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Title
Frequently Asked Questions
Category
undergraduate
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https://www.tuwien.at/en/tu-wien/organisation/central-divisions/admission-office...
Parent URL
https://www.tuwien.at/en/studies/admission/bachelors-programmes/admission-with-a...
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2026-03-17T06:44:35+00:00
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Frequently Asked Questions

Source: https://www.tuwien.at/en/tu-wien/organisation/central-divisions/admission-office/contact/faqs Parent: https://www.tuwien.at/en/studies/admission/bachelors-programmes/admission-with-an-international-school-leaving-certificate

Here you can find answers to questions regarding:

Your studies at TU Wien

Admission

I would like to enrol at TU Wien. What do I have to do?

Please visit our website for all information about the admission procedures.

I want to transfer to TU Wien, what do I have to do?

At first you have to be admitted for the degree programme like every other new student. Please visit our website for all information about the admission procedures.

Once you are enrolled as a degree student, you can apply for recognition of exams. Any exams taken at a recognised post-secundary institute of education can be recognised, if they are equal to the courses mandatory for the degree programme. The final decision is with the respective Dean of Academic Affairs.

There will be no automatic enrolment into a higher semester as the exams will be recognised according to the curriculum of the degree programme. This means that you might be asked to take courses of the first semester, while others from a higher semester are already recognised.

How do I know what language the degree programme is in?

You can find information on the language of instruction on the webpage of studies or in the curriculum.

I am already studying at TU Wien and want to change into a different programme or enrol in another programme additionally. What do I have to do?

Changing your degree programme may have consequences regarding the receipt of child benefits or study grants (e.g. in Austria: "Familienbeihilfe" and "Studienbeihilfe"). Therefore, please consult with the Study Grant Department or the finance authority prior to a change!

Bachelor programmes:

Please contact us via Jira during the admission period with the following information:

Master or doctoral programmes:

You will have to submit a new application for admission. All necessary information are available on our website. \ Following the receipt of your admission letter, please contact us during the admission period with the following information:

What happens with the exams from one degree programme if I switch to another?

Examinations/courses, positively assessed and completed as part of a regular degree programme at TU Wien, are recognised for all other regular degree programmes in the case of admission, provided they:

If not all of these mentioned requirements are met, and the examinations/courses do not fall under the scope of transitional provisions, the student must submit an application for recognition.\ Please note that in TISS, these examinations/courses will always be shown under the degree programme’s number under which they were completed.

For further questions about the curriculum, please contact the respective dean's office.

I want to pause my studies. How can I do that?

Various reasons may require you to interrupt your studies. There are three options available:

Which of these options is best depends entirely on your individual situation.

I have a question about graduation.

Unfortunately, the Admission Office cannot provide you with any information on this topic. Please contact the Dean's Office of your faculty or the student council.

My studies has been aborted, what does that mean?

Failure to pay the prescribed amount within the continuation period will result in automatic de-registration from your studies.

You have the option of resuming your studies in the next semester or at a later date. To continue your studies, either visit the Admission Office in person with your TUCard during front office hours during the admission period or contact us via Jira (please provide your name, student ID number, degree programme and a scan of your ID card).

Previously completed examinations will be retained.

Please note that in case of a change of curriculum in the meantime, you can only start in the new curriculum! The recognition of examinations will then be done on the basis of the equivalence list in the dean's office.

I want to close my studies, how can I do that?

Failure to pay the prescribed amount within the continuation period will result in automatic de-registration from your studies.

However, you also have the option of reporting your de-registration to the Admission Office either in person or via Jira, providing your name, student ID number, degree programme and a scan of your TUCard.

If you require a Leaving Certificate, please contact the Admission Office.

I have been excluded from my studies, what does that mean?

