In order to be permitted to study in Austria, certain admission requirements must be met. These may include general university entrance qualifications or a relevant professional qualification, which often requires additional examinations. For admission to a master’s programme, a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification from an Austrian or foreign higher education institution must have been completed.
The general university entrance qualification (allgemeine Universitätsreife) may be demonstrated through one of the following:
- An Austrian school-leaving certificate (Maturazeugnis from an AHS or BHS) or a certificate from a vocational matriculation examination (Berufsreifeprüfung)
- A university entrance examination (Studienberechtigungsprüfung) for a specific field of study
- A foreign certificate that is:
- recognised under an international agreement,
- deemed equivalent through nostrification (Nostrifikation), or
- recognised as equivalent by the university (e.g. IB Diploma, European Baccalaureate/Abitur)
- Completion of a post-secondary degree programme lasting at least three years at a recognised Austrian or foreign institution
Additional language requirements (e.g. German language skills at level B2 or C1) may also apply, particularly for universities of applied sciences