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University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
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University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien
Vienna's veterinary university: the diploma programme in veterinary medicine, a bachelor's in biomedicine and biotechnology, master's and PhD programmes, five university clinics.
Data from the university's official pages

Facts about the university

Ownership Public, Vienna
City Vienna
Founded 1765
Students ≈ 2,455
Preparatory course University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU)

About the university

In 1765 Maria Theresa ordered a school for livestock diseases — the start of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria's only veterinary university and the third oldest in the world after Lyon and Alfort. In the winter semester 2025/26 it had 2,455 students, about 38% of them foreign nationals. The campus with five university clinics is in Floridsdorf, at Veterinärplatz 1. The university has four departments. Its main programme is the diploma in veterinary medicine (12 semesters, 360 ECTS, in German, 223 places a year); there is a bachelor's in Biomedicine and Biotechnology, several master's programmes (Evolutionary Genomics and Systems Biology in English) and a PhD. In the Shanghai ranking for veterinary sciences it is 6th in the world (according to the university, 2026).

Preparatory course

If your school certificate does not give direct admission, the university admits you on condition of supplementary exams (Ergänzungsprüfungen), and the preparatory course below gets you ready for them. The exams count for the university that prescribed them.

How to apply

The general procedure is the same for all programmes of the university; the required grade, language and additional requirements are on the page of each programme.

Veterinary medicine, the bachelor's in Biomedicine and Biotechnology and three master's programmes have a selection procedure (Aufnahmeverfahren). For 2026/27 online registration ran from 2 March to 18 May, the written test was on 22–23 July in Floridsdorf. Supplementary exams are taken only through the VWU, before admission; Latin is needed before the first diploma exam unless school covered enough of it.

Read more

If your certificate or your German is not enough, the university admits you on condition of supplementary exams (Ergänzungsprüfungen); the VWU — the preparation programme of the Vienna universities — gets you ready for them.

What it costs to study

Costs of studying

International students pay €726.72 per semester at Austria's public universities, plus the students' union (ÖH) fee of €26.20 (2026/27) — €752.92 per semester in total. Citizens of the countries on the ministry's list and some groups (refugees, for example) are exempt from tuition; everyone pays the ÖH fee.

Some programmes charge their own fee — see the programme page.

If you don't meet the requirements yet

Two typical stops: a school certificate without direct admission and German below the required level. Both can be solved within a year, but plan them before you apply, not after a rejection.

Questions about University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

Do I need a Studienkolleg?
There are no Studienkollegs in Austria. If your certificate is not enough, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna admits you on condition of supplementary exams; University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU) prepares you for them.

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