Organization of studies

u:card

The u:card is the student ID card of the University of Vienna and also serves as the library card. Order your u:card on the u:space website under “Personal matters”: My u:card.

The u:card becomes valid as soon as you validate it at one of the u:card terminals. The u:card will be delivered by mail to the address you provided in the order (this only applies to EU/EEA countries and Switzerland). Please note that printing and delivering the u:card may take up to two weeks.

You can find further information about the u:card here. Do you have further questions? Read the FAQ about the u:card for students. Do you still have questions after reading the FAQ? Please contact the u:card service team using the contact form.

Information material

Our brochures and information booklets are available as print versions or for download as PDF files:

>> Brochures for download

Confirmations

You can download your student record sheet, confirmation of enrolment, confirmation of periods of study and transcript of records via u:space (Personal matters, My documents.)

If you require any special confirmations (for example, to submit them to funding bodies), please contact the responsible Program Management directly.

Changing personal data

During your studies, some of your personal data might change (e.g. your address or academic degree). It may also happen that some of your personal data in our system are incorrect (e.g. date of birth, spelling of your name).

You can change certain data yourself via u:space, while other changes require you to provide documentation. You can change the following data yourself on u:space under “Personal matters” > “Personal data”:

• Forwarding e-mail address
• Phone number
• Home and different delivery address
• Bank account details

Please note that some of these fields are required fields. Bear in mind to keep your data up to date.
Only students currently enrolled at the University and persons who are currently applying for admission can change their personal data.

Change of name
Your name has changed (e.g. because you married). Send the relevant proof (e.g. marriage certificate) and a scan of your photo identity card to info@postgraduatecenter.at. As soon as your name has been changed in the system, you can order a new u:card via u:space > Personal matters > My u:card.

Entering an academic degree
If you want your documents to contain your academic degrees, send the relevant proof (official notice of degree award, Verleihungsbescheid) to info@postgraduatecenter.at. You can only enter degrees awarded by academic institutions within the EU/EEA or degrees recognized through a nostrification procedure.

Change of citizenship
Send the proof of your change of citizenship (proof of citizenship and passport or identity card) to info@postgraduatecenter.at.

Change of gender
If you entered the wrong gender by accident when registering on u:space, please send the relevant proof (passport or identity card) to zulassung.pgc@univie.ac.at.  

>> Information about change of name and gender for transgender persons (in German)

Correcting your date of birth or the spelling of your name
If your date of birth or the spelling of your name are incorrect, please send a proof of the correct date of birth or spelling (passport or identity card) to zulassung.pgc@univie.ac.at.

Tolerance semesters

If you intend to study for a longer period (in addition to the standard duration of the program), this is subject to a university regulation. If students do not complete a continuing education and training program within the specified standard duration, they may be granted additional semesters (tolerance semesters) free of charge.

Students participating in continuing education and training programs comprising 60 ECTS Credits may be granted one tolerance semester free of charge. Students enrolled in continuing education and training programs comprising between 90 and 120 ECTS Credits may be granted up to two free tolerance semesters. For each additional semester after that, students have to pay an additional program fee (including the ÖH fee) of currently EUR 380.00. If you do not pay the fees within the relevant period, your re-enrollment becomes ineffective according to section 62 of the Universities Act as amended.

Academic calendar

The academic year is divided into winter semester and summer semester. Each semester consists of a period during which courses are held and a period during which no courses are held.

Summer semester 2024

Winter semester of 2024/25

Summer semester 2025

Studying and living

Student counseling
Some units closely affiliated with the University of Vienna provide advice for students regarding their studies (such as for the planning of the semester) and regarding study law.

• Austrian National Union of Students (ÖH) (in German) – the legal representation of all students
• ÖH Universität Wien  (in German) – the Austrian National Union of Students at the University of Vienna
• Ombudsoffice for students (in German) – provides assistance in case of legal issues (with the University)

Working
There is a wide range of opportunities for students to receive financial support. Many students also have a job besides studies. Please note that your income can, for example, have an effect on some scholarships.

• UNIPORT – careers service of the University of Vienna (in German)
• Chamber of Labour – employment contracts (in German)
• Chamber of Labour – tax advice (in German)
• Public employment service – Working as a non-EU citizen (in German)
• Unijobs.at (in German)

Accessibility
The Accessible Studying team (in German) provides advice and information about studying for students with disabilities/impairment(s) or illness(es).

Funding and financing
There are different funding bodies in Austria that help you finance your continuing education and training program. Our website provides an overview of different funding opportunities and scholarships. As the funding possibilities differ greatly, we recommend contacting the responsible bodies personally.

Insurance and discounts
Under certain conditions, students have the opportunity to obtain, for example, health insurance for students or an exemption from paying public broadcasting service fees. In addition, theaters, museums and cinemas often offer student discounts.