There are two reasons why you may be excluded from your studies:

If you have not achieved the minimum academic performance (16 ECTS within the first 4 semesters of the bachelor programme), your admission will expire. Re-admission to the same programme is only possible after four semesters. - Negative assessment of the last examination attempt:

If the last possible examination attempt (StEOP examinations 4 attempts in total, other examinations 5, very last examination of the degree programme 6) is also negative, your admission will expire on the examination date. Re-admission to this programme at TU Wien will then no longer be possible. In addition, you will also be excluded from all programmes in whose curriculum these courses are required.

Payment of fees

I have paid the amount specified in TISS, why am I not yet reported continued?

The payment of the ÖH/tuition fee can take anywhere from a few minutes to seven working days. As soon as the amount has been received in full and on time, your status in your TISS account will change to "reported continued" and the confirmation of enrolment can then be issued.

TU Wien cannot expedite the payment process. You will need to be patient.

If your studies are not reported continued after one week, there has been an error in the transaction and the fee you paid cannot be allocated to your account at TU Wien by the bank. As a result, your studies are not registered (as continued). If the deposit cannot be allocated or if it has been made after the deadline, the amount will be automatically refunded to the account from which the transaction was made.

I made a mistake when making the transaction. What should I do now?

If you forgot to include the payment reference/customer details when making your payment, or if you entered them incorrectly, please wait one week. In many cases, the bank can manually allocate the transfer.

TU Wien is unable to make any subsequent corrections (incorrect payment reference/customer details)!

If your studies are still not reported continued after one week, a mispayment has been made and the bank cannot assign the amount you paid to your account at TU Wien. As a result, your studies are not registered (as continued).

If the transaction cannot be assigned or the payment is made after the deadline, the amount will be automatically refunded to the account from which the payment was made.\ If the amount is not automatically reimbursed, please contact the Admission Office.

I paid too much last semester. Can the excess amount be used for the current semester?

No.\ Due to administrative reasons, it is not possible to use excess contributions from a previous semester for the current semester.

You can request reimbursement for the overpaid amount.

I am studying at VWU and have already paid the amount specified in TISS. Why am I not yet reported continued?

In order to be reported continued as a non-degree student to attend the Preparatory Programme ("Vorstudienlehrgang"), you have to pay the ÖH fee prescribed in TISS as well as the course fee prescribed by the VWU.

The payment to the VWU is not automatically acknowledged by TU Wien. It may therefore take a few working days before your enrolment is updated.

If your enrolment has not been updated after a week, there may have been an error with the payment. Please contact the Admission Office and the office of the VWU.

How do I get an additional tolerance semester

There is no such thing as an additional tolerance semester.

If you exceed the programme duration stipulated in the curriculum plus two tolerance semesters your will have to pay the tuition fee.\ However, you may apply for a waiver if there is a valid reason to do so. Further information on this can be found on our webpage on tuition fee.

I will complete my studies around 31 March/October. Do I still have to pay the tuition fee?

Your graduation can only be registered if you are enrolled for the relevant semester. Therefore, please report the continuation for the summer or winter semester within the deadline and pay the full amount specified in TISS.

If you complete your studies with a date up to and including 31 March/October, the amount paid can be refunded afterwards. \ Please note that the Admission Office can only reimburse the tuition fees. For a refund of the ÖH fee, please contact the Student Union directly.

If you wish to subsequently begin a subject related master's or doctoral programme, enrolment is also possible outside the admission period. However, this is subject to the condition that you are already reported continued for the relevant semester. If you graduate before 31 March/October and are eligible for temporary exemption you can apply for reimbursement as well.

If you have any further questions about graduation, please contact the Dean's Office of your faculty.

Application for Admission

General

I want to study at TU Wien. What do I have to do?

You can find any and all information regarding admission on our website.

I have a German secondary school leaving certificate and want to study a bachelor programme at TU Wien. Do I have to submit an application for admission?

If you have the “Allgemeine Hochschulreife” you can enrol without prior application as it is equal to the Austrian secondary school leaving certificate.

If you have the “Fachgebundene Hochschulreife” you will first have to submit an application for admission.

How do I know if my secondary school leaving certificate is equal to the Austrian "Reifezeugnis"?

