American International School Vienna

The American International School Vienna (AISV) was founded in 1959 and offers an American educational system with an international focus, and the IB programme is available for grades 11-12. The school is attended by 800 students of 60 nationalities, ages 4–18.

Although classes are conducted in English, AISV is open to non-native speakers of English, as EAL (English as an additional language) classes are offered for 35-45 minutes each day during primary school. Students with intermediate language skills also receive help with learning English when they enter Year 7 or 8, but older students must demonstrate an advanced level. The school also offers a German language instruction for students of all ages, and French and Spanish from the seventh grade.

For the academic year of 2023-2024, tuition at American International School Vienna will range from EUR 20,677 to EUR 24,217. This fee includes a laptop that is provided to each student to use in lessons and for homework preparation.

The fees for meals and transportation are not included in the school fees, as school lunches and transfers are provided by outsourcing companies that invoice the parents themselves. There is also a non-refundable application fee of EUR 600 for enrolling and a reservation fee of EUR 3,000, as well as a one-time entry fee of EUR 3,300 and a capital fee of EUR 6,600.

Vienna International School

Vienna International School was founded back in 1955 and was awarded the status of the first international eco-school in Austria in 2017. It has around 1,400 students of 100 nationalities aged 3 to 19, from all over the world. Classes are taught in English, and German is also offered to all grades, as well as French or Spanish as a second foreign language that is introduced from the sixth grade.

For the school year of 2022-2023, the tuition fee (from primary school to grade 12) is EUR 20,304-24,012. Upon enrolment, a deposit of EUR 530, an enrolment fee of EUR 550, an entrance fee of EUR 4,990, a capital fee of EUR 4,280 (or EUR 2,990 for employees of the Vienna-based UN organisations (VBOs) or diplomatic corps) must also be paid.

Additional expenses may also be incurred — if you wish to take an English Language Acquisition (ELA) course you have to pay EUR 710 per semester, and Learning Support Fees for children with special needs will cost EUR 545 per semester. If the child's parents work for the VBO or the Diplomatic Corps, they are exempt from these fees.

In 2023-2024, the tuition fee will increase to between EUR 21,912–26,988, and the deposit will cost EUR 575. The registration fee will also increase to EUR 600, as well as the admission fee at EUR 5,400 and the capital fee of EUR 4,620 (EUR 3,230 for employees of the VBO or the Diplomatic Corps). The ELA and Learning Support Fees will be EUR 800 and EUR 545 per semester. A fee of EUR 48,000 for individual tuition will also be introduced in the new academic year.

No financial aid or scholarships will be provided by Vienna International School. Parents must also make their own purchases of a study notebook for students in years 4 to 12.

Lycée Français de Vienne

Lycée Français de Vienne offers the French Ministry of Education programme (classes in French) and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research of Austria programme (in German). The school has 1,850 students of 85 nationalities, aged 3–18. The annual fee for the academic year of 2022-2023 at the Lycée Français de Vienne is EUR 5,630, the boarding fee is between EUR 1,521–1,566 and the examination fee is EUR 35–250.

If several children from the same family attend the school, they can take advantage of a discount of 30% for the third child and 50% for the fourth and each subsequent child. Lycée Français de Vienne also offers various scholarships and support from its solidarity foundation for families in financial difficulties. For instance, the AEFE scholarship for French nationals will cover all tuition fees, board, examination fees and entrance fees.

Higher education in Vienna: costs for foreigners in 2023

Public universities in Vienna offer free education for citizens of Austria, Switzerland and the EU countries. For full-time study students and those within the framework of exchange programmes, only have to pay about EUR 21 per semester for their membership in the student union, which also includes the accident insurance fee.

For enrolments from other countries, the average tuition fee is approximately EUR 727 per semester. Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) set their own fees, which are normally EUR 363 per semester for EU and Swiss nationals and EUR 727–7,500 for other foreigners. Prices for private universities in Vienna for international students range from EUR 3,000 to EUR 23,000 per year on average, and some study programmes can cost more than EUR 35,000 per year.

Scholarships and Grants for foreigners at Universities in Vienna

In Austria, about 1,200 different scholarships and grants are available for foreign students (bachelors, masters, doctorates and researchers). These are mainly provided by the Austrian Agency for International Mobility and Cooperation in Education, Science and Research (OeAD), but also by various foundations and international organizations (UN, IAEA) or the universities themselves.

As a rule, a student must submit an application in order to receive such financial support. A list of available research grants and scholarships can be found on the website of Austria's largest database of scholarships and research grants for all academic fields at grants.at.

