TU Wien (the Vienna University of Technology) was founded in 1815 and has its main buildings at Karlsplatz in the centre of Vienna. It had around 26,600 active students in the winter semester of 2024. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 191st in the world, up six places, and the second-highest-ranked university in Austria. It’s known for engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, chemistry and architecture.
TU Wien’s bachelor’s programmes are taught in German, but it offers 19 English-taught master’s programmes, as well as several interuniversity and double-degree master’s taught in English. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on TU Wien’s own guidance and official Austrian information.
1. Know that bachelor’s programmes are taught in German
TU Wien’s bachelor’s programmes are taught in German, so you’ll need to prove your German, and if you don’t yet have level C1 you’ll be asked to take a supplementary German exam at the University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU). Computer Science, Architecture and Spatial Planning also have an entrance exam procedure with its own registration period, and as the tests are in German, TU Wien recommends at least level B2 to take part. TU Wien: admission to bachelor’s programmes.
2. Choose an English-taught master’s programme
TU Wien’s English-taught master’s programmes include Data Science, Software Engineering, Logic and Artificial Intelligence, Visual Computing, Business Informatics, Embedded Computing Systems, Biomedical Engineering, Technical Physics, Technical Chemistry, Financial and Actuarial Mathematics, and Quantum Information Science and Technology, and new programmes in Aeronautical Engineering and Medical Informatics started in 2026-27. Most lead to the Diplom-Ingenieur (Dipl.-Ing.) degree, which is equivalent to a Master of Science, over four semesters and 120 ECTS credits. TU Wien: English-taught master’s programmes.
3. Make sure your bachelor’s matches the programme
To be admitted to a master’s, you need a bachelor’s degree of at least 180 ECTS credits in a relevant subject. The Dean of Academic Affairs compares your previous studies with the matching TU Wien bachelor’s programme. Small gaps can be made up with extra courses, but if the differences add up to more than 30 ECTS credits, you won’t be admitted. So read the curriculum of the TU Wien bachelor’s that leads into your chosen master’s, and compare it with your transcript before you apply. TU Wien: admission with an international bachelor’s degree.
4. Apply between 16 January and 15 July if you’re not from the EU
Applications can take 10 to 12 weeks to process, so TU Wien recommends that non-EU/EEA citizens send complete applications for the winter semester between 16 January and 15 July, and for the summer semester between 16 July and 15 January. EU/EEA citizens can apply from the beginning of February to the end of July for the winter semester. You must also complete your pre-registration in the TISS system by 5 September for the winter semester, and personal enrolment with your letter of admission is possible until 31 October. Applications that arrive later may only be considered for the following semester.
5. Send legalised documents by post
TU Wien doesn’t accept applications by email: you send your application form and documents by post or hand them in at the Admission Office. You’ll need your degree certificate and transcripts as officially legalised copies with official translations if they aren’t in German or English, along with your passport copy and language certificates. Have documents translated after they’ve been legalised, because the stamps must be translated too, and avoid express couriers from outside the EU, as the office may refuse them because of customs charges. You can submit no more than two applications.
6. Check for a selection procedure
Most of TU Wien’s master’s programmes don’t have a selection procedure, but some do, including the English-taught Building Science and Environment, Green Chemistry and Digital Civil Engineering Science. For these, you register for the selection procedure during your pre-registration, within the programme’s own registration period, so check its dates well in advance. Some programmes ask for extra documents: for example, the Architecture master’s needs a portfolio.
7. Prove your English
English-taught programmes ask you to prove your English, usually with IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or a Cambridge English qualification, although some applicants who studied in English may be exempt. Book your test early so your results are ready when you apply. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests. For English-taught master’s programmes at TU Wien, you need English at level B2, and you don’t need to prove your German.
8. Understand the fees and look for funding
At Austria’s public universities, students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland pay a tuition fee of €726.72 a semester, plus the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH) fee, which is €26.20 a semester in 2026-27, so about €1,506 a year. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay only the ÖH fee for the standard length of their programme plus two extra semesters. Citizens of the least developed countries on the official list, such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Ethiopia, pay only the ÖH fee, and non-EU students with some other Austrian residence permits, such as permanent residence, are treated like EU students. Holders of a student residence permit don’t qualify for this. To look for scholarships, search the OeAD’s scholarship database, grants.at, and check what your own government and organisations in your home country offer. TU Wien: tuition fee.
9. Apply for your residence permit early
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a visa or residence permit to study in Austria, but they must register their address after they arrive. If you’re from outside the EU/EEA and will stay for more than six months, you need a “Residence Permit – Student” (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student). In most cases you apply for it in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate in your country once TU Wien has sent your letter of admission. For 2026 you must show €722.58 a month if you’re under 24, or €1,308.39 a month if you’re 24 or older, for twelve months in advance, plus extra if your rent is more than €386.43 a month. You’ll also need proof of accommodation, health insurance and a police clearance certificate, and the application fee is €218. The authorities have 90 days to decide, so Austria’s agency for education and internationalisation (OeAD) advises applying at least three months before you travel, and six months ahead if you can. Once your permit is approved, you get a D visa to enter Austria and collect it. It’s issued for 12 months, and to renew it you must show academic progress of at least 16 ECTS credits a year. OeAD: Residence Permit – Student.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
With a student residence permit you can work up to 20 hours a week, but your employer must first get a work permit for you from the Public Employment Service (AMS), which is granted without a labour market test. Many part-time jobs need German, so don’t count on them to pay all your costs. After you graduate, you can extend your stay by twelve months to look for a job or set up a business, as long as you apply before your student residence permit expires, and if you find a job that matches your qualifications you can apply for a Red-White-Red Card. TU Wien’s career services can help you find internships and jobs. EU Immigration Portal: studying in Austria.
Applying for a PhD at TU Wien?
To start a doctoral programme at TU Wien, you usually need a master’s degree in a relevant subject and a supervisor who agrees to support your research. Many doctoral researchers at TU Wien are employed as “prae doc” project assistants or university assistants, so look out for advertised positions. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to the University of Vienna, Central European University, the University of Innsbruck and TU Graz. Our guide to studying in Austria explains how the Austrian system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from TU Wien’s official admissions, programme and fee pages, the OeAD, the EU Immigration Portal and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on TU Wien’s admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with TU Wien.