Please visit the relevant webpage, which lists all equivalent secondary school leaving certificates.

Processing Time

When do I have to submit my application for admission?

Within the application period for non-EU/EEA-citizens:

For EU/EEA-citizens we recommend the following period:

Personal enrolment with a letter of admission is possible until October 31st (winter semester) or March 31st (summer semester). \ Please note that the average processing time for applications for admission is 10-12 weeks. If additional documents are requested, this will delay processing.

Therefore, please send your documents in good time!

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

I submitted an application and did not receive a confirmation of receipt.

The Admission Office does not send automatic confirmations of receipt.

I submitted an application and have not received any updates on its status.

The Admission Office does not send automatic updates on the status of an application.

The processing of an application for admission takes approximately 10 to 12 weeks. Due to the high number of submissions the Admission Office is not able to provide you with information about the current status of your application until the full processing time has expired.

How long does it take to process my application?

The processing of an application for admission takes an average of 10 to 12 weeks. However, as the processing time depends on various factors (time of application, number of applications submitted, evaluation by the Dean of Studies, etc.), it is not possible to give an exact time frame.

I need my admission letter as soon as possible as I have already a visa appointment scheduled.

Applications for admission are processed chronologically without exception in order to guarantee fair and non-discriminatory treatment.

The Admission Office is not responsible for organising your studies. Please take the processing time into account when planning the start of your studies.

I need the admission letter to register for the Preparatory Programme ("Vorstudienlehrgang").

Information on the processing time for applications for admission and on the registration deadlines at the VWU is readily available on the respective websites.

Preferential treatment of your application is not possible. Therefore, please keep the individual deadlines in mind when planning the start of your studies.

I have submitted my application a month ago but not yet received a decision.

Due to the high number of submissions, processing time of an application for admission takes approximately 10 to 12 weeks. Please note that the Admission Office is not able to provide you with information about the current status of your application until the full processing time has expired.

I have submitted my application five month ago but not yet received a decision.

There may be several reasons for this:

Documents

Can I submit my application online?

No.\ The application for admission must be submitted either by post or in person at the Admission Office.

Exceptions:\ Students who have completed their studies at TU Wien can submit the application form online to the Admission Office, as all relevant information can be accessed in TISS.

What do I have to keep in mind when sending my documents via courier services?

Mail sent from non-EU/EEA-countries via express shipment companies (such as DHL, FedEx, etc.) will only be accepted if it is clearly indicated on the shipment that no additional costs will be incurred by TU Wien upon acceptance; e.g. by means of the note ‘No customs duty’ ("Kein Zoll") on the address label.

Mail from delivery companies that do not fall into this category will continue to be accepted. Please contact your local parcel service for further assistance.

I have not yet completed my studies, can I already apply?

No.\ The application for admission to a master or doctoral programme can only be submitted once the bachelor, master or diploma studies have been completed, without exceptions.

I have completed my studies but have not yet received a diploma. Can I already apply?

If you have already finished your degree and are only waiting for the diploma to be issued, a confirmation issued by the university that you have already obtained your degree along with your Transcript of Records/Diploma Supplement is also accepted. However, a provisional confirmation of an expected graduation will not be accepted.

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

Does my GPA allow admission?

According to information provided by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research regarding recommendations for admission qualifications, (academic) degrees are continuously re-evaluated.

Whether an educational background is recognised or gives the possibility of admission can only be determined during verification. Therefore, an application for admission is necessary.

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

Does my degree allow admission?

Whether an educational background is recognised or gives the possibility of admission can only be determined during verification. Therefore, an application for admission is necessary.

If the completed studies largely corresponds to the relevant degree programme at TU Wien, admission will be granted. If differences in subject matter are identified, admission will be granted with conditions (= additional courses from the bachelor's/master's programme), which must be completed as supplementary examinations during the master's/doctoral programme. If the identified differences in subject matter amount to more than 30 ECTS credits, admission is unfortunately not possible.

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

What happens if the submitted documents are deemed insufficient?

