Study Law in Austria

Austria is one of the most sought-after countries in Europe in terms of the quality of education they provide and the tuition fee at which the programs are offered to both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA candidates. The country is less crowded and hence more affordable to live in with quiet localities that can aid students in their academic endeavors. Candidates who choose to study in Austria will be able to learn about their relaxed university system which allows candidates to study at their own pace. This implies that candidates who wish to complete their programs in an accelerated fashion will be able to do so as much as candidates can take extra time to complete their current course of study.

Studying in Austria implies that candidates will have to study German since most of its population is not so fluent in English. The programs that are offered in the country are either provided in German, English, or in a blend of the two languages which will make candidates understand better if they know basic German. The country also has festivals held throughout the year which provides candidates with the opportunity of learning more about the local culture and customs than they would by merely studying in the country.

Benefits of Studying Law in Austria

The benefits of studying abroad in any country include the exposure candidates will receive while doing so. The course, curriculum, and approach to the field of study will vary from country to country and sometimes even institution to institution. The reasons for which candidates should choose to study in Austria include affordable tuition rates in public universities, the quality of education provided in the country, and even the multicultural environment that the cities and universities can provide to the candidates.

A few of the benefits of studying in Austria include-

Austria offers candidates with affordable education of high quality when it comes to programs in law. Public universities have a fixed tuition fee for EU/EEA nationals and non-EU/EEA nationals both of which are highly affordable.
Austria offers a lot of international law programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels which will help candidates work for international organizations upon completion of the course. These courses will also provide specializations in subjects like international construction law, international legal studies, etc.
Apart from LLM, Austria offers candidates multiple programs under the Faculty of Law which are mostly postgraduate programs in subjects like human rights, and gender laws which will also be beneficial for candidates when joining the workforce.

Eligibility Requirements for Law Programs in Austria

The eligibility requirements for studying a Law program in Austria will vary from university to university and from the kind of degree the candidate is applying for. But at the same time, there are documents and requirements that international candidates have to fulfill irrespective of the university they are applying to. Apart from the general documents, it is best for candidates to personally enquire at the admissions office of respective universities to know the application process to not miss any detail.

The general documents and requirements that universities have include-

A valid passport
Letters of Recommendation
Educational Transcripts
Statement of Purpose
Resume, if required
Proof of English Proficiency
Proof of German Proficiency, if required

Duration of Law Programs in Austria

The duration of Law programs in Austria varies from institution to institution and is also dependent on the program the candidate has chosen to take. The diploma programs that are offered under the faculty of law in institutions can have a duration of 8 semesters in all which will be a total of 4 years.

LLM programs, on the other hand, have a duration of only 1 year unlike similar degrees offered in other parts of the world. There are also LLM programs that take 2 years if the candidate chooses to do the course in a part-time mode. Austria also offers candidates with postgraduate courses in the field of law which will have a duration of 2 years in all.

Cost of Law Programs in Austria

The tuition fee for Law programs in Austria is dependent on the kind of university the candidate is studying in and the nationality of the candidate. Education is offered at a fixed and extremely low rate at all public universities in Austria. But at the same time, education is considerably expensive in private institutions in the country. This also runs true for the tuition fee changes that the students can observe for EU/EEA candidates and non-EU/EEA candidates.

Education is often offered free of cost to EU candidates in public universities and sometimes even for EEA candidates. At the same time, the fee that non-EU/EEA candidates have to pay per semester is around €747 irrespective of the level of degree they have chosen to do.

Top Universities for Law in Austria

Central European University
University of Vienna
University of Innsbruck
University of Graz
WU Executive Academy

Top Law Programs in Austria

LLM: Global Business Law and Regulation- CEU

This is a postgraduate level program that awards an LLM degree in Global Business Law and Regulation. It is an international law degree that is accredited by the New York State Education Department. The duration of the program is 1 academic year or 10 months in all and provides 60 ECTS credits. The areas that the program focuses on include international dispute resolution, international economic and commercial law, corporate law, and regulation, and corporate social responsibility. The fee for an LLM degree in legal studies is €13,000 per year which can be paid in two installments.

Law Diploma- University of Vienna

This program is offered at an undergraduate level and consists of 3 stages. These stages are the introductory and orientation period, private law stage, and public law stage during each of which candidates will advance their level of knowledge in law. The topics that are dealt with include criminal law, civil law, the law of civil procedure, European law, public law, tax law, protection from discrimination, etc. They also offer electives like bank and insurance law, computer and law, fundamental and human rights, legal gender rights, etc. The program has 8 semesters in all and awards 240 ECTS credits upon completion. Since it is a public university, non-EU/EEA candidates have to pay a fee of €747 per semester.

Law-Integrated Diploma Program- University of Innsbruck

This program is offered by the faculty of law and has a duration of 8 semesters in all. Candidates will be awarded 240 ECTS credits upon completion of the course. The program is split into two parts with candidates having to write the first diploma examination after the first two semesters and another second diploma examination after another six semesters. The subjects that are offered include the history of law, Roman private law, economics, philosophy of law, European law, public international law, etc. Candidates will also be able to take elective courses as part of the course.

LLM Law and Economy- University of Salzburg

This program has a duration of 2 years and has 4 semesters in all. It awards candidates with 120 ECTS credits upon completion. It is provided by the faculty of law and is under the subject area of public law. The program is offered in a full-time mode only. The subjects that candidates will have to learn as part of the course include business and economics, commercial law, company reorganization, restructuring, and succession, digitalization in law and business. Candidates will have to submit a master’s thesis as part of the course and will have the opportunity of taking electives. The course also requires candidates to give an accompanying seminar to the thesis they submit.

Diploma in Law- University of Graz

This program has a duration of 4 years in all which is spread across 8 semesters. Candidates will be awarded 240 ECTS credits upon completion of the course and the program is taught in German. It is a full-time program that is offered to candidates who are interested in socio-political issues and are good at expressiveness especially in writing. Candidates must have a creative approach to problems and must be analytical. They should also be able to work under pressure and be able to deal with a lot of paperwork.

LLM Digitalization and Tax Law- WU Executive Academy

The program is offered in English and has a duration of 12 months in all. It is provided in part-time mode and is offered in the city of Vienna. The contents of the course include fundamentals of income tax law, international tax law, transfer pricing, data science, artificial intelligence for tax and trade, process mining for VAT, process mining and process automation, business process management, etc. The fee for the program is €22,000.

Career Options for Law Graduates in Austria

Candidates who have completed their legal education will be able to find jobs in Austria based on the level of education they have, their English language skills, social competence, entrepreneurial spirit, and other qualities they exhibit within the profession. Most candidates will have to start as a trainee or an intern and then will be able to practice as an independent lawyer in the country.

A few of the career options candidates can take up after completing legal studies are-

Legal Analyst
Legal Journalist
Legal Advisor
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer
Legal Project Manager
Internationalization Partner

Practicing Law in Austria for Internationals

Candidates who are EU/EEA nationals will be able to provide legal services in Austria. The candidate will be able to have an office in the country but will be provided only a limited scope of activities. This will be based on the principle of freedom of services where they will be able to deal with only a limited number of cases.

In another scenario, they will be allowed to practice law if they are part of an establishment that takes constant advice from an Austrian lawyer. The candidate is required to pass an exam to get the title of a Rechtsanwalt or they will have to practice Austrian law for 3 years for the same.