Austria has no official government star rating for universities. Instead, the state evaluates higher education institutions on an ongoing basis, and all institutions follow national rules on teacher qualifications, degree structures and examinations. None of that is a star rating.
To make comparison easier, AustriaUniversities shows an editorial 1-to-6 star band. It is not a government score and not a separate judgement: it is a readable summary of our composite score, which is built from published figures: QS World position where one exists, the number of English-taught programmes and the variety of subjects. Full weights are on our ranking methodology page. Because it measures reputation and breadth, a small specialist institution can score low and still be excellent at what it does.
The six tiers
| Tier | Rating | Score range |
|---|---|---|
| 6/6 | Top band | Composite score of 78 or more. |
| 5/6 | Upper band | Composite score of 64 to under 78. |
| 4/6 | Upper-middle band | Composite score of 50 to under 64. |
| 3/6 | Middle band | Composite score of 36 to under 50. |
| 2/6 | Lower-middle band | Composite score of 22 to under 36. |
| 1/6 | Lowest band | Composite score under 22. |
What the star rating reflects
- QS World position, only where the institution has one.
- Programme breadth, how many English-taught degree programmes the institution lists in the national register.
- Subject variety, how many different subject areas those programmes cover.
It does not measure teaching quality, graduate outcomes or student satisfaction.
How we use it
On AustriaUniversities, a university’s star rating appears on its profile as e.g. “Star rating 6/6 ★”. It is one signal in our ranking methodology, built on QS World positions, programme breadth and subject variety. Always confirm a programme’s status and requirements with the institution directly.
Browse Austrian universities
Browse top universities