range from 30,000 to 55,000 € per year.