Austria - Country Commercial Guide
Austria Education and Training Snapshot
Last published date:

Capital:  Vienna
Population:  8.9 million (2022 est.)
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):  $463.12 billion (2020 est., in 2017 dollars)
Currency:  Euros (EUR)
Language:  German

UNESCO Student Mobility Number

Austria has 23,998 students studying abroad according to UNESCO.

 

CIA World Factbook

24.37% of Austria’s population is under 25 years of age.

OVERVIEW

Highly qualified Austrian students and professionals actively participate in study abroad programs, ranging from short-term to year-long.  Austrian professionals attend training programs in the United States at the individual and corporate levels.  During the 2019-2020 academic year, 1,105 Austrians formally enrolled in academic programs longer than 90 days in the United States, a slight increase from the previous year according to the 2020 Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report.  For academic year 2020-2021, there was a decrease of about 41%, which was mainly due to Covid-related travel uncertainties.  However, the 2021-2022 academic year saw a 40% increase over the previous year with 1,632 students in the United States. Despite the downfall during the pandemic, the United States remains one of the top study-abroad destinations for Austrian students, ranking 4th place of the European countries after Germany, the U.K., and Switzerland per UNESCO reporting.    

The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted academics throughout the world, which continues to affect Austrian study abroad levels.  While posing challenges for physical study abroad, the pandemic underscored the importance of digital education.  This encouraged the Austrian government to prioritize digital education solutions for all levels of education, in turn opening strong potential for U.S. providers.  Distance learning also gained traction as Austrian students and professionals are continuously seeking alternatives to short-term, in-person study programs.   

English is the first foreign language that Austrians learn as early as primary school.  Progressing through higher education, Austrian students generally have strong English skills, which contributes to their strong interest in a broad range of study in the United States, including in the areas of STEM, liberal arts programs, and professional degrees.  Leading U.S. study destinations for Austrian students are New York, California, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Florida.  Various EU and Austrian scholarships encourage study abroad primarily through university-to-university exchange programs.  International study experiences complement Austria’s strong education system, allowing students and professionals to further advance their English skills and gain expertise not offered in Austria.   

Table: Austrian Students Studying in the United States longer than 90 days

   

2018/2019   

2019/2020 

2020/2021

2021/2022

Austrian Students Numbers  

1,098

1,105

655

1,632

 

Source: 2022 IIE Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange     

Education System: Austria’s education system ranks 6th among 63 countries worldwide for talent competitiveness, according to the 2020 Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Talent Report.  The goal of lifelong learning is highly integrated in the Austrian education system and society.  This report ranks Austria 2nd in prioritizing employee training and 3rd in implementing apprenticeships.  Austria also reaches higher ranks in quality of education measures, at 11th place for primary school and 7th place for secondary school.  These high rankings are due in part to the Austrian government’s strong investment in its education system and professional development, which is one of the highest among OECD countries.   

In Austria, school attendance is compulsory for nine years, including one year of preschool, four years of primary school, and four years of lower secondary school.  At age 16, students may choose either a vocation or academic track program based on their field of interest and academic strengths.  The vocational track lasts six years, with a focus on practical life skills and preparation for an apprenticeship.  Students have a choice from seven vocational areas: metal, electrical, wood, construction, trade/office, services, and tourism.  The academic track is comparable to a college preparatory school in the United States, where students prepare to attend university. Austria has over 2,700 secondary schools with around 751,000 students enrolled for the 2019-2020 academic year.

The 70 universities in Austria include 58 public and 12 private universities.  Public universities offer free tuition with students paying modest fees.  Specialized universities concentrate on arts (6), medicine (3), applied sciences (22), and teacher education (14).  In the 2019-2020 academic year, 348,851 students studied in universities nationwide, a 7% total decrease from the previous year.  Within this data, the number of international students increased by 10.6% to 100,800, encouraged by the introduction of the Bologna process and the opening of EU exchange programs to students outside of the EU.

Covid-19 Impact: During the spring 2020 Covid-19 crisis, the Austrian government instituted extensive restrictions including school closures.  Distance learning was quickly adopted, with the government providing computers to students as needed.  In May 2020, students returned to school on a part-time basis before the summer break.  The fall 2020 school year opened with in-person instruction following health-oriented measures, but distance learning was once again instituted by the Austrian government through May 2021.  The May 2021 reopening was supported by additional health-oriented measures and weekly student and faculty and staff testing.  The current school year, 2021-2022, started with in-person instruction for all schools and universities but had to be switched back to distance learning in November 2021 following the local government’s announcement of a nationwide lockdown due to the increasing Covid cases.  The Austrian government’s recognition of the importance of education technology and distance learning options is reflected in the Ministry of Education’s strategic planning and budget through 2024, which opens opportunities for U.S. solutions providers. 

