Deadlines for non-EU applicants, 2026/27
- University of Vienna, winter 2026/27 · summer 2027
- 22 Jun – 3 Aug 2026 · 16 Nov 2026 – 7 Jan 2027
- TU Wien, winter 2026/27 · summer 2027
- 16 Jan – 15 Jul 2026 · 16 Jul 2026 – 15 Jan 2027
- University of Innsbruck, summer 2027
- 1 Sep – 15 Oct 2026
- Preparatory course in Vienna, registration
- 13 Aug (winter) · 19 Jan (summer)
- Why it matters
- The deadline for you is earlier than the general one
Why you cannot use the general deadline
Many websites quote the "Austrian" dates: 5 September for the winter semester and 5 February for the summer semester. Those are the general deadlines. Austrian universities set an earlier deadline for applicants from outside the EU, Algerians included, because your documents must be checked and legalised first and you still need a visa afterwards.
A late application is not "a little late". At TU Wien, an application that is incomplete or arrives after the window is treated as an application for the next semester.
University of Vienna
The deadlines for applicants from outside the EU/EEA, for bachelor's, diploma and master's studies:
| Semester | Your deadline |
|---|---|
| Winter 2026/27 | 22 June – 3 August 2026 |
| Summer 2027 | 16 November 2026 – 7 January 2027 |
Programmes with an admission or aptitude procedure have a separate window that is the same for everyone: 2 March – 4 May 2026 for bachelor and diploma programmes, and 2 March – 7 April 2026 for master's programmes with an admission procedure. These windows occur once a year.
TU Wien
| Semester | Applicants from outside the EU/EEA |
|---|---|
| Winter 2026/27 | 16 January – 15 July 2026 |
| Summer 2027 | 16 July 2026 – 15 January 2027 |
Your written application must be submitted completely, with all documents and certifications, within this window, by post or in person. If you need supplementary exams in the preparatory course, you must also register by 13 August (winter) or 19 January (summer). Processing typically takes 10 to 12 weeks.
University of Innsbruck
| Winter 2026/27 | Summer 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Application deadline for non-EU applicants | 1 April – 15 May 2026 | 1 September – 15 October 2026 |
| Admission period for non-EU applicants | 13 July – 5 September 2026 | 11 January – 5 February 2027 |
Innsbruck separates the application, which comes first, from the admission period. Check the page of the Studienabteilung for the exact procedure.
University of Graz
The University of Graz regulation says only that the window for applicants from third countries must be at least four weeks long, and that the exact dates are published on the university website. We did not find the dates for 2026/27 in a source we could quote, so check UNIGRAZonline and the Studienabteilung page before you plan.
The preparatory course in Vienna
If your admission letter prescribes supplementary exams, you register for the Vienna preparatory course (VWU) in a separate window. For the winter 2026/27 semester, pre-registration runs from 31 July to 13 August 2026 and requires your admission letter. Read our guide to the preparatory course for the full process.
How to plan backwards
Start from the deadline and subtract the time each step takes:
- Legalising your documents can take several months.
- Your application is processed in about 10 to 12 weeks at TU Wien.
- The residence permit is applied for at least three months before you travel, and six months is better. The authority decides within 90 days, extended by 90 days if documents are missing.
- The German A2 exam must be done before you apply, and the certificate must still be valid.
For the summer semester 2027, the TU Wien window closes on 15 January 2027 and the University of Vienna's on 7 January 2027. Innsbruck's window for the summer semester has already closed on 15 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply on 5 September like Austrians?
Not as an applicant from outside the EU at the universities above. Your deadline is earlier.
Does the deadline apply to the application or to the documents?
To the complete application with all documents and certifications. A university that receives an incomplete file may treat it as an application for the next semester.
Are master's deadlines the same?
At the University of Vienna and TU Wien, the deadlines for non-EU applicants are the same for master's and bachelor's studies, except programmes with an admission procedure.
Where do I find next year's dates?
On the university's own page. They are published every year.
Sources
- University of Vienna: application and admission deadlines
- TU Wien: academic calendar and deadlines
- TU Wien: admission with an international school-leaving certificate
- University of Innsbruck: application and admission deadlines
- University of Graz: regulation on admission deadlines
- OeAD: preparatory course in Vienna, first-semester registration
The images in this article are illustrative.