Studying Medicine in Krems: Costs, Structure, Recognition

Krems at a Glance

Krems an der Donau is located in Lower Austria at the eastern end of the Wachau valley, has around 25,000 inhabitants, and is a university town with several institutions. Students who come here to study medicine find themselves in a small city with short distances and a programme that deliberately focuses on small groups. Vienna is reachable by train in just over an hour. Before we get into the details, here is an overview of the key facts.

University and Hospital

Karl Landsteiner Private University for Health Sciences was founded in 2013, making it a young institution. Its shareholders in equal parts are the Medical University of Vienna, the Vienna University of Technology, the State of Lower Austria, and MedAustron. This constellation explains a great deal about its profile: medical technology and health economics are firmly embedded in the curriculum, and MedAustron in Wiener Neustadt – a centre for ion therapy and research – serves as a teaching facility.

The degree programmes were accredited in late November 2013 by the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria. This agency operates under Austrian higher education quality assurance law, is a member of ENQA, and is listed in the European quality register EQAR. This is the formal framework within which the medical curriculum is assessed, and from which recognition within the European Union is derived.

Clinically, the programme relies on three hospitals: University Hospital Krems with approximately 460 beds, University Hospital St. Pölten with approximately 1,140 beds, and University Hospital Tulln with approximately 440 beds. Together that is around 2,040 beds in a network that serves an entire region's standard care needs. Additionally, a clinic for psychosomatic medicine in Eggenburg is part of the network. You therefore see not only the spectacular cases of a maximum-care centre, but above all what actually occurs in day-to-day patient care.

What strikes me most about this location is this: the university distributes its students across three hospitals rather than concentrating everyone in one building. That means a bit more travelling, but also significantly more hands-on experience per student. When a cohort of just over a hundred people is spread across three sites, you are at the bedside – not standing in the third row behind someone else.

Which programmes are offered, and in which language?

Medical study in Krems follows a two-tier path. First comes the Bachelor Medical Science over six semesters with 180 ECTS, covering the natural-science and pre-clinical foundations and concluding with a Bachelor of Science. This is followed by the Master of Human Medicine, likewise six semesters and 180 ECTS, leading to the Dr. med. univ. Both parts together amount to the six-year basic medical training with 360 ECTS as required by the European framework.

The change of language after three years is the distinctive feature of this location. In the Bachelor you work in English – precisely the language in which medical literature is published anyway. In the Master you switch to German, because the patients at the university hospitals in Krems, St. Pölten, and Tulln speak German. For German-speaking students this is a tangible advantage over locations where the local language still has to be learned: you conduct your patient histories in your mother tongue from the very beginning. The prerequisite is that you have a solid command of both languages.

How does the admissions process work?

Selection takes place in two stages, and you must pass both. There is no grade-based process and no numerus clausus. The general university entrance qualification or an equivalent Matura is required.

The first stage is a written aptitude test, developed by the university together with the test provider ITB Consulting. It lasts approximately two hours, is taken online in English, and tests study-relevant abilities rather than university subject matter. You do not need to travel to Krems for this stage. The second stage is a personal interview on the campus in Krems: six short scenarios with six different faculty members, two of which involve an observed role-play with actors, totalling a maximum of one hour. What is assessed is motivation, social competence, and the ability to justify a position.

The dates for the 2026/27 academic year illustrate how much lead time is required: application period from 26 January to 20 April 2026, written test from 11 to 13 May 2026, interviews from 15 to 17 June 2026, results in early to mid-July. The university itself cited around five applications per study place for 2022. That is a completely different ratio than at public faculties, but it is no walkover either.

We handle the registration and the entire application process online. We prepare you for the specialist content in biology and chemistry, as well as for the motivation interview, which is less about subject knowledge and more about you as a person. Whether your path to admission is right for you is something we assess individually in a free consultation.

What does the programme cost?

Tuition is 14,175 EUR per semester and is payable across all twelve semesters, in both the Bachelor and the Master. Payment is made semester by semester – you do not put down the full amount upfront. The table below adds up the fees over the full duration of the programme.

On top of that comes the cost of living. For rent, food, insurance, and transport in Krems you should budget approximately 800 to 1,200 EUR per month. Let us work through the complete picture – explicitly as an estimate, not as a binding calculation: 170,100 EUR in fees, plus 57,600 to 86,400 EUR for living costs over 72 months, and approximately 6,000 EUR for application and selection procedures, study materials, health insurance, deposit, and trips home. The total comes to around 234,000 to 263,000 EUR over six years. That is a figure that should not be argued away, and the most honest statement about this location is: Krems is the most expensive path in this series.

The gap becomes clear when comparing it with other locations we write about here. The table below places the tuition fees side by side, each referring to the human medicine programme.

On the subject of funding: Austria is a member of the European Union, so study abroad grants (Auslands-BAföG) can in principle be applied for; the relevant funding authority must make the final decision. At this level of tuition, however, such funding covers only a portion of the costs. The university itself refers to several options: the merit-based scholarship under the Study Promotion Act amounting to 750 to 1,500 EUR per year, the Lower Austria State Medicine Scholarship for students with a career perspective in the region, a student loan from Kremser Bank at preferential rates, and an income-contingent repayment model offered by Brain Capital. The child benefit (Familienbeihilfe) is also available to students at private universities. Which combination works for your situation is something we work out together in a free consultation.

