Can I study in Austria without IELTS?

Every year numerous international candidates consider Austria for studying abroad. Austria is one of the finest places in Europe for students aspiring to study business administration, management, engineering, and computer science. It is home to universities like the University of Vienna, Technical University of Graz, Modul University (Vienna), Johannes Kepler University, and more. Austria offers an affordable tuition fee system that makes it even easier for international candidates to pursue programs. If you are interested in studying in Austria, whether IELTS is mandatory for securing admission has concerned you. To state it in the simplest terms, if your desired subject is taught in German, you need to provide German language proficiency. But if the subject is taught in English, then submitting an English proficiency certificate like IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge Certificates. However, it should be noted that the primary focus is on knowing German.

Certain Austrian universities do offer programs without IELTS. But most of the prominent Austrian universities accept IELTS. Instead of IELTS, they generally consider TOEFL or Cambridge certifications. A handful of universities consider the high scores from the previous academic qualifications instead of IELTS. Here are a few of the renowned Austrian universities with their IELTS cutoff:

These are a few universities requiring an IELTS score. But there are universities like St. Polten University of Applied Sciences Krems that require Cambridge Certificates. What the universities are considering apart from the IELTS score is the photocopy of Passport or ID card, previous academic qualifications, last diploma certificate, German language proficiency: German language of high school confirming four years of study German-language diploma.

It is to be noted that certain universities require you to take an entrance examination depending on the course of study chosen. This exam is generally taken six months before the commencement of the program. Also, most of the Austrian Universities of Applied Sciences require you to have good work experience. Additionally, you need to take an oral and written test and also an interview.

It so happens that once a candidate has cleared all the requirements as mentioned above smoothly, the IELTS exam might not be considered. But in these scenarios, your last degree or grade score needs to be pretty high. Generally, universities require an A-level or high-school diploma that is equivalent to the Austrian Matura Examination Certification. An agreement instructs this requirement, or in some individual scenarios, the Vice-Chancellor the Principal takes the decision that involves specific requirements. The other condition is providing complete proof of your three-year completion at one particular certified post-secondary academic institute. This certification is considered satisfactory for the university and the course of study you are aiming for admission to. Apart from that, any entrance examination, if required, needs to adhere to. It is not only the English language, but knowledge about the German language is a necessity too.

Another option to find out if your selected university requires IELTS is to inquire through your study abroad agency. The agencies have knowledge about the university requirements that makes it easier for you to gain understanding.

Austria is a place that offers not only affordable tuition fees but also state-of-the-art facilities and faculties. Austrian universities have distinctive requirements for each of their programs. The main reason universities require IELTS or other English language proficiency test reports is to showcase that you can communicate on an intermediate level. Certain undergraduate levels require proficiency in the German language, whereas some in English.

The best way to know if you can study in Austria without IELTS is to check those universities whose application requirements don’t include an IELTS score. Most Austrian universities will have details about their international student’s application requirements on their admission page. You need to properly scroll through the page to check if IELTS is mandatory or not. O level or AS/A level of English might ignore your IELTS requirement. If not IELTS, universities do consider TOEFL scores as well. PTE is also a feasible option to submit for an English proficiency test.

From the above details, it can be stated that IELTS may not be required in specific programs and universities. But it is recommended that you enrol in a course and take the exam. There is no point in regretting if your selected university changes its requirement and makes IELTS score mandatory.