A sharp increase in university applications from third-country nationals has prompted Austria’s university rectors to call for higher admission requirements. According to the Universities Austria association (uniko), the current influx is causing significant administrative delays, leading to longer waiting times and weaker conditions for all applicants. As a solution, universities are demanding tougher admission standards: future applicants from outside the EU should be required to present a higher level of German proficiency and only be allowed to begin the admission process once all documents are submitted.
Uniko emphasized to APA that the goal is not to reduce the number of international students, but rather to ensure that those admitted can begin their studies more efficiently. While level A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is currently sufficient for admission, universities typically require B2—equivalent to Austrian Matura level—or even C1 proficiency for actual enrollment.
The lower the language level at admission, the more time applicants need to spend in preliminary German courses before beginning their degree. Universities argue that requiring a higher level of German at admission would improve students’ academic success and reduce the dropout rate in these preparatory programs—ultimately lowering the risk of students failing to reach C1 and having to leave the country.
49,000 applications in 2024
The number of affected applicants is significant: in 2024 alone, 49,000 individuals who could prove A2-level German submitted university admission applications—excluding those for medicine and art universities, which follow separate rules. For comparison, a total of 260,000 students are currently enrolled at the relevant universities. However, only 25,000 of those are from third countries and actually started a full degree program after reaching the required German level, according to data from the Ministry of Science.
A large number of applicants are never admitted due to missing documents. These incomplete applications create extra workload for university administrations. The Technical University of Vienna recently criticized the “deliberate submission of incomplete applications by numerous individuals,” which leads to correction requests, back-and-forth communication, and late submissions—delaying processing for all applications. University leaders are calling for the return of a previous rule under which only complete applications were processed.
The Student Ombudsman’s Office also believes applicants would benefit from stricter language requirements—not only because of better academic outcomes, but because fewer people would apply in the first place. In the past academic year, the office was frequently contacted due to delays in decisions for foreign applicants, which in turn caused issues with visa applications and bureaucratic processes.
Ministry reviewing the issue but stresses importance of internationalization
The Ministry of Science told APA that it is currently reviewing the additional workload caused by rising numbers of third-country applications. The goal is to ensure efficient processes that offer the best conditions for both applicants and universities. At the same time, the ministry emphasized that internationalization remains a cornerstone of Austria’s higher education system. “Generic barriers regarding language proficiency or application requirements must not result in qualified applicants being excluded from studying,” a spokesperson for Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ) said.