If there are any formal irregularities in the documents or if documents are missing, the Admission Office will inform you by post to the address stated on your application form. If missing documents, translations etc. are not sent within the set deadlines, the application will be rejected and admission at TU Wien is not possible. Therefore, follow the instructions of the Admission Office carefully!

Applications for admission must be submitted in full within the application period. If missing documents or legalisations are not submitted within this date, the application can only be assessed for the following semester, without exception.

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

Why do I have to provide my address on the application form?

All correspondence from the Admission Office will be sent by post to the address provided on the application form. It is therefore important that you provide your full and correct address to ensure delivery of the mail.

What do I have to keep in mind when submitting my documents?

Documents issued in countries other than Austria are subject to legalisation regulations. Furthermore, all documents whose originals were not issued in German or English shall be officially translated. Please have documents translated only after legalisation. The official translation must be inseparably attached to the original document!

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

Can I have a provisional admission letter now and submit my documents later?

No.\ TU Wien does not issue provisional or conditional letters of admission.

Can I submit photocopies and show the original documents upon enrolment?

No.\ All documents need to be submitted at least as certified copies. Documents issued outside the EU are subject to legalisation regulations. Documents without diplomatic certification have no validity and therefore cannot be processed.

Is it sufficient if I submit only the translated documents?

No.\ Documents whose originals were not issued in German or English have to be translated by a certified interpreter. The official translation must be inseparably attached to the original document!

The translation alone is not sufficient.

I only have an electronically issued language certificate, is this sufficient?

With electronically issued certificates there must be means for verification provided, which is then checked on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, we cannot provide any information in advance as to whether a printout of this certificate will be sufficient.

I have a Transcript of Records but no Index mit ECTS, what do I do now?

Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records, Index with ECTS all mean the same: a document issued by your university showing all the courses you took during your studies including grades and credits.

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

Do I need proof that I have passed the entrance examination in my home country for my application for admission to a bachelor programme?

Applicants with selected foreign secondary school leaving certificates have only then proven their general university entrance qualification if they also provide proof of successful completion of the central university entrance examination (e.g. YKS (Turkey), Konkour (Iran)).

Further information on admission can be found on the relevant webpage.

How do I apply for the University Preparation Programme ("Vorstudienlehrgang")?

It is not possible or necessary to submit a separate application for admission to the University Preparation Programme.

If your admission letter for a degree programme at TU Wien requires you to take supplementary examinations, these can be completed as part of the preparatory programme at VWU.

All information about the preparatory course (registration, costs, deadlines, etc.) can be found on the VWU website.

Languages

What language level do I need to start studying at TU Wien?

For a German-taught programme German language skills at level C1 CEFR are required.

For an English-taught studies, English language skills at level B2 CEFR are required.

I am applying for a German-taught degree programme, do I need an English language certificate?

No.\ For a German-taught degree programme only German language certificates are required.

I am applying for an English-taught programme, do I need a German language certificate?

No.\ For an English-taught degree programme only English language certificates are required.

I want to apply for an English-taught bachelor programme.

All bachelor programmes offered at TU Wien are taught in German.

I do not have proof of language proficiency, can I still apply?

No.\ Without an accepted language certificate processing an application for admission will not be possible.

I have been prescribed the supplementary German exam but I have since obtained a C1 language certificate. Do I still have to attend the Preparatory Programme?

If you are not or have not been enrolled as a non degree student for the Preparatory Programme (VWU) you can enrol directly as a regular student for the desired degree programme by providing the admission letter along with a valid C1 German certificate during personal enrolment.

After admission as an non-degree student for the VWU however other certificates are no longer accepted.

I don't have C1 German language skills yet. Do I still have to take part in the entrance exam for bachelor's programmes this year?

To ensure that you can take part in the entrance exam for bachelor's programmes without any disadvantages, we recommend German language skills at level B2 CEFR. However, you do not need to present a corresponding certificate when registering or on the day of the ranking test.

