Universities in Austria

Located in central Europe, Austria shares borders with several countries including Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. With low tuition fees, stunning scenery and lots to explore, Austria is a popular destination for international students.

The types of University

There are three main types of university in Austria:

• Public University (Universitäten) – Known as federal universities in Austria, public universities receive their funding from the Austrian government and offer a wide range of degree courses to their students. They are often research-led and examples include the University of Salzburg, the University of Graz and the University of Vienna.
• Private University (Privatuniversitäten) – These institutions do not receive funding from the government and examples include the Danube Private University, Anton Bruckner Private University and Webster Vienna Private University.
• University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen/FH) – whose focus is on the practical application of subjects, helping students prepare for careers in the workplace. Examples of these in Austria include St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and Campus 02 University of Applied Sciences.

Language of tuition

The official national language of Austria is German. Universities in Austria tend to offer their courses taught in German, but many also offer their courses taught in English, for example the University of Graz, which offers many of their bachelor’s degrees taught in English.

Popular Austrian cities for international students

• Vienna – Situated on the Danube River on the east of the country, Vienna is the capital city and most populated city of Austria. A very pretty city that is hugely popular for tourism, Vienna is also host to many of the universities in the country including:
  
  Public universities, including:
  
  – University of Vienna
  – TU Wien
  – Medical University of Vienna
  
  Private universities, including:
  
  – Modul University Vienna
  – Central European University
  – Webster Vienna Private University
  
  Universities of applied science, including:
  
  – Lauder Business School
  – University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien
  – FH Campus Wien

• Graz – Located in southern Austria, Graz benefits from a historical old town that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with a city full of modern architecture. Graz is known for its student population, and is home to several universities including the University of Graz, Medical University of Graz and Graz University of Technology.

• Innsbruck – Located in the west of Austria amongst the Alps mountain range, Innsbruck is synonymous with winter sports, but it is also a popular destination for international students, with several universities including the University of Innsbruck and the Medical University of Innsbruck.
  
• Salzburg – Bordering Germany in the west of Austria, Salzburg is known for its association with music and the arts and its famous UNESCO World Heritage Site old town. Salzburg is a good city for students, with several universities including the University of Salzburg, Mozarteum University Salzburg and Salzburg College.

• Linz – The third most populated city in the country, located in the north of Austria, Linz has a historical old town and is well known for its culture of music and arts. Linz is home to universities such as Johannes Kepler University Linz, Catholic Theological University Linz and University of Arts and Industrial Design Linz.

The top universities in Austria

Austria is home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities, and many of them regularly feature in world university rankings.

Some of these include the University of Vienna, Medical University of Graz, TU Wien and Medical University of Innsbruck.

Table of the top ranked universities in Austria

We have compiled a list of some of the top universities and higher education providers in Austria to browse below. Click on universities you are interested in below to read more and to see what courses are available for international students.