Admission to a non-degree programme (=attending the VWU) for bachelor/diploma programmes

Admission to a non-degree programme (= attending the VWU) is only possible if you have applied for admission to a bachelor/diploma programme and one or more supplementary examination(s) are prescribed to you.

The admission procedure, application and admission period, and required documents depend on your secondary-school leaving certificate or university degree, your citizenship and the degree programme of your choice.

The Preparation Programme is an offer of the universities in Vienna. Submit your complete application for admission at the beginning of the application period, to make sure to not miss the registration deadline of the VWU. You do not have any legal entitlement for a place in the VWU. The number of available places in the VWU is limited. The University of Vienna does not have any influence on the allocation of places. 

 Deadlines

Three deadlines are important for your admission at the University of Vienna and your registration at the VWU:

  1. Application period of the University of Vienna
    You have to submit your application in u:space within this period.
    Note: degree programmes with entrance exam procedure have separate application periods!
  2. Registration period of the VWU
    You can register at the VWU within this period. Further information is available at the VWU.
  3. Admission period of the University of Vienna
    You can be admitted to a non-degree programme (= attending the VWU) within this period. The same period applies for the transfer to a degree programme.

    Bachelor/diploma programmes without entrance exam procedure

    Do you want to study a bachelor/diploma programme without entrance exam procedure? Your steps in the admission procedure depend on the country of issuance of your secondary-school leaving certificate, your citizenship and the level of your knowledge of German.

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    • Secondary-school leaving certificate from a non-EU/EEA country

      You have (if mandatory for your chosen degree programme) completed the Online Self-Assessment (OSA), uploaded all required documents and applied for admission to a bachelor/diploma programme? Wait for your admission letter. The supplementary examinations you have to take at the VWU will be listed in it. The processing of your application takes several weeks.
      As soon as your admission letter is available for download in u:space > Personal matters > My documents, or when you have received it via e-mail, proceed as follows:

      1. Register at the VWU.
        Information on course registration, registration periods and costs is available at the VWU.
      2. Book an appointment for the online first-time admission at the Admission Office.
        As your identity has to be verified during admission, you need to complete this step in person. Representation by a third party is not possible.
        Further information on booking an online appointment
      3. You will be preliminarily admitted as a non-degree student.
        While being admitted as a non-degree student (= attending the VWU), you are not allowed to start your degree programme and are only authorised to complete supplementary examinations at the VWU. After the online appointment, you will receive an e-mail with your student ID number and information on further steps.
      4. Pay the Students’ Union fee.
        The admission procedure is complete when the prescribed fee is received in u:space > Financial matters > Tuition fee/Students’ Union fee. Only after this is the case, you can download your student documents (student record sheet and confirmation of enrolment) in u:space > Personal matters > My documents. Please note that the bank transfer may take up to seven working days.
    • Secondary-school leaving certificate and citizenship from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland

      You have (if mandatory for your chosen degree programme) completed the Online Self-Assessment (OSA), uploaded all required documents and applied for admission to a bachelor/diploma programme? If the status of your application is "submitted" in u:space, proceed as follows:

      1. Book an appointment for the online first-time admission at the Admission Office.
        As your identity has to be verified during admission, you need to complete this step in person. Representation by a third party is not possible.
        Further information on booking an online appointment
      2. Wait for your admission letter.
        You will receive your admission letter after the online appointment at the Admission Office via e-mail to your u:account e-mail address. Thereby, the Admission Office confirms that you are allowed to attend a German course at the VWU.
      3. Register for the German course at the VWU.
        Please note that the VWU has separate registration periods, and inform yourself about this topic early on. Information is available at the VWU.
      4. Send the confirmation of registration at the VWU to us.
        After you have paid the course fee at the VWU, you will receive a registration confirmation. Send this confirmation to the Admission Office via the Servicedesk. Your request will be processed within a few days.
      5. You will be preliminarily admitted as a non-degree student.
        While being admitted as a non-degree student (= attending the VWU), you are not allowed to start your degree programme and are only authorised to complete supplementary examinations at the VWU. After the preliminary admission, you will receive an e-mail with your student ID number and information on further steps.
      6. Pay the Students’ Union fee.
        The admission procedure is complete when the prescribed fee is received in u:space > Financial matters > Tuition fee/Students’ Union fee. Only after this is the case, you can download your student documents (student record sheet and confirmation of enrolment) in u:space > Personal matters > My documents. Please note that the bank transfer may take up to seven working days.

      Note:

      You are citizen of a non-EU/EEA country, but your secondary-school leaving certificate is from an EU/EAA country? Message us via the contact form and specify the countries. We will send you information regarding your steps in the admission procedure via e-mail. If your secondary-school leaving certificate is from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you only have to complete the supplementary examination in German.

