In Austria, not every degree is open to everyone who applies. For some subjects, universities can set an entrance examination (Aufnahmeverfahren) before you are admitted, or a selection process during your first two semesters. The key thing to understand is that admission is handled by each institution, not by a central office. The OeAD does not process study applications, and there is no central application portal.
Which programmes can have an entrance exam or selection process?
The Austrian national register records an entrance examination field for each programme. For some degrees the entry may be “none”; for others it can be a motivation letter, an interview or an aptitude test.
Universities may impose admission restrictions in subjects such as architecture, biology, business, computer science, medicine, dentistry and psychology. Where this happens, you either sit an entrance examination before admission or go through a selection process within your first two semesters after enrolling.
You can check the entrance examination field for any programme in our directory. Find programmes and look for the entrance exam field before you assume a place is yours for the taking.
How universities of applied sciences run their entrance procedure
At universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen), all applicants go through an entrance procedure. The format differs from programme to programme, but typically it works like this:
- You submit written documents as part of your application.
- You sit written or oral tests.
- You take part in an interview.
Because the procedure is programme-specific, the requirements and dates vary. Check directly with the institution you want to attend.
Deadlines are not always the standard ones
At public universities, the general application deadline for most bachelor’s programmes is 5 September for the winter semester and 5 February for the summer semester. But programmes with entrance examinations, such as at medical universities, universities of the arts and universities of applied sciences, have their own application deadlines, special requirements and examination dates.
Some institutions publish separate registration periods. At TU Wien, for example, the bachelor’s programmes in computer science, architecture and spatial planning have a separate registration period and a ranking test. The University of Vienna sets separate application and admission periods for degree programmes with an entrance exam or aptitude test procedure.
Applicants from outside the EU/EEA can also face different deadlines. Browse universities to see which institutions offer your subject, then confirm the date with them.
What the entrance exam means for your residence permit
If an entrance examination is required, the university can issue a conditional admission decision on application. With that document, a non-EU applicant can apply for the Residence Permit, Student at the Austrian representation. A visa D, valid four months, then allows you to travel to Austria to sit the examination.
After you pass the entrance examination, you submit the definite admission decision, proof of financial means and proof of accommodation to the residence authority in Austria. The residence authority decides on permits; the institution decides on admission. For the current application fee and processing time, check oesterreich.gv.at and migration.gv.at rather than relying on second-hand figures.
Costs to keep in mind while you prepare
The student union fee (ÖH-Beitrag) is EUR 26.20 per semester and is compulsory for all students. At public universities, EU/EEA students pay no tuition only within the standard duration of the programme plus two semesters; most other students pay EUR 726.72 per semester.
If you are from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland and plan to stay more than six months, you need a Residence Permit, Student. The application fee on oesterreich.gv.at is EUR 218, and the authority decides within 90 days. Those figures are as of the current wording on that page; confirm them before you apply.
How to check a programme before you rely on it
Our directory lists 65 Austrian higher education institutions and 589 programmes with English among their languages of instruction, imported from the Austrian national register (BMFWF open data and studienwahl.at). Of those, 455 are taught in English only and the rest in German and English.
Programmes and fees in the directory come from the Austrian national register as of October 2026, and readers must confirm them with the institution. The same applies to entrance examination requirements and fees: always confirm the current details with the university or university of applied sciences you are applying to.
To see the full list of institutions, go to All universities in Austria. For official application and admission information, use studyinaustria.at, oesterreich.gv.at, oead.at and migration.gv.at.
Sources
- OeAD, application and admission
- OeAD, residence permit, student (no mobility)
- TU Wien, academic calendar
- University of Vienna, application and admission periods
- oesterreich.gv.at, admission of foreign students
- oesterreich.gv.at, residence permit, student
- Study in Austria, tuition
- Austrian national register (BMFWF open data and studienwahl.at)
Frequently asked questions
Which subjects in Austria have an entrance exam?
Universities may set admission restrictions in subjects such as architecture, biology, business, computer science, medicine, dentistry and psychology. The restriction can be an entrance examination before admission or a selection process in your first two semesters. Check the entrance examination field for each programme in the national register and confirm with the institution.
Can I get a student visa before I pass the entrance exam?
Yes, in a limited way. If an entrance exam is required, the university can issue a conditional admission decision on application. With that, a non-EU applicant can apply for the Residence Permit, Student at the Austrian representation, and a visa D valid four months lets you travel to sit the exam. After you pass, you submit the definite admission decision and proof of financial means and accommodation to the residence authority in Austria.
What happens at a university of applied sciences entrance procedure?
All applicants go through an entrance procedure that differs from programme to programme. Usually you submit written documents, sit written or oral tests and take part in an interview. The institution sets the requirements and dates, so confirm them directly.
Are entrance exam deadlines the same as normal application deadlines?
Not always. The general deadline at public universities for most bachelor’s programmes is 5 September for the winter semester and 5 February for the summer semester, but programmes with entrance exams, such as at medical universities, universities of the arts and universities of applied sciences, have their own deadlines, requirements and exam dates. Some institutions, such as TU Wien and the University of Vienna, publish separate periods for certain programmes.