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WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
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WU Vienna University of Economics and Business

Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien
Vienna's university of economics and business: business, economics, law and social sciences, 12 departments and a campus on Welthandelsplatz.
Data from the university's official pages

Facts about the university

Ownership Public, Vienna
City Vienna
Founded 1898
Students ≈ 21,681
Preparatory course University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU)

About the university

WU was founded on 1 October 1898 as the Imperial Export Academy (k.k. Exportakademie) and has had university status since 1919. In the winter semester 2025/26 it had 21,681 students, about 38% of them foreign nationals. It has 12 departments; the campus on Welthandelsplatz covers about 90,000 m² in seven buildings, with Austria's largest business library. Three bachelor's programmes: Business, Economics and Social Sciences and Business Law in German, Business and Economics (240 places) in English; 6 master's programmes in German and 9 in English. WU holds the triple accreditation AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA — the only one in Austria.

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.

All bachelor's programmes select once a year, in spring, the same way for EU and other applicants: for 2026/27 registration ran from 2 March to 19 May 2026, fee €50; WU publishes the rules for 2027/28 in mid-November 2026. Admission periods: 9 July – 5 September 2026 and 7 January – 5 February 2027; Business and Economics starts in the winter semester only. German at A2 is needed to apply and C1 for admission; Business and Economics needs no German but English at B2.

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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 WU Vienna University of Economics and Business

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

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