• Austrian health insurance (in German)
• FeelSafe  – private insurance for students
• OBS - ORF-Beitrag (discounts possible)

Please note that many discounts are subject to the Austrian student support act (Studienförderungsgesetz, StudFG). Therefore, non-degree program students are not given many discounts.

Mobility
Under certain conditions, students can get a discount for public transportation and other services allowing you to travel from A to B.

• Wiener Linien (Vienna’s public transport operator)
• ÖBB – Austrian Federal Railways
• Transportation in Vienna – wien.gv.at
• City of Vienna: Parking in Vienna
• Park & Study – Wipark

Please note that many discounts are subject to the Austrian student support act (Studienförderungsgesetz, StudFG). Therefore, non-degree program students are not given many discounts.

Social institutions
Students are sometimes faced with problems and challenges in their everyday life. A range of institutions provide advice and support to students in different situations.

• Students with children
• Vienna University Children’s Office
• Information platform UniKid-UniCare Austria
• Human Resources and Gender Equality unit at the University of Vienna – reconciling work and family life
• Childcare in Vienna (in German)
• wienXtra – information for children (in German)

Sexual Harassment and Bullying Counselling Office
The Counselling Office serves as a contact point offering advice to persons experiencing sexual harassment and bullying at the University of Vienna. Sexual Harassment and Bullying Counselling Office

Psychological Counselling Services for students
The Psychological Counselling Services provide psychological and psychotherapeutic assistance to students and prospective students: Psychological Counselling Services for students

Languages
Learning languages is now even easier for our students and graduates. The Language Center of the University of Vienna offers courses in 38 different languages. You can choose between semester courses (once or twice a week) or intensive courses during the holiday months. In addition to the regular courses according to the CEFR levels A1-C2, the Language Center offers technical language courses, Erasmus preparatory courses, exam preparation courses and language-competence certificates. You can obtain ECTS credits from the majority of courses. You can now get a 25 % discount on foreign language courses at the Language Center if you are a student or graduate of the Postgraduate Center.

Sports
Do you like to exercise? The University Sport Institute (USI) offers affordable sport courses for students, academics and employees from universities, ranging from A as in aerobics to Z as in Zen meditation.
Unisport, which is organized by students, also offers a range of sport camps, courses and reduced admission at fitness centers.

The Austrian sport association for persons with disabilities (Österreichischer Behindertensportverband, ÖBSV) provides information about offers for persons with disabilities as well as about continuing education and training in this field.

• University Sport Institute (USI)
• Unisport (in German)
• Austrian sport association for persons with disabilities (ÖBSV) (in German)

Living
The University of Vienna does not have its own university dormitory. The buildings of the University of Vienna are located all over Vienna. Therefore, there is not THE perfect area for student housing. As apartments are rather expensive in Vienna, student residences or shared apartments are affordable alternatives. We have compiled a range of links for you. You can find even more offers online.

• home4students
• OeAD student housing
• STUWO student housing
• Student residences in Vienna (in German)
• Housing website (in German)
• Notice board of the Austrian National Union of Students (ÖH) (in German)
• heimdatenbank.at (in German)

Studying Safely

The University is a large community. Students, academics and administrative staff meet on site and digitally. The website of the team Teaching Affairs and Study Services provides tips and information and the most important contact points for working and studying successfully together.

Libraries and research

Vienna University Library is Austria's largest library and the oldest university library in the German-speaking area, dating from 1365. It collects media from all disciplines taught and researched at Vienna University.

The main library, located inside the main university building on Universitaetsring 1 is VU Library's central lending library and holds over 2.9 million volumes. As an inter-facultary and interdisciplinary library it collects literature from all disciplines taught at Vienna University.

Vienna University Library has 36 special libraries, providing researchers, teachers and students with specialist literature on a great variety of specific academic subjects. Most of these are reference libraries; therefore the 4.7 million books, journals, maps and other media can be borrowed only for short periods of time.

The University Archive collects, conserves, catalogues and provides access to the collections on the history of Vienna University for administrative and research purposes as well as for personal use.

Vienna University Library is also responsible for the systematic cataloguing and presentations of all collections and archives kept at the university's departments for teaching and research purposes.

>> Further information about the Vienna University Library

The services of the libraries include e-books on demand, a virtual helpdesk, guided tours and training courses as well as the lending and inter-library loan services.

>> Information about the services of the Vienna University Library

Legal foundations

Important legal foundations include the 2002 Universities Act as well as the Statutes of the University of Vienna and the individual curricula for continuing education and training programs.

The curricula for continuing education and training programs provide information about the learning outcomes and the qualification profile, the duration of the program, the entry requirements, the selection procedure, the available study places and the structure, scope and content of the modules and courses.

>> Consolidated version of the 2002 Universities Act in the Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS, the legal information system of the Republic of Austria) (in German)
>> Statutes of the University of Vienna
>> You can find our curricula in the University Gazette of the University of Vienna (in German) as well as on the relevant websites of our continuing education and training programs, from where you can also download them.