Free Education for International Students in Austria

Candidates who wish to study abroad and are considering moving to Europe will be able to choose Austria for a number of reasons. Education in Austria, when compared to most other countries in Europe, is relatively cheaper and affordable for international candidates. The country also offers candidates with enough and more options regarding the courses and programs they want to take.

The country is less populated than the UK which is a hub for international students. Though most students might want to live and study in London, the living costs and educational costs this place incurs along with the hustle and bustle of the city can seem intimidating for an international student. With respect to such factors, Austria provides candidates with the option of living in a less polluted, relaxed, and quiet experience. They will also be able to learn German since that is the commonly spoken language in the country.

While education is cheap in Austria, this is dependent on the kind of university and the kind of program the candidate opts for. Candidates who do their research and find the right institution will be able to study for free even if there is a nominal fee to be paid if they apply for scholarships and grants.

General Cost of Studying in Austria

The general cost of studying in Austria is dependent on different factors. The factors that reflect upon the cost include which sector the university belongs to, which program the candidate has chosen, and even the program level of the chosen course. The types of higher education institutions in Austria include universities, universities of arts, private universities, universities of applied sciences, and university colleges of teacher education. These five types of institutions are administered by the Federal Minister of Science and Research, and the Federal Minister for Education, the Arts, and Culture.

The tuition fee that candidates have to pay is mostly dependent on the nationality of the candidate. Candidates who are from the EU/EEA and Switzerland will have a different fee when compared to the students from non-EU/EEA countries. This is only in respect to public universities since private universities tend to charge international students similarly.

Fee for EU, EEA, and Switzerland Students

Candidates who are from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland will have to pay no fee if they have enrolled in the public university. This is applicable only for students who have taken up full-time programs. Even though they do not have to pay a tuition fee, they will have an application fee to pay during the admission period along with a membership fee and insurance fee. This can amount to € 20 every semester.

Fee for non-EU/EEA Students

Non-EU/EEA students will have to pay a different amount as their fee depending on whether they are from developing countries or developed countries. Though this fee will not differ by huge margins, it can seem substantial to international students. This runs true especially when some public universities offer higher education for free to students from developing countries. Private universities similarly charge all international students, though public universities offer a subsidized rate for the same.

Public universities will require candidates to pay € 20 per semester as the insurance plus membership fee. Along with this, the estimated amount that candidates will have to pay every semester as the tuition fee is around € 727.

Fee for Private University Students

When compared to public universities, private universities charge a high amount as the tuition fee for various programs. But if candidates are to compare the rates with other countries, they will be surprised to find that the tuition fee is relatively less. The tuition fee in private universities varies from institution to institution and is based on the course the candidate is applying for.

The estimated range of tuition fees as charged by private universities is from €2,500 to €20,000 every year. Candidates who take up more specialized courses might have to pay as much as €30,000 every year.

Who Can Receive Free Education in Austria?

The fee that students have to pay in Austria is mainly dependent on their nationality. Candidates who are from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland will be able to receive free education in most of the public universities in Austria. This is also true for the nationals from developing countries that have been listed by the Austrian government. A few of the countries listed as developing countries are-

Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Afghanistan
Angola
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Djibouti
Liberia
Lesotho
Yemen

The fee that candidates who are not from EU/EEA countries or developing nations will have to pay is a nominal fee of € 1,364 per year in public universities.

List of Universities Offering Free Education

A few of the public universities that offer free education for most students and provide relatively cheaper education for the rest of the students are-

FH Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences

This university was founded in the year 1989 and has a student population above 1,300. The degree courses they provide fall under the fields of Business Administration, Engineering and Technology, Design, Social Work, and Health. The courses that are offered under these fields include International Business, Accounting, Control and Finance, International Marketing and Sales, Computer Science, Mechatronics, etc. The university is one of the institutions that offer free education to both domestic and international candidates based on their nationality. The university also provides candidates with the option of several scholarships and grants. All candidates will have to pay a membership fee of € 20 every semester.

The programs here are offered free for all students.

University of Vienna

This university was founded in the year 1365 and offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs. The campus has a population of above 90,000 students in over 179 programs. They take in over 2,000 candidates every year for exchange programs. It is one of the cheapest universities in Austria for international students. All candidates have to pay a membership fee of € 20 every semester.

The programs in this university are free for candidates from EU/EEA countries and developing countries. Candidates who are from non-eligible countries will have to pay a fee of only €1,300 per year.

University of Salzburg

This university was founded in the year 1622 and though it was closed sometime during the 19th century, it was reopened in 1962. This university offers courses in over 30 different fields ranging from Theology to Natural Sciences and Humanities. The four general divisions in the university are that of Catholic Theology, Law, Humanities, and Natural Sciences. It has a student population of over 18,000. All candidates have to pay a membership fee of € 20 every semester.

The programs in this university are free for EU candidates only. Other candidates have to pay a fee of € 1,364 per year.

University of Klagenfurt

This university was established in the year 1970 and offers programs in the fields of humanities, social sciences, management, technical sciences, etc. It has a student population of over 11,000 students with above 700 candidates being doctoral students. They offer programs at undergraduate, graduate, and research levels.

The programs offered here are free for EU/EEA and Switzerland citizens. Other candidates have to pay a fee of € 363 every semester. All candidates have to pay a membership fee of € 20.

Johannes Kepler University Linz

This university was established in the year 1966 and has a student population of over 19,000 students. Unlike other public universities in Austria, this university has a close-knit campus that is not spread across a lot of space. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and research programs in fields like law, social science, medicine, and business.

The programs offered in this campus are free for students from the EU and those from developing countries. Other candidates are required to pay a fee of € 1,364 per year.

Medical University of Graz

This university was established quite recently in the year 2004 and has a student population of over 4,000 which is less when compared to the other public universities in the country. They offer degree programs in medicine, nursing, dentistry, interprofessional health care studies, etc. They also offer research opportunities to candidates in the fields of medicine, life sciences, and nursing science.

The programs offered by this university are free of cost to students from the EU and those from developing countries. Other candidates are required to pay € 1,364 per year as the tuition fee.

University of Innsbruck

This public university in Innsbruck was founded in the year 1669 and is one of the oldest universities in the country. It has a student population of more than 27,000 students making it the third-largest educational facility in Austria. They offer courses in the fields of architecture, biology, chemistry, pharmacy, economics, statistics, education, geography, political sciences, sociology, management, etc. It is considered to be one of the cheapest universities in the country offering the best quality education.

Like most public universities, the programs offered here are free of cost for EU candidates and students coming from developing countries. The fee that other candidates have to pay is estimated to be around € 1,364 per year.

University of Leoben

The University of Leoben was founded in the year 1840 with a focus on the fields of mining and metallurgy. It has a student population of over 4,000 students only which is relatively less when compared to other public universities. The departments in the university are based on the fields of physical chemistry, polymer engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, mineral resources and petroleum, product engineering, economics, etc.

The programs offered in the university, like a few other public universities, offer free education for candidates from EU and developing countries as long as their country is listed as a developing country by the Austrian government. Other students will have to pay a nominal fee of € 1,364 per year as their tuition fee.