Study Medicine in Austria

Austria has been a member of the European Union since 1995 and is linguistically and culturally the smallest step abroad for German-speaking applicants. At the state universities in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, and Linz, however, places are decided by the MedAT entrance exam, and the quota for applicants without an Austrian school-leaving certificate is tight. The path that Medschool Experts facilitates in Austria therefore leads to Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences in Krems an der Donau. It is the only location in Austria in our programme.

Krems an der Donau

Krems is located in Lower Austria at the entrance to the Wachau valley, around eighty kilometres west of Vienna and reachable by rail or car in just over an hour. Karl Landsteiner Private University works with the university hospitals in Krems, St. Pölten, and Tulln, where the clinical phases take place. The city is manageable; student life revolves around the campus and the old town. Vienna is close enough for a weekend and far enough not to distract.

Bachelor in English, Master in German

The programme in Krems is divided into two parts. First comes the Bachelor's programme in Medical Science, taught in English, which provides the scientific and pre-clinical foundations. Built on this is the Master's programme in Human Medicine, conducted in German, which contains the clinical training. Both sections together correspond to a six-year medical degree and lead to a medical qualification. The Master's requires the Bachelor; places in the Master's are tied to the university's own Bachelor graduates. Those who only complete the Bachelor are not yet qualified doctors.

The price of this path

The fees are high. At 14,175 EUR per semester, Krems is significantly above what state universities in Central and Eastern Europe charge for their English-language programmes. Choosing the Austrian route means paying for native-language instruction in the clinical phase, for proximity to the German-speaking world, and for small cohort sizes. This must be something you both want and can afford.

Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences in Krems charges 14,175 EUR per semester. Per academic year that is 28,350 EUR, and over the twelve semesters of Bachelor and Master combined, the fee adds up to 170,100 EUR, assuming the current rate is maintained. There is only this one location in our programme in Austria, so there is no price range between multiple universities. The figure is clear.

On top of that comes the cost of living in Lower Austria. For Krems, plan for 800 to 1,100 EUR per month, depending on whether you live in student accommodation, a shared flat, or alone. Krems is cheaper than Vienna but more expensive than Kaunas, Riga, or Sofia. Food, public transport, and insurance are roughly at the same level as in comparable Western European cities. A place in student accommodation is the most affordable option and is usually taken early, so it is worth looking at the same time as you apply.

An example calculation as an estimate: 28,350 EUR in tuition fees plus around 950 EUR per month for living expenses, i.e. approximately 11,400 EUR per year, together amount to just under 40,000 EUR for one academic year in Austria. Not included are textbooks, a laptop, travel, and one-off costs at the start of the programme. This makes Krems the most expensive option in our portfolio. Anyone seriously planning this path should clarify the financing before applying — through a student loan, an education fund, or family support — and not wait until the third semester. Whether the semester fee can be paid in instalments is best confirmed before accepting a place.

Admission in Krems does not go through the MedAT and is not based on a ranked list competing against thousands of other applicants. Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences runs its own admissions process, which consists of a written test on scientific foundations and cognitive abilities, as well as a personal selection interview. The high school diploma grade is not the entry ticket, but it cannot compensate for a weak test performance either.

Applications for the Bachelor's programme in Medical Science run over the autumn and spring semester, with studies beginning in autumn. Because the Bachelor is taught in English, proof of English proficiency is required; because the Master is conducted in German, solid German is needed no later than that stage. For applicants from German-speaking backgrounds, the second point is generally not an issue. Those wishing to transfer from an ongoing medical programme can have their prior credits assessed in advance; decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

Places per cohort are limited, and the process takes place at fixed dates. Missing the deadline means waiting a year. What documents Karl Landsteiner Private University requires for a given intake, how the test is structured, and what matters in the selection interview are all things Medschool Experts will go through with you in a consultation, along with an honest assessment of whether Krems fits your budget and profile. Preparation pays off.

Teaching at Karl Landsteiner Private University in Krems works in small groups with a great deal of contact with faculty. The Bachelor in Medical Science covers anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and scientific methodology — in English. In the Master in Human Medicine, everything shifts to the bedside: clinical subjects, practical placements, and clinical rotations at the university hospitals in Krems, St. Pölten, and Tulln, taught in German. Assessment runs throughout the semester, with written examinations and practical formats with patients. Clinical rotations can also be completed abroad, which eases the transition into professional practice in other countries.

Krems is a small city on the Danube with a limited but lively student life. Accommodation can be found in student halls or shared flats, and rent is below Vienna levels. Vienna itself is reachable by train in just over an hour; many students go at weekends. A car is practical but not essential. Part-time jobs are available in Krems and the surrounding area, though the time available alongside the programme is tight.

In terms of language, Austria is the easiest path for German-speaking students. Everyday life runs in German. Administration, medical appointments, and part-time work all function without a language barrier, and family is just a train journey away rather than a flight. What remains demanding in Krems is not the language but the budget and the density of examinations in the Master phase.