University of Vienna

Vienna, Austria
Website: www.univie.ac.at Founded: 1365 year Type of University:Public 164 place StudyQA ranking: 1771 pts. No. Students: 93000 Frgn. Students: 26600 No. Staff: 6800 Languages: German Phone: +43142770
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The University of Vienna (Universität Wien) is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the oldest universities in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich history, the University of Vienna has developed into one of the biggest universities in Europe, and also one of the most renowned, especially in the Humanities. It is associated with 15 Nobel prize winners and has been the academic home of a large number of figures both of historical and academic importance.

Studying at the University of Vienna means being part of a large and diverse community. About 92,000 students are currently pursuing a degree at the University of Vienna. About 27,000 of them are foreign students and come from 140 different countries.

From astrophysics to zoology: Our students can select from the largest range of degree programmes in Austria. The University of Vienna provides more than 180 degree programmes, including 57 bachelor's programmes, 112 master's programmes and 3 diploma programmes, 8 doctoral programmes and 41 university continuing education and training programmes.

We are participating in the ERASMUS network and are partners of the best universities in the world. This opens up ample opportunities for exchange: About 1,000 students of the University of Vienna study at a university abroad for one ERASMUS semester and about 1,000 students choose the University of Vienna as their study abroad destination. 

  • Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics

    Nowadays, the Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics consists of the departments of business administration, economics, statistics and operations research, business law, industrial sociology as well as finance and is one of the 18 faculties and centres which make up the University of Vienna. The Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics is an internationally renowned research and education institution, in which approximately 320 staff performs research and teach and approximately 4,000 students are prepared for their future roles in academia, enterprise, the public sector, politics and charitable organisations.

  • Faculty of Social Sciences

    The Faculty of Social Sciences was established as an independent organisational unit in 2004 and is one of the largest faculties of the University of Vienna. The Faculty commits to the principle of combining research and teaching. Research activities cover a broad array of topics and include both basic and applied research. The Faculty is a place of tertiary and continuing education, giving students the opportunity to specialise in a wide range of disciplines and thematic areas, which will enable them to successfully meet the ever-changing requirements of professional life.

    The Faculty’s research contributes significantly to finding answers to academic questions of great social relevance, and thus to fulfilling the social function and responsibility of both the University and science in general. To this end, the Faculty engages in well-established intra- and interdisciplinary research areas as well as innovative multidisciplinary research, cooperating across different subjects within the Faculty, as well as with other faculties and international, national and local research institutions. Pursuing a critical reflection on the structure and problems of present-day society is among the guiding principles of its research activities.

  • Postgraduate Center

    The University of Vienna Postgraduate Center offers a wide range of Advanced Postgraduate Programs and puts high-quality education at your doorstep. Our programs lead to Academic Certificates as well as Master’s degrees.

    Postgraduate Programs from the University of Vienna will provide you with specialized knowledge and give you a significant advantage in the employment market. You can upgrade your professional qualifications and adjust to changing employment requirements. In addition, Postgraduate Programs can open the way for a career change. We offer a number of part-time programs that are designed to accommodate the needs of working students.

    Please note that the tuition fees for our programs do not comply with the general tuition fee for studying at the University of Vienna.

The University was founded on 12 March 1365 by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, and his two brothers, Dukes Albert III and Leopold III, hence the additional name "Alma Mater Rudolphina".

The University of Vienna was modelled after the University of Paris. However, Pope Urban V did not ratify the deed of foundation that had been sanctioned by Rudolf IV. Approval was finally received from the Pope in 1384 and the University of Vienna was granted the status of a full university. The first university building opened in 1385. It quite grew into the biggest university of the Holy Roman Empire, and during the advent of Humanism in the mid-15th century was home to more than 6,000 students.

The University has experienced a number of changes and reformations with centuries passing, including a loss of prestige during Reformation, installation of the Jesuit Order in 1551 and becoming a stronghold of Catholicism for over 150 years. It was only in the Mid-18th century that Empress Maria Theresa forced the university back under control of the monarchy.

Big changes were instituted in the wake of the Revolution in 1848, with the Philosophical Faculty being upgraded into equal status as Theology, Law and Medicine. Led by the reforms of Leopold, Count von Thun und Hohenstein, the university was able to achieve a larger degree of academic freedom. It was 532 years from its foundation before the University of Vienna permitted women to enter its hallowed halls as students in 1897, although initially only at the Faculty of Philosophy. This was followed by the Faculties of Medicine (1900), Law (1919), Protestant Theology (1928) and Catholic Theology (1945).

Free university admission in the 1970s triggered an educational boom and resulted in a vast expansion of the University of Vienna. Increasing numbers of students necessitated the construction of new buildings and the redevelopment of old ones.

With the 2002 Universities Act, all Austrian universities became autonomous, and therefore more self-dependent and performance-orientated. For the University of Vienna, this meant total re-organisation: by 1 January 2004 the Faculty of Medicine became a separate university.

The University of Vienna celebrates its 650th Anniversary in 2015.

The University of Vienna is the highest-ranked Austrian university, placed 153rd (2015) in the world in the QS World University Rankings. 

University has the highest ranking in Arts and Humanities, where it is placed 35 and 54th in the world according to the THE and QS ranking respectively. Outstanding subjects include Geography (ranked 28th globally in 2013), Linguistics and Philosophy (both 46th globally). It is rated high in academic reputation and number of international students, but low in terms of faculty to student ratio and citations per faculty.

