FAQ for Prospective Students

We are happy to answer questions about studying in Hagenberg at any time as part of the various options offered by our personal student advisory service. During the semester, you can spend a (half) day at our faculty in the company of students as part of our 1day@FH Hagenberg taster day campaign and experience what it's like to study here. If you are unable to come to Hagenberg in person or if Corona requires it, you can also arrange a taster day online. We also offer campus tours (on site in small groups and online) followed by a Q&A session about studying in Hagenberg. You can also find out more about studying and living in Hagenberg and get to know our campus at our information days in November and March. Any further information events, for example on our part-time study program or on studying without a Matura, will also be announced in good time on our info days webpage and some of these will also be held online.

You can apply for all of our Bachelor's degree programs even if you have no prior knowledge of the subject (such as programming, etc.). They are also suitable for graduates of non-HTLs (technical institutions of higher education), e.g. AHS (academic secondary school) and BHS (vocational secondary school). Specific prior knowledge is required for our Master's degree programs, which is listed on the respective program website. These can be subsequently acquired in various degree programs via certain bridge modules at the beginning of the degree program.

Individual recognition of prior knowledge is possible within the first semesters on a course-related basis. The head of degree program decides on recognition. For graduates of a relevant HTL (technical institution of higher education), direct entry into a higher semester is possible for many degree programs (Automotive Computing, Hardware Software Design, Medical and Bioinformatics, Mobile Computing, Software Engineering) - more detailed information can be found on the websites of the respective degree programs. However, previous education and application, which are individually checked by the degree program, are decisive for this. It may also be the case that certain courses have to be made up for. Entry into the second semester is a particularly attractive option for applicants who are doing their military or civilian service after completing their A-levels. However, please note the regular application deadline!

The majority of degree programs are offered as full-time courses. Lecture times are mostly on weekdays between 8am and 6pm, and some courses are also offered in block form. As some full-time courses do not take place every day of the week, they are often also "career-enabling" - i.e. part-time employment with flexible time management options is possible alongside studies for a certain number of hours.

Software Engineering (Bachelor's degree, full-time or part-time), Human-Centered Computing (Master) and Information Engineering and Management (Master) are taught weekly on Friday afternoons/Saturdays. There are also individual blocked attendance days. In the Master's degree program in Information Security Management (Master), on the other hand, there are individual blocked attendance weeks in each semester and distance learning is also used intensively. The Master's in Energy Informatics has been organized similarly since the 2022/23 academic year.

The winter semester usually lasts from October 1st to January 31st, for some courses (especially part-time courses) from mid-September to mid-February. The summer semester lasts from March 1st to June 30th, for some courses (especially part-time courses) from mid-February to mid-July.

Christmas holidays are from December 24th to January 6th, Easter holidays from Palm Sunday to Easter Monday.

In addition, the following days are normally closed:
National holiday: October 26th
All Saints' Day: November 1st
Conception of Mary: December 8th
New Year's Day: January 1st
Epiphany: January 6th
National holiday: May 1st
Ascension Day: 6th Thursday after Easter
Pentecost: 7 weeks after Easter
Corpus Christi: 2nd Thursday after Pentecost
Assumption Day: August 15th

Yes, there is a tuition fee and scholarships at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria - details can be found here. Study grants are regulated in the same way as at universities - see https://www.stipendium.at/english.

All of our bachelor's degree programs (with the exception of our part-time programs) include a professional internship, which is completed in a company/organization outside of the Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences. During the internship, the student is jointly supervised by a lecturer and a representative of the company. The duration of the internship is at least 12 weeks. It takes place in different semesters of our study programs, in most of them in the 6th semester, in some of them in the 5th semester. Details and further information about the internship can be found on the websites of the programs.

Our faculty successfully collaborates with a large number of companies and organizations in Austria and abroad as part of its study and research activities. There is a great demand from companies for cooperation with our students in the form of internships, projects and bachelor and master theses. This means that all students find a suitable internship. Our annual careers fair FH>>next, with over 140 exhibitors from the IT and media sector, is also an ideal platform for finding an internship. Internships are also available abroad.

Yes, this is possible. The International Office on campus provides support if students would like to spend a semester abroad at one of our faculty's partner universities.

Directly on campus there is a student dormitory with space for over 550 people, student residences with apartments (shared apartments for 3 people) for approx. 220 people and numerous private housing options. Detailed information can be found under Living in Hagenberg.

