Bachelor in Artificial Intelligence

Bachelor in Artificial Intelligence is one of 3 English-taught Artificial Intelligence programmes at bachelor’s level in the register, offered by 3 institutions. 3 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 1,453 a year. 2 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters.

The JKU in Linz offers a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence taught in English. It runs over six semesters and carries 180 ECTS. The programme page calls it one of Europe's first AI degree programmes, and says it has grown into a research-oriented, internationally focused degree.

What you study

The curriculum mixes computer science, mathematics and the core fields of AI. On the computer science side you learn Python programming and get a base understanding of algorithms and data structures. Mathematics is treated as an integral part of the degree and the prerequisite for developing AI algorithms.

Specific AI topics named on the page include machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, language processing and large language models, reinforcement learning, knowledge representation, logics, image processing and intelligent decision-making. The core subject areas are:

• Computer Science: Python, algorithms, data structures.
• Mathematics: the core maths needed to understand and build AI algorithms.
• Fundamentals of AI and applied approaches: hands-on courses and internships aimed at real-world problems.
• AI and Society: how smart machines interact with people, including an in-depth look at the dangers of AI.
• Data Science: analysing and describing data with statistics, maths and computer science.
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: how a machine stores knowledge, draws logical conclusions and solves logical problems.
• Machine Learning and Perception: detecting patterns in data, learning from data to make decisions, and exploring surroundings.

The page also lists what graduates can do: approach complex tasks methodically, select and adapt AI and machine learning methods, install and run the programs, choose and optimise parameters, and assess results in terms of performance, computational complexity, memory complexity, robustness, security and hardware requirements. Teamwork runs through the programme; you present concepts and findings together with classmates.

How the programme is organised

Study is full-time. New students begin with the Studies Introduction and Orientation Phase (StEOP), a set of courses set out in the curriculum. Until you complete the StEOP courses, credit for other courses you take is limited.

The main place of study is Linz, where professors teach in lecture halls. The programme can also be combined with distance learning elements, and courses are offered at the JKU's Distance Studies Centers in Vienna and Bregenz, broadcast by video conference or live stream. Most courses can be taken in Vienna, but some presence in Linz is necessary because space there is limited, for example for exams. Exams can be sat in Linz, Vienna or Bregenz. It is not a remote programme: you come to Linz for admission and enrolment, some courses require personal attendance, and all midterm and final exams are taken on site.

The page mentions optional preparation courses before you start and a mentoring programme in which faculty meet small groups of new students.

Who it suits

This is for someone who wants to build intelligent systems rather than just use them. You should be comfortable with maths and programming, or willing to get there, since both carry real weight from the start. The programme suits students who like hands-on work: courses and internships focus on addressing real-world problems, and you program solutions yourself. It also suits people who want to think about the social side of AI, since AI and Society is a named subject area. The page notes that AI experts are sought after by industrial companies and businesses, and that a Master's programme builds on the Bachelor's material.

Admission, language and next steps

You need general higher education entrance qualifications, such as an Austrian Matura diploma, and English at level B2. The teaching language is English. Apply through the JKU application page; there is no central portal, and the institution's own page gives the application period. After admission you register to enrol and pay any tuition fees plus the mandatory Austrian Student Union fee. At a public university, EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters; other students pay a fee per semester.

To get a feel for it, the JKU runs a Study for a Day scheme where you visit campus, attend a class and meet a student. The curriculum and degree programme brochure are linked from the programme page.

Students receive a solid education in computer science and mathematics as well as in core areas of artificial intelligence: computer science, mathematics, AI basics and practical work, AI and society, data science, knowledge representation and reasoning, machine learning and perception.

Als Fernstudium möglich

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here Johannes Kepler University Linz. For most bachelor’s programmes at public universities the general application period ends on 5 September for the winter semester and on 5 February for the summer semester. The dates are earlier for applicants from outside the EU/EEA and for programmes with an entrance procedure, so confirm the exact date on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: No. 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.