Master degree in Austria

18 June 2020

In Austria like in other European countries holding a Master’s degree is one of the best ways to increase your annual earning potential. The country is known for its very good study experiences, especially for international students. In Austria, there are nine federal provinces with a number of high-quality universities and around 2000 degree programmes at more than 70 higher education institutions.

The traditional comprehensive universities in Austria are located in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz and Salzburg.

Best Study Subject

The core of Austrian culture is Art and Music. Hence, it is not surprising that the most popular study subjects in Austria are music, dramatic arts, fine arts and applied arts.

The five popular Master’s programmes in Austria are as follows:

  • Business Analytics (Master)
  • Communication Science (Master)
  • Science-Technology-Society (Master)
  • Environmental Sciences (Master)
  • Evolutionary Systems Biology (Master)

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) Master credits

Generally, to achieve a two years Master’s Degree, the students should complete at least 120-150 ECTS credits. There is also a shorter option to study at Fachhochschule (University of Applied Science) for 1 year with 60 ECTS credits.

Academic Year

The academic year (first of October till the 30th of September) in Austria consists of two semesters; the Winter semester (first of October till the end of January) and the Summer semester (first of March till the end of September).

How to apply to universities in Austria?

For most of the Master’s programmes in Austria, you should simply apply online by fill-up a form and submitting that form with the required documents (see below). Please note that some universities or research institutions can have different procedures and requirements. So, make sure to read the application procedure for each study programme.

For applying for a Master’s Degree the candidates don’t need a lot of documents. The General required document for applying for Master’s programmes in Austria is successful completion of at least a 6 semester (minimum 180 ECTS) related Bachelor’s degree and a Language certificate.

Language:

About 200 study programmes in Austria are English taught programme. For admission to the master’s programmes instructed in English, proof of proficiency in English is needed. The typically expected level is B2 which can be translated to marks of different English tests as follows:

  • TOEFL internet-based: minimum score of 87
  • IELTS Academic: minimum overall band score of 6.5
  • Cambridge English First Level Certificate (FCE) grade C or higher (minimum score of 160)
  • Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): level B2
  • Language Centre of the University of Vienna: Language Competency Examination B2
  • School leaving certificate with English as graduation subject from an accredited school provided the level is equivalent to B2 according to the school laws of the issuing country.

In some faculties like the Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics Master candidates need a C1 level which can be translated to marks of different English tests as follows:

  • TOEFL internet-based: minimum of 95 points
  • IELTS Academic: Overall Band Score: 7
  • Cambridge English – Advanced: grade C or higher (minimum 180 points)
  • Cambridge English – Proficiency: grade C or higher
  • Language Centre of the University of Vienna: Language Competency Examination C1, respectively course-certificate of level C1/3
  • Completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree entirely taught in English in an accredited educational institution.

However, the language of the majority of study programs is German (the official language of the country). For those, the students should have a German language certificate such as a testDaf and DSH certificate. In general, Geman language certificates must not be older than 3 years from the exam date. However, in some programmes, the Master’s candidates need just A2 German Certificates such as:

  • Secondary-school leaving certificate from a school where the language of instruction is German and all exams are held in German, e.g. Austrian or German schools abroad
  • Graduation from a degree programme of at least three years duration at a university where the teaching language is German
  • Passing of the supplementary exam in German (Ergänzungsprüfung Deutsch) at a University Preparation Programme of an Austrian university

For some study programmes, you need a C1 level of German which can be translated to marks on different German tests as follows::

  • Österreichisches Sprachdiplom – ÖSD Zertifikat C1 (formerly called: C1 Oberstufe Deutsch)
  • Goethe Institut – Goethe Zertifikat C1
  • telc Deutsch „C1 Hochschule“
  • Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer StudienwerberInnen DSH2
  • Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz DSD II
  • Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache (Test DaF), at least level 4 in all parts
  • Language Center of the University of Vienna – course and successfully passed exam of level C1/2

The Master candidates can also provide proof of their languages skills with a Secondary-school leaving certificate from a school where the language of instruction is German and all exams are held in German, e.g. Austrian or German schools abroad. They can be Graduation from a degree programme of at least three years duration at a university where the teaching language is German or they should passing of the supplementary exam in German (Ergänzungsprüfung Deutsch) at a University Preparation Programme of an Austrian university.

Study in Austria is not free for all international students and tuition fees and insurance fees should be paid.

The list of Public Austrian Universities

Here you can find the list of public universities in Austria:

  1. University of Vienna
  2. BOKU (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences)
  3. University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
  4. WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business)
  5. University of Klagenfurt
  6. University of Salzburg
  7. University of Graz
  8. University of Innsbruck
  9. Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU)
  10. Medical University of Vienna
  11. Medical University of Graz
  12. Medical University of Innsbruck
  13. University of Applied Arts Vienna
  14. MDW (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna)
  15. Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
  16. Mozarteum University Salzburg
  17. University of Music and Performing Arts (KUG)
  18. University of Art and Design Linz
  19. Vienna University of Technology
  20. Montanuniversität Leoben
  21. Graz University of Technology
  22. Danube University Krems

Would you like to know the salary amount of PhD and postdoc positions in Europe? 

You can find all the available full-funded PhD positions in different countries here.