    Bachelor/diploma programmes with entrance exam procedure

    Do you want to study a degree programme with entrance exam procedure? Your steps in the admission procedure depend on the country of issuance of your secondary-school leaving certificate, your citizenship and the level of your German language proficiency.

    The entrance exam procedure for bachelor and diploma programmes is only valid for the winter and summer semester following the procedure. The successfully completed entrance exam procedure for the bachelor programme in Teacher Education it is valid indefinitely. If you plan to start your degree programme in the summer semester, you have to participate in the entrance exam procedure of the respective academic year and complete all required supplementary examinations before the end of the admission period of the summer semester.

    Choose the country of issuance of your secondary-school leaving certificate or completed degree to learn how to proceed after submitting your application in u:space.

     Separate deadlines

    Bachelor/diploma programmes with entrance exam procedure have separate application and admission periods. Inform yourself about them early on!

    Deadlines for bachelor/diploma programmes with entrance exam procedure

    /

    • Secondary-school leaving certificate from a non-EU/EEA country

      You have (if mandatory for your chosen degree programme) completed the Online Self-Assessment (OSA), uploaded all required documents and applied for admission to a bachelor/diploma programme? Wait for your admission letter. The supplementary examinations you have to take at the VWU will be listed in it. The processing of your application takes several weeks.
      As soon as your admission letter is available for download in u:space > Personal matters > My documents, or when you have received it via e-mail, proceed as follows:

      1. Register at the VWU.
        Information on course registration, registration periods and costs is available at the VWU.
      2. Book an appointment for the online first-time admission at the Admission Office.
        As your identity has to be verified during admission, you need to complete this step in person. Representation by a third party is not possible.
        Further information on booking an online appointment
      3. You will be preliminarily admitted as a non-degree student.
        While being admitted as a non-degree student (= attending the VWU), you are not allowed to start your degree programme and are only authorised to complete supplementary examinations at the VWU. After the online appointment, you will receive an e-mail with your student ID number and information on further steps.
      4. Pay the Students’ Union fee.
        The admission procedure is complete when the prescribed fee is received in u:space > Financial matters > Tuition fee/Students’ Union fee. Only after this is the case, you can download your student documents (student record sheet and confirmation of enrolment) in u:space > Personal matters > My documents. Please note that the bank transfer may take up to seven working days.
    • Secondary-school leaving certificate and citizenship from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland

      You have (if mandatory for your chosen degree programme) completed the Online Self-Assessment (OSA), uploaded all required documents and applied for admission to a bachelor/diploma programme? If the status of your application is "submitted" in u:space, proceed as follows:

      1. Book an appointment for the online first-time admission at the Admission Office.
        As your identity has to be verified during admission, you need to complete this step in person. Representation by a third party is not possible.
        Further information on booking an online appointment
      2. Wait for your admission letter.
        You will receive your admission letter after the online appointment at the Admission Office via e-mail to your u:account e-mail address. Thereby, the Admission Office confirms that you are allowed to attend a German course at the VWU.
      3. Register for the German course at the VWU.
        Please note that the VWU has separate registration periods, and inform yourself about this topic early on. Information is available at the VWU.
      4. Send the confirmation of registration at the VWU to us.
        After you have paid the course fee at the VWU, you will receive a registration confirmation. Send this confirmation to the Admission Office via the Servicedesk. Your request will be processed within a few days.
      5. You will be preliminarily admitted as a non-degree student.
        While being admitted as a non-degree student (= attending the VWU), you are not allowed to start your degree programme and are only authorised to complete supplementary examinations at the VWU. After the preliminary admission, you will receive an e-mail with your student ID number and information on further steps.
      6. Pay the Students’ Union fee.
        The admission procedure is complete when the prescribed fee is received in u:space > Financial matters > Tuition fee/Students’ Union fee. Only after this is the case, you can download your student documents (student record sheet and confirmation of enrolment) in u:space > Personal matters > My documents. Please note that the bank transfer may take up to seven working days.

      Note:

      You are citizen of a non-EU/EEA country, but your secondary-school leaving certificate is from an EU/EAA country? Message us via the contact form and specify the countries. We will send you information regarding your steps in the admission procedure via e-mail. If your secondary-school leaving certificate is from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you only have to complete the supplementary examination in German.

    German language proficiency for participating in entrance exams

    You can participate in the entrance exam procedure before completing the supplementary examination in German at level C1. We recommend that you only participate in the entrance exam procedure, if your German language proficiency is already advanced (level B2). Thereby you can:

    1. understand the questions of the written entrance exam
    2. complete the supplementary examination in German before the end of the admission period of the summer semester.