In the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2013-14 the University of Vienna has been ranked 170th, but it  came as 182nd in 2015.

Accommodation

Besides the admission procedure and the formalities of visa application it is also necessary to find a suitable accommodation. There are various options for you depending on your individual needs and life style.

Halls/dormitories

Non-Austrian students can choose among the whole range of dormitories in Vienna. As the admission modalities differ from dormitory to dormitory you should ask directly at the dormitory of your choice about the formalities about six month before you start to study. The costs are between € 180 and € 250 for a single room and € 150 to € 200 for a double room.

The Austrian Exchange Service (OeAD) also helps non-Austrian students, especially Erasmus students and students getting grants of the OeAd in finding suitable and affordable accommodation with its housing service.

Flat/apartment sharing

A very common alternative to living in a dormitory is sharing a flat/apartment with other students. There are also some webportals in which you might find your future flat mate.

Renting a flat/apartment

Before signing a rent contract it is advisable to gather information about your rights and duties and to have the rental contract checked by an expert. This way you can sometimes achieve a reduction (e.g. in case of a time limit in the contract the legal maximum rent has to be reduced by 25%).

Cafeterias

A possibility to eat inexpensively is offered by the cafeterias (Mensen), which are situated around the main building on the Universitätsring as well as close to several institutes. The cafeterias and buffets are run by the so called Österreichische Mensen Betriebsgesellschaft mbH. 

Apart from the cafeterias (Mensen), you will find many cafés and restaurants next to the main building of the University of Vienna , which are popular with students and which also offer low priced lunch menus and snacks. In the main building of the University of Vienna you can find the Audimax-Buffet and the Cafeteria.

Sports

Passion for sports? The so called Universitätssportinstitut (USI) offers students, graduates and members of staff of the University inexspensive courses for various sports, ranging from A like aerobics to Z like zen meditation.

Unisport, which is organised by students, also offers many sportcamps, courses and discounted memberships for fitness centres.

The Österreichische Behindertensportverband (ÖBSV) informs about offers for the disabled and also about education and training in this area.

StudienServiceCenter (SSC) and StudienServiceStelle (SSS)

The so called StudienServiceCenter (SSC) and StudienServiceStellen (SSS) are at the students' and teaching staff's disposal for all questions concerning course of studies.

SSC deal with all tasks supporting the directors of the study programme (SPL) as well as servicing the students. With some studies the StudienServiceStellen (SSS) handle recognitions and bachelor degrees directly at the institute.

The Vienna University Computer Center

The Vienna University Computer Center (Zentraler Informatikdienst - ZID) is the technical service provider of the University of Vienna and offers students a wide range of services.

  • u:account
  • Use of the public computer rooms
  • Webspace
  • Courses offered by the ZID

The Vienna University Library

The Vienna University Library (Universitätsbibliothek) is divided in the main library, 39 departmental libraries and 11 institute assemblies. All in all, the Vienna University Library has 56 locations all over Vienna.

Which services does the Vienna University Library offer?

  • Supply of the inventory of books one can use on location ("Freihandbenutzung"),
  • Reading room spaces,
  • Borrowing of documents,
  • Acquisition of literature in the international interlibrary loan,
  • Providing information electronically (CD-ROM, online database research),
  • E-Books on Demand,
  • Copying services,
  • Training of users and
  • Handicapped workplaces

Gender Equality and Diversity Unit

The Gender Equality and Diversity Unit is a service point by the University of Vienna that takes care of equal opportunities for all members of the university. The focus of the unit lies on programs and measures to support female academics in their careers. Moreover, the team carries out programs in the field of gender monitoring (e.g. gender pay gap analysis), develops new strategies and explores new fields of action from a diversity perspective.

UNIPORT - the career service of the University of Vienna

UNIPORT - the career service of the University of Vienna, offers all students and graduates following services:

  • Career information
  • Jobs and internships
  • Coaching and workshops
  • Career fairs and Recruiter's Night
University of Vienna on map:
Study programs at :
Foreign: $ 1.58 k / Year(s)
Deadline: Jan 31, 2025
Duration: 24 months
Languages: German
Study mode: On campus
Study type: Full-time
StudyQA ranking: 7254
Local: $ 10.9 k / Year(s)
Foreign: $ 10.9 k / Year(s)
Deadline: Mar 29, 2024
Duration: 4 semestrs
Languages: English
Study mode: On campus
Study type: Full-time
StudyQA ranking: 4401
Foreign: $ 1.58 k / Year(s)
Deadline: May 15, 2024
Duration: 3 years
Languages: German
Study mode: Blended
Study type: Full-time
StudyQA ranking: 6937
Foreign: $ 1.58 k / Year(s)
Deadline: Feb 5, 2025
Duration: 2 years
Languages: English
Study mode: On campus
Study type: Full-time
StudyQA ranking: 4904
Foreign: $ 1.58 k / Year(s)
Deadline: Apr 30, 2024
Duration: 6 semestrs
Languages: English
Study mode: On campus
Study type: Full-time
StudyQA ranking: 5681
Foreign: $ 1.58 k / Year(s)
Deadline: Feb 5, 2025
Duration: 6 semestrs
Languages: German
Study mode: On campus
Study type: Full-time
StudyQA ranking: 7421
Foreign: $ 1.58 k / Year(s)
Deadline: Feb 5, 2025
Duration: 4 semestrs
Languages: German
Study mode: On campus
Study type: Full-time
StudyQA ranking: 6056