The number of scholarships and grants available depends on the future professional field. The most support options are available to students in fields such as chemistry, physics, biology and medical research, while humanities students have the least chance of becoming a scholarship holder.

Grants are often given for a specific period of time: for writing a research paper or for conducting research, while scholarships are given for 1-2 semesters. A scholarship may fully or partially cover the cost of tuition or work/research travel, in the form of monthly payments or as a lump sum for a specific purpose.

TOP 5 Universities for foreigners in Vienna

Our selection includes the largest public universities in Vienna, which offer a wide range of educational programmes and offer free tuition to a number of countries.

University of Vienna

The University of Vienna is a public university which has been operating since 1365 and is among the oldest and largest universities in Europe. It has about 89,000 students in 184 degree programmes (Bachelor's, Master's, Diploma and Doctoral). It is also the largest teaching university in Austria, offering 28 teaching subjects/specialties.

Approximately a quarter of the students at the University of Vienna are foreigners, with more than 2,700 exchange students accepted every year.

For EU/EEA/Swiss nationals, study is free of charge for the standard duration of the curriculum and 2 additional semesters. They only have to pay the student union fee of EUR 21.20. If a student needs more than two additional semesters, they have to pay EUR 384.56 for each of the semesters.

Those from other countries are required to pay EUR 747.92 (EUR 726.72 tuition fee and EUR 21.20 student union fee) per semester. Citizens of about 50 developing countries have exemptions from tuition fees — students from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Sudan, Ethiopia, etc. have the right to apply for the summer semester fee. In addition, citizens of Iran and Ukraine will not be charged tuition fees for the summer semester of 2023, they will only have to pay the student union fee.

Medical University of Vienna

Medical University of Vienna is the largest medical school in the German-speaking countries, and was founded in 1365 as a medical faculty of the University of Vienna. Since 2004, the university has operated as an autonomous university. The institution houses 30 university clinics, 2 clinical institutes, 13 medical theory centres and numerous laboratories. The University employs 6,000 staff and has 8,000 students.

The tuition fee at the Medical University of Vienna is EUR 363.36 per semester for EU citizens and EUR 726.72 for international students. Along with the Student Union fee of EUR 21.20, the total cost per semester is between EUR 384.56 and EUR 747.92.

The fee for the entire standard period of study and two additional semesters is waived if:

• Master or postgraduate students, who are citizens of Austria and other EU countries, the EEA and the Swiss Confederation.
• Refugees who have been granted this status in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
• Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection.
• Third-country nationals who have been granted a residence permit of a certain type, including an EU permanent residence.
• Students with a residence permit status other than a student permit.
• Turkish citizens, if they reside with their parents in Austria or if their parents work/worked in Austria.
• Nationals of countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Bhutan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Yemen, Cambodia, Kiribati, Comoros, Congo — Democratic Republic, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia, Central African Republic, Chad, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu and Zambia.

Vienna University of Technology

Founded in 1815, the Vienna University of Technology is the largest research and education institute in Austria, specializing in engineering and science. It conducts research with 4,000+ scientists and has 27,000 students in 55 degree programmes.

Similar to other public universities, in the Vienna University of Technology, citizens of Austria and other EU countries receive education free of charge for a standard period of study and 2 additional semesters. If they exceed this period they have to pay EUR 363.36 per semester. For other students, the fee for each semester, starting from the first semester, is EUR 726.72. All students are also required to pay EUR 21.20 to the Student Union each semester.

Vienna University of Economics and Business

Vienna University of Economics and Business is the only university of economics and business in Austria and one of the top universities in Europe. The institution was founded back in 1898 and enrolls about 23,000 students from over 100 countries. The university has 720 researchers and lecturers with expertise in a wide range of fields, from business administration and economics to law, social sciences and languages. The university is accredited by the 3 core systems EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA, which confirms the high quality of its services. Only 72 business universities and business schools worldwide, which is less than 1% of all such institutions, are triple-accredited.

Vienna University of Economics and Business has the same fee system as other public universities in Austria — all students have to pay a membership fee to the student union, and non-EU citizens also have to pay EUR 726.72 per semester.

BOKU — University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

BOKU is one of Europe's top universities specializing in the life sciences. Its history goes back to 1872, when it was founded as a small agricultural university. It now has 15 faculties with around 11,000 students.

Students from Austria and Switzerland, EU and EEA countries, refugees, students from all states with a non-student residence permit, as well as those from developing countries are exempt from the tuition fee. For all other students, the standard fee is EUR 726.72 per semester.

How we can help you

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