We have plenty of accommodation in Hagenberg and the surrounding area. It is possible to pre-register for shared flats and student residences. It makes sense to actually register after you have received confirmation of your enrolment.

The course is designed as a full-time program, with existing prior knowledge, part-time employment (flexible in terms of time) is conceivable. Some companies from the Softwarepark offer such jobs, and the faculty also advertises positions for student assistants. In the higher semesters, tutors are also always employed by the University of Applied Sciences. However, the relatively long summer vacation (beginning/mid-July to the end of September) is of course a good time to finance your studies. Even in the full-time form, the Master's degree programs usually allow part-time employment (career-enabling).

We know from graduate surveys that life at Campus Hagenberg in particular is rated with top marks. If you are still missing something, you will always find a sympathetic ear in the Dean's Office. More information.

This is actually relatively often the case. Support is provided not only by the respective degree program, but also by the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria Career Zone. In Hagenberg, start-ups are also provided with office space free of charge in the so-called BYTEWERK, the university's coworking space in the Meierhof.

Yes, we offer a two-semester study qualification course. Thanks to its modular structure, it can be completed while working. More information on studying without a Matura.

You can easily apply online. Details on the application and access to the online application portal.

No problem, in this case simply submit these certificates as soon as they are available.

It is possible to apply for two degree programs at the same time with two different priorities. If you wish to upload separate letters of motivation in the applicant portal, it is best to combine them in one PDF. After submitting the application, you can change the prioritization or supplement the application via the degree program office, preferably by sending an email to the degree program.

The application portal is already available starting in October for the next academic year, with most degree programs starting to process applications in February. We therefore recommend that you send your application to us by January 31st in order to initiate the admission procedure and secure your place early.

The application deadline is usually June 30th (so be sure to check the website of your chosen degree program!) After this, the so-called extraordinary application period (Clearing - details on our Admissions Procedure page) begins, which usually lasts until August 31st: during the summer months, places are allocated according to the number of available places. As study places are continuously allocated until June and if a visa is required for your stay in Austria, we recommend submitting your application by the end of May if possible!

• Detailed information on how to apply can be found on our application webpage and further Hagenberg-specific information can also be found on our Hagenberg admission procedure page.
• Online application for the desired degree program(s)
• Invitation by the faculty to an admissions interview with professors from the chosen degree program (required for all Bachelor's and Master's degree programs)
• Written confirmation of acceptance after completion of the admission procedure described above

For Digital Arts, the submission of a digital portfolio (with the application) is mandatory. At least 15 works (of all types) with a total size of max. 3 MB are recommended. The portfolio should demonstrate your own experience and knowledge in media handling, conception and design. These can be drawings, paintings, storyboards, photographs, graphic designs, digitally created images, animations, films, games or technical work. The portfolio can be a PDF file with images, texts and optionally with links to interactive and time-based media (films etc.) or a PDF file with a link to an online portfolio. Tip: Attach an "overview" and briefly document the creation (school project, private work). For media technology and design, the portfolio is optional and will be discussed during the interview. For other degree courses, reference CAN of course be made to relevant projects that have already been completed (but this is not expected).

No, you no longer have to take a potential/entrance test as part of the admission process for our Media Bachelor's degree programs. After submitting your online application, you will be invited to an interview.

The interviews take place on campus or, if necessary due to coronavirus or for other reasons, also online. Depending on the degree program, it is a joint interview with one or two professors or two separate interviews, usually online via MS Teams meeting. The invitation and detailed information will be sent by the respective degree program office. The interviews usually take place in the summer semester or starting in mid-February.

The interview is similar to a job interview at a company. It is a good idea if you have already researched the course in detail and compared your expectations with the curriculum. You are also welcome to prepare your own questions to find out whether the degree course is the "right" course for your needs.

In general, we are constantly trying to expand the number of places on offer in order to be able to offer a place to all suitable applicants.The Faculty's media degree programs are usually in higher demand, although the numbers here also fluctuate somewhat from year to year. But don't be put off and try to apply! In addition, you can also indicate a second degree program as 2nd priority within the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria when applying.

The degree programs also try to provide initial feedback before the application deadline (May 31st or June 30th). However, an early application is of course always a sign of well-founded interest and can be recommended.