Admission to the bachelor programme in Economics

Detailed information on the entrance exam procedure and the admission procedure for applicants with

  • secondary-school leaving certificate from a non-EU/EEA country and
  • German language level B2 or higher

No later than at the time of admission to the degree programme, you will need a proof of German language proficiency at level C1 (or higher). You do not yet need this proof on the day of the entrance exam.

The entrance exam procedure takes place once per academic year (before the winter semester) and is valid for two semesters.

Academic year 2024/25

The application period for the academic year 2024/25 is already over. You can only be admitted to this degree programme if you have submitted your application in time and meet all requirements for admission.

The application and admission period for the academic year 2025/26 has not been announced yet. This information will be published around January/February 2025. 

Detailed information regarding the academic year 2025/26 (required documents, etc.) will be continually added to this page from the beginning of the year 2025 onwards.

 Deadlines and overview

  • Application and registration period: from 4 March to 5 June 2024
  • Administration fee: 50 Euro
  • Available university places: 353
  • Entrance exam: the written exam does not take place
  • Test language: German (knowledge of English required for individual parts of the exam)
  • Test duration: 2 hours
  • Admission period winter semester 2024/25: from 11 July to 31 October 2024
  • Admission period summer semester 2025: from 7 January to 31 March 2025
  • Semester start: 1 October (winter semester), 1 March (summer semester)

The admission to the degree programme is only possible after having successfully passed the entrance exam procedure, provided you fulfil all requirements for the admission to a bachelor programme at the University of Vienna.

Schedule of the academic year

 Important note: University Preparation Programme

Keep in mind the registration deadlines of the University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU). While attending the VWU you have to consider some things regarding your admission to the University of Vienna.

 Required documents

for the registration in u:space

  • your valid passport or personal ID card (front and back!) as JPEG or PNG file

for the application for admission

  • all pages (!) of your original secondary-school leaving certificate
  • list of subjects in its original version
    • together with a sworn translation (if not issued in German or English)
    • merged into one PDF file
  • if available, transcripts/diplomas in their original version (in case you have already studied at a university)
    • together with the required legalisation according to the issuing country
    • plus sworn translation (if not issued in German or English)
    • merged into one PDF file
  • proof of German language proficiency at level C1 or higher merged into one PDF file

 Your steps in the admission procedure

Step 1: Complete the Online-Self-Assessment (OSA)

The Online-Self-Assessment (OSA) is the first step of the entrance exam procedure and serves as a guide for choosing a degree programme. You will find out to what extent the chosen degree programme corresponds to your expectations and interests. You will also receive detailed feedback. Allow one to two hours to do this. The OSA requires no specific preparation, is not evaluated and does not affect the ranking for the allocation of study places.

After having completed the OSA, you receive your OSA code. You will need it in the further procedure.

Step 2: Prepare the required documents

In order to be able to apply for admission to the degree programme as soon as possible, prepare the required documents before the start of the application period. 

  1. Scan all required documents and save them in proper format. Make sure that your files are easily readable and provided in high quality. 
  2. Merge several pages of the same document (e.g. front and back of the secondary-school leaving certificate plus legalisation and translation) into one PDF file by means of an online tool of your choice.

Step 3: Apply for admission and register

  1. Activate your u:account in u:space within the application period. Make sure you remember the login data, because you will further need the u:account during your studies.
  2. Log in to u:space, complete the registration and select the degree programme of your choice. Upload the required documents.
    • Select “Yes, my German knowledge is sufficient. I want to participate in the entrance exam procedure for the coming academic year.”
  3. Enter the OSA code.
  4. Click on "continue to submission" and check the summary to see if the data you entered (especially your e-mail address) is correct.
  5. Then, click on "pay and submit application" and pay the administration fee of 50 Euro by credit card or by eps online transfer (only possible from an Austrian bank account).

Now, the status of your application is “submitted”.

The Admission Office will process your application for admission to the degree programme. Due to the high number of applications, it may take several weeks until you receive an official notice to the e-mail address entered in u:space.

Now you are registered for the entrance exam procedure. Your confirmation of registration is available in u:space. Several days after the application deadline, you will be informed by e-mail about whether a written exam will take place or not. Also check the spam folder of your mailbox. 

Step 4: Download the literature and prepare for the test with sample exercises

The literature and further information are available as a free download:

Literature/test preparation academic year 2024/25

Step 5: Written entrance exam

At least 14 days before the exam date, you will receive an e-mail with information on the place, time and procedure of the written exam as well as the link to your permission to attend ("Einlassbestätigung"). Without the permission to attend a participation in the written exam is not possible. Make sure you are free on the day of the exam and travel to Vienna a day earlier, if necessary.

At the end of the exam you will be informed of the further steps. 

Step 6: Admission

Approximately 14 days after the exam, you will receive an e-mail with your results and the next steps. After the announcement of results, an admission to the degree programme is possible if you have successfully passed the entrance exam procedure and received an admission letter.

Together with your admission letter, you receive information about your further steps in the admission procedure and any supplementary examination(s) you have to pass at the University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU) before starting with your degree programme. Apart from German (in case you have not uploaded any C1 certificate), supplementary examinations in Mathematics, English or History/Geography may be prescribed. Further supplementary examinations may also be prescribed.

As your identity needs to be verified, you have to complete this step in person. Representation by third parties is not possible. 

 

Option 1:

Your admission letter requires you to pass supplementary examinations.

  1. Follow the indications you have received with your admission letter via e-mail and register for the University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU).
  2. Once you are registered at the VWU, book an appointment for online first-time admission by using our appointment-booking tool within the admission period. 
    Detailed information on how to book an appointment 
    You will be admitted to a non-degree programme (for the purpose of attending the preparation programme). You cannot yet start with your degree programme and are only allowed to take supplementary examinations at the VWU. After the admission you will receive an e-mail.
  3. Pay the Students' Union fee after your appointment. The admission procedure is completed as soon as the prescribed fee is received in u:space > Financial matters > Tuition fee/Students' Union fee. 

The admission to the degree programme is only possible after having successfully passed all supplementary examinations as well as the entrance exam procedure.

You may complete the supplementary examinations and the admission to the degree programme until 31 March of the following year. In case you do not, you will have to register again for the entrance exam procedure of the following academic year and participate in it.

 

Option 2:

You have successfully passed the entrance exam procedure and no supplementary examinations are prescribed in your admission letter.

  1. Book an appointment for online first-time admission by using our appointment-booking tool within the admission period. 
    Detailed information on how to book an appointment
  2. Pay the tuition fee/Student´s Union fee after your appointment. The admission procedure is completed as soon as the prescribed fee is received in u:space > Financial matters > Tuition fee/Students' Union fee. 

Step 7: Order the u:card and create your semester schedule

Once the tuition fee/Students' Union fee is received, you can order your student ID card, the u:card.

Furthermore, you can print out your student documents (student record sheet and confirmation of enrolment) in u:space > Personal matters > My documents.

After the admission to the degree programme, you can create your semester schedule and register for courses. The registration deadlines are available in the course directory in u:find as well as in u:space.