Study in Austria

Study in Austria

ABOUT AUSTRIA

Located in the southern part of Central Europe and Eastern Alps, the Republic of Austria is a landlocked country with 9 federal states. It shares its borders with Germany in the northwest, Czech Republic in the north, Slovakia to its northeast, Hungary to its east, Slovenia and Italy to its south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to its west. Australia experiences a continental climate with warm and wet summers while cold and dry winters. Although its capital Vienna has been a significant city for many historic international conferences, cities such as Graz, Linz and Salzburg have always been a choice for students to study and enjoy the country’s beauty. Austria has also been consistent in ranking among the top 20 richest countries in the world by GDP per capita. It also shares very high international rankings when it comes to standards of living and human development index. Austria holds major diplomatic positions in the United Nations, European Union, OSCE, OPEC, OECD and the Interpol. Study in Austria

 

HIGHER EDUCATION STRUCTURE 

The higher education system in Austria can be best described as a combination of three different cycles. They are:

The Bachelor’s or the first cycle: Austria provides a variety of programs for a bachelor’s degree which include arts, humanities, economics, engineering, law, medical, social sciences, teacher training and veterinary. The degree may usually take upto 3-4 years to complete depending on the course.

Requirement to study Bachelor’s in Austria: 

  • Successful completion of class 12 with 60% and above
  • Proof of German proficiency

Master’s or the second cycle: After the successful completion of their bachelor’s degree, students may avail a variety of master’s courses that country provides based on their subject of interest. These include arts, humanities, technology, natural sciences, economics and social sciences. While the degree may take upto 1-2 years to complete depending on the course, students are often taught through seminars, exercises, practical workshops, field trips and research. These help them to not only prepare for a professional career but also an academic career if they choose to.

Requirement to study Master’s in Austria: 

  • Successful completion of class 12 with 60% and above
  • Successful completion of bachelor’s with 60% and above
  • Proof of German proficiency

Doctoral degree or the third cycle: After the successful completion of their master’s, students can also apply for a doctoral degree in Austria which all public and private universities offer in the country. Students are given the opportunity to conduct independent research under academic supervision which later they will have to defend in front of a panel of experts appointed by the university. While the degree may take upto 3 years to complete, students are also given financial grants that will help them sustain themselves in the country.

Requirement to study PhD in Austria: 

  • Successful completion of class 12 with 60% and above
  • Successful completion of bachelor’s with 60% and above
  • Successful completion of master’s with 60% and above
  • Independent research idea
  • Proof of German proficiency

Although the tuition may depend from university to university, students may likely have to pay between EUR 3000 – 23000 (around INR 250000 – 1900000) per year. In addition, since Austria provides a very high quality of life it might be very expensive for students to live in the country. While overall costs of living in cities like Linz and Granz may range from EUR 900 – 1000 (around INR 75000 – 83000) for a month, Vienna and Salzburg may cost upto EUR 1300 (around INR 100000) each month.

 

WORK OPPORTUNITIES 

Austrian Student visa allows international students to work upto 20 hours a week which can be distributed as per the student’s study schedule and capacity. Students are likely to find jobs in tutoring a foreign language, restaurants, bartending, delivery, store clerks, cashiers, hotels and a lot more in the service sector. Their salary will likely range from EUR 800 – 1000 (around INR 60000 – 83000)  per month. Students may also find themselves in internships that will not only reward them financially but also add up to their professional experience. However, since studying in a university takes quite a bit of time, students can also choose to find employment opportunities in the University itself. These include jobs in faculty administration, international student branch, roles in many associations and the library.

Austria also allows students to work or start a business after they finish their degree. Students can also apply for a visa extension for upto12 months after they graduate from the university. After they do find a job.,they can apply for a Red White Card which will temporarily allow them to reside for 24 months in the country. Post its expiry, they can apply for a plus card not only extends their stay but also entitles them to labour market access both as self employed or an employed person.

 

VISA REQUIREMENT 

To receive an Austrian student visa, students must show:

  • A letter of acceptance from the university
  • A valid passport that does not expire within 3 months
  • Proof of enough finance to sustain their stay in the country
  • Proof of health insurance

 

SCHOLARSHIP

While universities have their own set of fundings, the government itself also provides a number of scholarships for students to fund their studies in the country. For more information, you can visit our blog on Austrian scholarships.