University of Graz

The University of Graz is a public university in Graz, the seat named in the Austrian national register. Wikipedia calls it the largest public research university in Styria and the second oldest university in Austria. Its name comes from Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria and Francis I of Austria. It was founded on 1 January 1585 by Archduke Charles II, and the foundation charter was presented in 1586 in the Graz parish church of St. Ägidius, today's Graz Cathedral. The Faculty of Medicine became the separate Medical University of Graz on 1 January 2004 under the University Act 2002.

The early plan was for a university under Jesuit leadership, starting with two faculties, Theology and Arts. The lecture halls moved in 1607 to the building on the corner of Hofgasse and Bürgergasse, still known as the Old University. The Jesuits blocked a law and medical faculty for more than a century. After the Jesuit Order was abolished in 1773 the state took over, and the Faculty of Law followed in 1778. In 1782 the university was turned into a lyceum and lost most of its privileges. Francis I re-established it in 1827, which is where the old name Karl-Franzens-Universität comes from. A medical faculty arrived in 1863. Before the First World War researchers including Ernst Mach and Ludwig Boltzmann worked here, and Victor Franz Hess took his doctorate here in 1906. Seraphine Puchleitner was the first woman admitted to study, in 1898.

The register lists 166 programmes of all kinds and languages at the University of Graz, and 35 of them are taught in English: 2 Bachelor's, 28 Master's and 5 PhD or doctorate. The English-taught subjects span Sustainable Development, Computer Science and IT, Chemistry, Linguistics, Philosophy, Economics, Curriculum and Instruction, Education, Science, Biotechnology, Geology, Area Studies, Sociology and Translation and Interpretation.

For an international student, the practical points are these. You apply directly to the university, which sets its own application period and entrance procedure, so check its website rather than assuming a central deadline. Students from outside the EU and EEA need a Residence Permit for Students. At public universities, EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration of study plus two semesters, and most other students pay a per-semester fee. Every student also pays the student union fee.