The study place confirmation is valid for the academic year and loses its validity if you have not enrolled as a regular student by March 31st (end of the admission period for the summer semester) at the latest. German language skills at level C1 CEFR are required for admission to the degree programme.

German language skills at level A2 CEFR are sufficient for the application. In this case, a supplementary German exam will be prescribed, which you can take as part of the preparatory programme. You have a maximum of 4 semesters to complete this.

If you are confident that you will achieve the required C1 CEFR level within the validity period of your study place confirmation, you can already participate in this year's entrance exam. If this period is unlikely to be sufficient for you, we recommend that you participate in the entrance exam the following year.

My prior studies have been taught in English, do I still need to provide a language certificate?

Confirmations on the medium of instruction being English will only be accepted if the degree programme has been completed at a recognised post-secundary educational institution in one of the following countries:

I am an Austrian/German/Swiss citizen, does this count as proof of German language proficiency?

No.\ The nationality is not sufficient proof of language competence.  An overview of accepted language certificates can be found on the relevant webpage.

I am a British/American/etc. citizen, does this count as proof of English language proficiency?

No.\ The nationality is not sufficient proof of language competence.  An overview of accepted language certificates can be found on the relevant webpage.

Does TU Wien offer language courses?

No.\ There are no language courses offered at TU Wien.

Decision

How will I be notified of the decision?

The decision, along the submitted documents, will be sent to the address provided on your application form.

I have received an improvement request. What do I do now?

You should be able to gather all necessary information from your notification.

Please submit the required documents within the deadline, otherwise your application for admission will be rejected. When submitting additional documents, please also provide your reference number ("GZ") or include some form of identification so that the documents can be added to your application.

Please also note that applications for admission from non-EU/EEA-citizens must be received in full by the Admission Office in full by July 15th or January 15th. Applications for admission from EU/EEA-citizens should be received in full by the end of July or the end of January at the latest in order to guarantee admission for the desired semester.

If missing documents or certifications are submitted after this period, the application can only be considered for the following semester.

I have received an e-mail regarding supplementary exams, what does that mean?

As part of the right to be heard (“Parteiengehör”) you have been informed via e-mail which supplementary examinations you must take additionally in order to compensate subject-specific differences.

Please reply to this e-mail to indicate whether you agree to the conditions. You also have the opportunity to submit any additional certificates if you have already completed the required courses.

I have been prescribed supplementary examinations, what does that mean?

Supplementary examinations that must be taken as part of the Preparatory Programme at the VWU must be completed before enrolling in the regular programme.

The additional examination Descriptive Geometry must be taken during the bachelor's programme.

Supplementary examinations that have been prescribed to compensate subject-specific differences to the bachelor's or master's programme at TU Wien must be taken within the first two semesters.

I disagree with the prescription of supplementary exams, what can I do?

As part of the right to be heard (“Parteiengehör”) you have been informed via e-mail which supplementary examinations you must take additionally in order to establish equivalence. Here you had the opportunity to submit any certificates. After receiving the letter of admission you had a period of 4 weeks to appeal.

Enrolment by admission letter is an official act which, once the admission letter has become legally binding, cannot be changed.

Exams that you were required to take as part of the admission procedure cannot be recognised retrospectively. Refer to the relevant Dean of Studies directly and clarify with them whether you need to take this exam.

A new decision will not be issued.

I am required to take supplementary exams as part of the University Preparation Programme. Do I also have to attend the course for this?

Attending the course is not compulsory from TU Wien's point of view; only passing the exam is required.

It is left to your own judgement whether you would like to attend the course offered at the VWU or study for the exam autonomously.

However, please confirm this with the VWU.

I have received an admission letter for semester XY but am unable to enroll, what can I do?

Letters of admission of TU Wien are always valid for three semesters. This means you can enrol either in the semester the letter was issued for or within the following two semesters.

Exempted from this are admission letters for the master's programmes Building Science and Environment and Green Chemistry, as these are linked to the outcome of the selection procedure and are therefore only valid for the academic year.

