Master in Aviation

Master in Aviation is one of 24 English-taught Engineering programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 13 institutions. 24 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 727 to EUR 1,453; this programme lists EUR 727 a year. 16 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters.

FH JOANNEUM's Aviation master is a full-time, English-taught degree at the Graz campus, run by the Institute of Aviation within the Department of Engineering. It takes four semesters and 120 ECTS and leads to a Master of Science in Engineering (MSc). The programme is interdisciplinary: it brings together the latest technologies, management and sustainable aviation.

What you study

The course covers the whole spread of aviation topics, from aircraft to air traffic operations and management. FH JOANNEUM says it is the only university in Austria to cover that full range, and has done so since 2001. Teaching happens in modern labs, and research activity runs from aircraft and drone construction to aerodynamics, aircraft electronics, flight control and flight simulation. Master students join the research team.

You shape your own direction from the first semester through a catalogue of elective subjects, which the programme describes as giving you a head start over more fixed curricula. Projects you may come across include IRON LIQORNE, a test rig for a liquid hydrogen fuel system, the RTCWinMoSt project on thermoplastic composite wing structures, and AIRlabs Austria, which sets up test sites for unpiloted aerial systems.

How the programme is organised

Study is full-time over four semesters. An internship is part of the programme, and there is a master thesis at the end. The department also runs the joanneum Aeronautics team, where students design and build aircraft and enter them in competitions around the world; involvement is open across all aviation disciplines. The programme is the natural follow-on to the bachelor course in Aviation at the same institution.

Who it suits

It fits graduates who want to work in the international aviation industry and who like the mix of engineering, operations and management. Because you pick electives early, it rewards students who already have a rough idea where they want to go, whether that is aircraft, drones, air traffic or sustainability. Joining research projects and the aeronautics team suits people who want hands-on work alongside lectures.

Admission, language and next steps

You apply and go through an admissions procedure before starting. There is no central application portal: you apply directly to FH JOANNEUM, and its programme page gives the application period and the dates. Teaching is in English. The programme page lists the head of degree programme, the curriculum and contact details, so check those for the exact admission requirements. As a university of applied sciences, FH JOANNEUM sets its own tuition fee; the programme page shows the amount per semester.

The interdisciplinary Master’s course focuses on the latest technologies, innovative management and sustainable aviation. You can also contribute your knowledge to our ‘joanneum Aeronautics’ team which enters its self-built aircraft into competitions across the world. This will provide you with the ideal basis for launching a career in the international aviation industry.

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences. Universities of applied sciences set their own application periods and admission procedures, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: Admission procedure. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.