    The decision whether or not your German language proficiency is sufficient for participating in the entrance exam procedure is yours alone. You can participate in the entrance exam, before you are able to present the proof of an advanced level of German language proficiency. 

    Think carefully about when to participate in the entrance exam procedure. You can only switch to the degree programme, if you have successfully participated in the entrance exam procedure of the respective study year and completed all supplementary examinations prescribed in your admission letter. 

    Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

     Search FAQ:

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    • Can I start courses at the VWU in the semester I applied for admission?

      We cannot guarantee this. Apply for admission early on with complete documents and take the required time for the individual steps of the admission procedure into account.

      You can also start courses at the VWU in a later semester, provided that the degree programme is still offered under the same conditions at the University of Vienna.

    • How can I avoid the prescription of supplementary examinations?

      Upload all transcripts of records from your previous studies with your application for admission.

    • I am in Austria now. Can I register at the VWU at any time?

      No. The VWU has separate registration periods. These are always before the beginning of the semester. Inform yourself early on about the next registration periods, especially if you need a residence permit.

    • How long will it take until I receive an admission letter?

      It may take multiple weeks until you receive your admission letter, as the Admission Office has to process a high number of applications. Your admission letter will be sent to the e-mail address you provided in u:space. You can also find it in u:space > Personal matters > My documents.

      Persons with secondary-school leaving certificate/higher education degree certificate and citizenship from EU/EEA countries only receive their admission letter after their appointment for online frist-time admission. 

    • I have received an admission letter, where the supplementary examination in German is prescribed. Do I have to pass the supplementary examination in German, if I provide a certificate of German at level C1 during the online first-time admission?

      Your C1 certificate can only be accepted, if it is specified in the list of recognised proofs of German language proficiency at level C1. If this is the case, the supplementary examination will be cancelled during the online first-time admission.

      A later cancellation, e.g. after you have already registered at the VWU, is not possible.

    • Which supplementary examinations do I have to complete? How much time do I have to do so?

      Which supplementary examinations you have to complete is stated in your admission letter. The University of Vienna may prescribe supplementary examinations in the subjects German, English, Mathematics, and History/Geography. If the supplementary examination in History/Geography is prescribed in your admission letter, you can choose which of these supplementary examinations you complete. Further supplementary examinations may also be prescribed.

      You have a maximum of four semesters to complete all supplementary examinations.

    • I discontinued the VWU. Can I resume my studies at the VWU? Do I have to apply for admission again to do so?

      The resumption of studies is only possible, if you visited the VWU for less than four semesters.

      If you still want to be admitted to the same degree programme, you can resume your studies at the VWU with your old admission letter. You do not have to apply for admission again.

      Message us via the contact form, if you have lost your admission letter, or if you need a new confirmation for the VWU. Attach a scan of your passport of personal ID card to your message.

      If you want to study a different degree programme, you need a new admission letter. Apply for admission to the desired degree programme as early as possible during the application period.

    • The registration period of the VWU is almost over and I have not received my admission letter yet. Can my application be processed faster?

      Applications for admission to a degree programme are processed chronologically according to their date of submission. The Admission Office cannot give individual applications preferential treatment due to organisational reasons. Submit your complete application as early as possible within the application period, and take the required time for the individual steps of the admission procedure into account.

      We cannot guarantee, that you can already start courses in the VWU in the semester you apply for admission.

      Persons with a secondary-school leaving certificate/complete degree programme and citizenship from EU/EEA countries or Switzerland, receive the admission letter after their appointment for online first-time admission. Book your appointment in due time.

    • I have lost my admission letter. Where can I get a copy?

      You can download your admission letter at any time in u:space at Personal matters > My documents. If you do not have access to u:space anymore, we can issue a copy. Message us via the contact form, and attach a scan of your passport or personal ID card, if this is the case.

    • What can I do, if supplementary examinations were prescribed in my admission letter, even though I have a proof of previous years of studies?

      Once you have been admitted to the non-degree programme "attending the VWU" you have to complete all supplementary examinations prescribed in your admission letter in the VWU.

      If you have not been admitted to the non-degree programme yet, and have studied one or more years at an accredited university the Admission Office will check your application again. Send the translated and legalised transcripts of records via the Servicedesk.

    • I have to participate in the entrance exam procedure for my degree programme. When do I have to do so, and how do I register for it?

      Entrance exam procedures take place once per year. The entrance exam procedure for bachelor and diploma programmes is only valid for the winter and summer semester following the procedure. The successfully completed entrance exam procedure for the bachelor programme in Teacher Education it is valid indefinitely. 

      The change from the non-degree to the degree programme is only possible, if you have completed all supplementary examinations and successfully participated in the entrance exam procedure.