If you are unable to enrol within this period, you will have to submit a new application for admission and, if applicable, complete the assessment/selection procedure again.

Please note, however, that admission requirements may change at any time due to new recommendations by the Federal Ministry or changes to the curriculum and that re-admission cannot be guaranteed.

Will I get the documents I have submitted back?

All documents will be returned together with the decision by post to the address provided on the application form.

The Admission Office takes no responsibility for loss or damage during shipping. Thus, we recommend that you submit certified copies.

Can my friend pick up my documents on my behalf?

According to § 60 para. 6 Universities Act 2002 - UG the representation of (foreign) applicants by persons who are not admitted to represent parties professionally in Austria or who are not entitled to represent parties by law is not permitted.

I want to have my documents sent to the address of a friend or relative, can I do that?

According to § 60 para. 6 Universities Act 2002 - UG the representation of (foreign) applicants by persons who are not admitted to represent parties professionally in Austria or who are not entitled to represent parties by law is not permitted.

I need a new admission letter, is that possible?

Within the validity of the letter of admission (3 semester) a new decision will not be issued.

If the letter of admission is no longer valid (after 3 semesters) a new decision can be issued on the basis of a new application for admission. \ Please note, however, that admission requirements may change at any time due to new recommendations by the Federal Ministry or changes to the curriculum and that re-admission cannot be guaranteed.

Do I still need the letter of admission after enrolment

Yes. \ You will have to submit your letter of admission upon graduation, so keep it safe!

Enrolment

Can I enrol online as well?

Initial enrolment for a degree programme can only be done by yourself in person at the Admission Office.

Exempted from this are bachelor's students who have successfully completed the admission procedure for Computer Science, Architecture or Spatial Planning.

How do I enrol for the University Preparation Programme ("Vorstudienlehrgang")?

Please keep the registration deadlines of the VWU in mind!

Personal enrolment is to be done at the Admission Office. You will first be enrolled as a non-degree student to attend the preparatory programme ("Vorstudienlehrgang").\ Please ensure to bring the following documents with you:

Do I have to book an appointment for personal enrolment?

To avoid long waiting times when enrolling for the winter semester, we kindly ask you to book an appointment as part of your pre-registration.

No prior appointment is necessary for the summer semester.

I want to book an appointment but there are no slots available for my desired date.

There are two possible reasons:

If there are no more slots available, we ask you to make an appointment for another day. If this is not possible for you, you can also come to the Admission Office to enrol without a prior appointment – however, you will have to accept longer waiting times. - The desired date is more than two weeks in the future:

Appointments are always published every two weeks. If the date you want is not yet available, you can only make a booking at a later date.

I don't have time to come in during front office hours. Can I come at another time?

No.\ Personal enrolment is only possible during front office hours, which are as follows:

The Admission Office can issue you a confirmation of attendance if required.

I don't have time to come in during front office hours. Can someone else enrol on my behalf?

No.\ Personal enrolment can only be done by yourself at the Admission Office.

Admission Office

For general inquiries, please use our Contact form.\ Specific inquiries regarding TU account logins can be found in the JIRA online portal.

Front office hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday\ 9:30 to 12:00

Wednesday\ 13:30 to 16:00

Availability by telephone

Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 12:00 and \ Monday to Thursday from 13:00 to 16:00

Phone number: +43 1 58801 41188

Please note: For data protection reasons, no information on personal data can be given over the phone.

Address of the Admission Office

Karlsplatz 13\ Stiege 1, EG\ 1040 Wien

Admission Office

For general inquiries, please use our Contact form.\ Specific inquiries regarding TU account logins can be found in the JIRA online portal.

Front office hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday\ 9:30 to 12:00

Wednesday\ 13:30 to 16:00

Availability by telephone

Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 12:00 and \ Monday to Thursday from 13:00 to 16:00

Phone number: +43 1 58801 41188

Please note: For data protection reasons, no information on personal data can be given over the phone.

Address of the Admission Office

Karlsplatz 13\ Stiege 1, EG\ 1040 Wien