SUB-SECTORS and OPPORTUNITIES

Education Technology (EdTech)

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Austrian government prioritized investment in digital education.  The Austrian Ministry of Education has increased its existing budget for its digitalization efforts in education to $278 million through 2024.  The goal is to provide digital learning equipment and solutions, as well as needed digital infrastructure, in public primary and secondary schools.  Another $50 million was budgeted for digital and social transformation in universities.  These approved projects are currently being managed by the appointed groups of public universities that determine the specific needs for implementation.  Procurement announcements are expected to be posted on the Ministry’s tendering platform UniControlling at this site: https://unicontrolling.bmbwf.gv.at/.

For more details on the digitalization in universities, please visit the Digital University Hub (https://www.digitaluniversityhub.eu/) initiated by the Ministry of Education, which addresses these projects and consult with the U.S. Commercial Service in Austria.  Other platforms, such as ANKÖ (Austrian) (https://www.ankoe.at/en) and OpenTender EU (https://opentender.eu/at/), are also avenues for education-related public procurements.

Distance Learning 

Due to international travel restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, demand has increased for online and distance learning.  In addition to students seeking to earn college credits, many Austrian companies are opting for online professional development training opportunities for their employees.  While many take advantage of the free online education platforms; fee-based platforms for specialized or customized courses and formal certifications are also becoming more popular.  

Scholarships and Grants

The Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD) manages a series of scholarship programs for international study.  This includes the popular Erasmus+ Program, which funds students to study, teach, complete an internship, or collaborate internationally with partner higher education institutions.  To apply for these scholarships and grants, students apply through their home university in Austria to study abroad at their school’s international partner university.  The norm in Austria for school and university exchanges are two-way programs; therefore, U.S. counterparts seeking to attract Austrian students should be prepared to also send their students to Austria.  Fulbright Austria also has a very active program, providing grants to qualified Austrian students to teach, engage in research, or study in the U.S. and offering American students parallel opportunities in Austria. 

Exchange Programs/Intensive English Language Programs

Customized exchange programs that vary from short-term (a couple weeks) during academic breaks to one-year long, are attractive to Austrian university and high school students.  Interest is especially strong in unique programs that include STEM and intensive English language courses, hands-on scientific field and lab experiences, and professor-student and private company engagement.  Austrian schools and universities have indicated to the U.S. Commercial Service in Austria their plans to resume and/or expand exchange programs starting this academic year, 2021-2022, especially given the possibility to travel to the U.S. on student visas.

Large International Community

Vienna is a major global hub with at least 40 international organizations, including one of the largest U.N. headquarters, OPEC, in addition to diplomatic representation and non-governmental organizations, among others, which employs at least 6,000 people, of whom three-fourths are foreigners.  This large international population is supported by a growing number of international and bilingual schools.  International schools in Vienna hold solid partnership potential for U.S. high schools and universities to promote their long-term programs for international students.

The U.S. Commercial Service in Austria offers customized introductions and promotional programs for interested U.S. universities and other education institutions to meet targeted Austrian universities, schools, and private entities.  The U.S. government’s EducationUSA advising center is also active in Austria, providing student advising and promoting Study in USA.  Unlike in some other countries, Austrian students do not work through private educational representatives to find international study opportunities; rather, they apply directly to U.S. education institutions. 

U.S. Student Visa

For details on the U.S. student visa application process, please visit: https://at.usembassy.gov/embassy-vienna-resumes-limited-visa-services/.

DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES

The most used social media sites by students are WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.  For streaming videos, YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok are the most popular platforms.  Google is the search engine extensively used by Austrian students for any given topic.  Communication platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams are being utilized by faculty members and students, which have proven to be efficient.  For job opportunities, LinkedIn, Karriere.at, Uni.at, Studentenjob.at, at.Indeed, individual university websites, and digital bulletin boards are mostly used.

Information on educational opportunities can be viewed on the websites of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, of the OEAD – Austrian Agency for international mobility and cooperation in education, science, and research.  Other platforms such as StudyinAustria.at and Studienwahl.at also provide helpful information on educational opportunities.

EVENTS

RESOURCES

U.S. Government

Austrian Government

  • Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy:  https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/
  • “Österreichischer Austauschdienst OeAD” – Austrian agency for international mobility and cooperation in education, science and research:  https://oead.at/en

Austrian Grants

Other

U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE CONTACT

Robee Sallegue, Commercial Assistant
U.S. Commercial Service – Vienna, Austria

Email: Robee.Sallegue@trade.gov

Phone: +43 1 31339 2203