JAM MUSIC LAB Private University for Jazz and Popular Music Vienna

JAM MUSIC LAB Private University for Jazz and Popular Music Vienna is a private university in Vienna, based in the Music City Gasometer in the 11th district. It focuses on jazz and popular music, and the name tells you most of what you need to know about the place.

The institution started life as a conservatory, founded in June 2011 by Marcus Ratka, Joe Valentin and Andy Bartosh. It was granted public status in March 2012, gained permanent public status in June 2014, and received accreditation as a private university in January 2017. That made it the 13th private university in Austria and the 3rd with a focus on music and arts.

Teaching is built around an artistic major, with Music Education (IGP) and Media Music (Film Scoring and Music Production) among the subjects. The offer includes four-year bachelor studies and two-year master studies that follow them. Degrees awarded are the Bachelor of Arts in Music, Master of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Master of Arts in Music Education. Anyone applying has to pass a special entrance exam, and a preliminary course is offered to help prepare for it.

The Austrian study programme register lists the institution as a Privatuniversität, a private university, seated in Vienna. It records 6 programmes of all kinds and languages, of which 2 are English-taught: 1 bachelor's degree and 1 PhD or doctorate. The register also lists Business Administration among the subjects taught.

For an international student, the practical points are these. You apply directly to the institution, which sets its own application period and entrance procedure, so check its website for the dates and the audition or exam requirements. Students from outside the EU/EEA need a Residence Permit for Students. At public universities, EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters, most others pay a per-semester fee, and every student pays the student union fee. As a private university, JAM MUSIC LAB sets its own tuition, so ask about costs before you apply.