About the VWU

VWU is a preparatory institution for international students. It offers intensive courses for foreign university applicants to prepare for supplementary examinations required by Austrian universities. In addition to the VWU itself, two cooperation partners currently offer German courses as part of the preparatory program, and starting in autumn 2025, there will be three cooperation partners offering such courses.

The contracts between OeAD and the two current VWU cooperation partners for the provision of German courses to prepare for the supplementary German exam will expire at the end of the summer semester 2025. Therefore, due to the significant increase in student numbers, a public call for applications was held, and three cooperation partners were selected for the coming years. A uniform course fee applies to all three, and they ensure that the German courses continue to be delivered at a high standard. These courses offered by the cooperation partners are financed solely through the collected course fees. Due to increased personnel and infrastructure costs, this results in a slightly higher course fee than before. However, one point is particularly important to us: the courses comprise 320 teaching units of 45 minutes each, which equates to a price of approximately €5.62 per unit – a fair price for high-quality instruction.

The VWU Statute forms the legal basis of the VWU, and the institution's core values are outlined in its mission statement.

It is a university course that is run by the OeAD-GmbH – Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation – together with the following six Viennese universities:

• University of Vienna (Uni Wien)
• Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU)
• Vienna University of Technology (TU)
• Medical University of Vienna (MedUni)
• University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU)
• University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (VETMED).

These six universities are represented in the VWU board. The VWU Board is the supervisory board of the VWU.

According to the VWU statute, § 7, the VWU Board is in charge of

• issues relating to studies and organisation of the University Preparation Programme
• orientation of the University Preparation Programme as far as contents are concerned, in compliance with the curriculum
• organisational and economic running of the University Preparation Programme in co-operation with Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD-GmbH)
• decision about the course fee
• decision about the examination fees.

The VWU Board consists of one representative with voting powers each of the following universities:

• University of Vienna
• Vienna University of Economics and Business
• Vienna University of Technology
• Medical University of Vienna
• University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
• University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

The representatives of the universities in the VWU Board are delegated for 4 years by the rectors of the universities. The VWU Board meets at least once a semester. The General Secretariat of the OeAD-GmbH acts as secretariat of the VWU Board.

Who works/teaches at the VWU?

Teaching staff: approx. 50 academically qualified lecturers. Head of the programme: director / administrator (deputy director). Three to four people work in the secretaries’ office.

Who studies at the VWU?

Each semester approximately 900 students who have been admitted to study by one of the six Viennese universities attend courses at the VWU. They come from 60 to 80 countries from all over the world. The students are enrolled as non-degree programme students (außerordentliche Studierende) at their universities.

How is the VWU financed?

By course fees. The Austrian Federal Ministry of Education (BMB) provides the teachers.

Our strengths

• Help with integration: The VWU supports the international students with their integration into the Austrian (academic) environment by means of special offers such as the tutor project “Mother tongue contact persons (Muttersprachliche Ansprechpartner/nnen (MAP)“, the transcultural practical training (TKP), excursions and information events.
   
• Expertise and internationality: The VWU has more than 50 years of experience in the field of German as a foreign language and in preparing students for university studies.
  The VWU participates in European projects (CHAGAL) and is networking with preparatory institutions all over Europe.
   
• Commitment and bridge-building: The VWU acts as an intermediary and bridge between the different educational systems, lifestyles, traditions, languages and cultures.
  The VWU actively supports the interests of the international students, especially of those from economically weak countries.