Too Public Universities in Austria for International Students 2026

Austria is an emerging study destination located in Central Europe. Despite its location, the country is quite affordable for studying and living, especially if students choose to study at public universities in Austria. 

Just like any country, Austria too has a set of public and private universities. The public universities in Austria are generally funded by the Austrian Federal Government via means of multi-year performance agreements. This makes the cost of studying in Austria for international students relatively cheaper than in other European nations. 

Some of the top public universities to study in Austria include the University of Vienna, TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology), University of Innsbruck, Graz University of Technology and the University of Graz. These universities cover subjects and courses in general, technical and medical fields. 

The general cost of studying at public universities in Austria for most courses is €726 per semester. This makes the annual sum to be paid by the international students equal to €1,450. And irrespective of the fact that whether you pay a tuition fee or not, you will stil have to pay a student union fee on entering the country, this is a mandatory fee. Along with this, you will also have to take a mandatory health insurance plan, covering you for the duration of your stay in Austria. Read this article for more details on public universities in Austria. Also read about the Austria student visa requirements. 

Top Public Universities in Austria

There are 6 major public universities in Austria (among many), namely-

1. University of Vienna
2. Graz University of Technology
3. University of Klagenfurt
4. Vienna University of Economics and Business
5. FH Kufstein Tirol - University of Applied Sciences

Check out the details on each of these government-funded universities in Austria below. Also check whether private or public universities - which are better? 

1. University of Vienna

The University of Vienna is one of the largest and oldest universities in Europe, and it was founded back in 1365. The university has over 7,400 to 7,700 academic employees, including professors, researchers, and other teaching personnel. The university offers over 185+ diverse courses for students with different needs and aspirations. The best courses offered at the University of Vienna include law, economics, social sciences, computer science and business administration. 

The doctoral programs at the University of Vienna are also one of a kind and are known for their supporting structures that help the doctoral students complete their doctoral studies in time. The university also works on implementing advanced measures to enhance academic career prospects for women, especially PhD students or postdoctoral researchers. The university also has the largest number of subjects in the teacher education field, 27 subjects. Check out other highlights of the University of Vienna below. 

2. Graz University of Technology

The Graz University of Technology is also known as TU Graz in short. The university has a proven track record in terms of teaching and research. The research conducted at TU Graz varies from basic research to industrial research, and interested research students can join any of its 7 faculties and 100 institutes based on their previous qualifications. 

TU Graz is located in the 2nd largest city of Austria, i.e. Graz, which is also considered one of the most liveable and student-friendly cities in the EU and central Europe. 

3. University of Klagenfurt

The University of Klagenfurt is located in Carinthia, Austria. The university is famous for its research work with almost 2,500+ international students enrolled to do research out of a total of 13,000+ students. The university places its students first in everything by allowing individual support for each student and a connection with its teaching staff. 

The courses at the University of Klagenfurt aim to cover futuristic topics with a strong emphasis on teaching and research. Different programs/faculty available at the University of Klagenfurt include arts, economics, humanities, law, education, management, social sciences and technical sciences. And with its every research, the university works towards finding a solution for the problems of the current times and societal challenges. 

4. Vienna University of Economics and Business

Founded in 1898, Vienna University of Economics and Business is a public-funded university in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the largest universities for business and economics studies in EU and has the triple crown accreditations, namely AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accreditations. 

Some of the popular specialisations taught at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) are Supply Chain and Business Economics. The university has a significant role in the Austrian labour market and public life as many of its reputed alumni are engaged in it. The average first year tuition fee for courses at Viena University of Economics and Business ranges from EUR 1,452 - 1,453.

5. FH Kufstein Tirol - University of Applied Sciences

Founded in 1997, FH Kufstein Tirol - University of Applied Sciences is one of the other major public universities in Austria. The average first year tuition fee of graduate courses at FH Kufstein Tiral University of Applied Sciences ranges from EUR 9,800 - 9,800. However, there is no application fee for applying to the university.

How to Apply to a Public University in Austria?

To apply to the public university, the university-college of teacher education or the institute of applied sciences in Austria, you will have to follow the steps given below. You can also check how to apply to foreign universities from India.

But, you need to note the following important points about applying to universities in Austria -

• In some cases, you need to register on the university's website with the required data, and the university will send you the specific details via email.
• You will need to download the application form from the respective university's website.
• The application deadlines of all Austrian universities for the "winter semester" are 05 September, and that for the "summer semester" is 05 February.  So, you must start applying to avoid submitting your documents and application towards the end of the application window. This is because universities take extra time when assessing international applications. So, timely submitted applications will ensure that you do not miss the starting phase of your semester. Check how to apply for September intake 2026? 

The common steps to apply to universities in Austria are- 

1. Decide which program you wish to study in Austria, then shortlist a university based on available courses and their curricula. 
2. Check the documents required for your chosen course and start collecting these documents for application in the required format. 
3. Finally, apply via the specific university's admission portal (by logging into your registered account) and submit the documents in time. The application will only be considered complete after you upload all the documents and pay the application fee (if any). 

To ensure that you get through the application and selection process in the first attempt, check how universities abroad select the "right" applicants.

Admission Requirements at Public Universities in Austria

The requirements for admission to the public universities in Austria are - 

1. For most cases, proof of German language proficiency may be required. 
2. All the required documents must be original and legalised before submission.
3. All the required documents must be either in German or English. If your documents are issued in another language, then you must get them translated legally. 
4. For some courses, Indian students may be asked to take an exam that will qualify them to take their chosen course. Some of such subjects include architecture, biology, computer science, medicine and business-related courses.   

Check how to plan your study abroad application process in the right manner. 

Reasons for Studying in Austria 2026

There are many major reasons for studying in Austria for international students. Some of such reasons include the following-

1. With its strong neighbourhood, i.e. Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, Austria offers a great deal of career to start with for its university graduates. 
2. The country also offers a very high standard of living with good education and a safe environment for students. 
3. The top universities in Austria have many English-taught courses, which further adds to the convenience of international students.
4. Public universities have relatively lower tuition fees than private ones, i.e. ~€1,500 per year, making education affordable for international students. 
5. The 12 month of post study work visa in Austria helps international graduates stay back in the country for the purpose of finding jobs without already having a job offer in hand.
6. The universities in Austria are renowned for their high-quality research, as the research component of studies is treated as an inseparable entity from teaching. Hence, research is not limited to just traditional science and technology subjects; instead, students can find good research opportunities in almost all subjects like law, medicine, social and economic sciences, humanities, mining, natural resources & natural sciences and applied life sciences. 

Cost of Studying at Public Universities in Austria

Non-EU/EEA international students need to arrange funds for 3 distinct components, all of which are mandatory to be paid components of the costs involved in studying in Austria. These three mandatory components are the tuition fee, the health insurance and the student union joining fee. 

For Indian students, the tuition fee for non-EU/EEA international students is applicable, which comes to around €726.72 per semester. The cost of Austrian Student Union membership and insurance comes to around €20 per semester. 

Cost of Living in Austria for International Students in 2026

The cost of living in Austria is pretty high, but still manageable for students. The costs are the maximum in the capital city, Vienna and other major cities like Salzburg. The average cost of living in such major cities in Austria for students can range from €850 to €1,300 per month. This cost includes your accommodation rent, monthly food budget, transportation, bills and other miscellaneous expenses. Similarly, the monthly cost of living in other cities in Austria ranges from €800 to €1,000. 

This was all about the public universities in Austria for students in 2026. For more details or assistance to study abroad, reach out to Shiksha’s Counselling Services for free.