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How is the programme structured?

Six years, 360 ECTS, a clear three-part sequence of foundations, clinical modules, and a continuous practical final year. The structure follows the European framework for basic medical training and is therefore structurally comparable to the German degree – just divided into two formal qualifications.

The final year of study is the part that counts in practice: 48 weeks with patients, distributed across the three university hospitals. Anyone who has completed this stage knows the German-speaking hospital environment not from descriptions but from actual shifts. That is precisely what makes the transition into a first post in Austria or Germany easier, in our experience.

One note on the Bachelor: it is not a standalone professional qualification in medicine, but the formal prerequisite for the Master. You may only practise as a physician once you hold the Dr. med. univ. at the end of the twelfth semester. Anyone starting in Krems should therefore sensibly plan the complete path across twelve semesters, not just the first stage.

Where can you work as a doctor with this degree?

The Dr. med. univ. from Austria is an EU degree. The governing instrument is Directive 2005/36/EC, whose Annex V lists the basic medical training certificates of member states under number 5.1.1; the applicable version is that of Delegated Decision (EU) 2023/2383 of 23 May 2023, applicable since 9 October 2023. For the listed degrees, automatic recognition applies: no equivalence assessment, no knowledge test.

The ECFMG rule requires a clarification. In the World Federation for Medical Education's status list, AHPGS is listed as a recognised accreditation agency for Austria, with recognition running until October 2033. Karl Landsteiner Private University itself is institutionally accredited by the Austrian Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation. Anyone planning the route to the USA should check the university's entry in the World Directory of Medical Schools before applying. For the German-speaking world and the EU, this question is irrelevant.

For German Approbation you also need to demonstrate specialist language proficiency. Because the Master of Human Medicine in Krems is taught in German and your clinical years are spent in German-speaking hospitals, this hurdle is low on this path. How long the authority takes depends on the federal state.

Dentist, pharmacist, psychologist, veterinarian: the legal position for each profession

Dentist. Dentistry is a separate profession in the European Union with its own training; Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC lists it under number 5.3.2. The Dr. med. univ. therefore does not entitle the holder to practise dentistry. Anyone wishing to become a dentist needs a dental degree; which locations are suitable for that is something we discuss in a free consultation.

Pharmacist. Pharmacy is also harmonised and appears in Annex V under number 5.6.2. It requires its own pharmacy degree, which is not offered in Krems. A medical degree does not open the door to the pharmacy profession, and vice versa.

Psychologist. The profession of psychologist and psychotherapist is not harmonised within the European Union. Recognition is governed by national law and assessed on a case-by-case basis; there is no automatic equivalence as in medicine. Karl Landsteiner Private University has offered a Bachelor's in Psychology since 2016 and a Master's in Psychology since 2018; these are separate programmes and not part of the medical degree.

Veterinarian. Veterinary medicine is also harmonised, Annex V number 5.4.2, and requires its own degree. In Austria, training is provided by the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna; this programme is not offered in Krems.

Career paths after graduation

With the Dr. med. univ. in hand, several directions are open to you, and they can be combined. Anyone staying in Austria must first register in the physicians' register of the Austrian Medical Association; only then are you permitted to practise medicine. How this step works and what else sets Austria apart from Germany is summarised in our article Emigrating as a Doctor to Austria.

The next step is the basic training (Basisausbildung), Austria's equivalent of the entry into specialist training. With effect from 1 August 2026 it was shortened from nine to six months, which noticeably streamlines the path into specialist training. The details are set out in our article on the shortening of the Austrian basic training. For graduates from Krems this is a tangible advantage: you have already completed your practical year at Austrian university hospitals and are familiar with the processes you will be entering.

Those returning to Germany apply for Approbation and then compete for a specialist training post just like any graduate of a German faculty. Switzerland is accessible via the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons. Research, medical technology, and health economics are also realistic paths, particularly because these subjects are part of the Krems curriculum from the outset. What options an EU medical degree opens up worldwide is described in detail in our article Career Paths with an EU Medical Degree.

Lateral entry, transfers, and switching back to Germany

The Bologna structure has implications for transfers, and this is worth knowing in advance. German faculties do not offer human medicine as a Bachelor's and Master's but as a continuous programme concluding with a state examination. A Bachelor Medical Science earned in Krems therefore cannot simply be converted into a specific semester equivalent. Recognition of individual credits is possible, but the decision rests with the relevant state examination office and the receiving faculty, and a free place in a higher semester remains scarce. How this path works in principle is explained in our article Switching Back to Germany.

In the other direction, lateral entry into Krems is equally non-standard. Anyone who has already accumulated semesters at another university will have them assessed individually; the selection process is not affected by this. A transfer between European locations within the ECTS system is considerably more straightforward, because points meet points there. The underlying framework is explained in our article Study Transfer in Europe. My practical advice: plan Krems as a complete twelve-semester commitment. What is possible in your specific case is something we assess individually in a free consultation.

Living in Krems: city, distances, costs

Krems an der Donau has around 25,000 inhabitants and lies approximately 70 kilometres from Vienna, where the Wachau valley begins – a cultural landscape on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The city is a university town with several institutions and correspondingly shaped by student life. Distances are short, many things can be done on foot or by bicycle, and the university hospitals are reachable by public transport. You can get to Vienna by train in just over an hour if you miss the city.

For accommodation, rooms in shared flats start at around 300 euros per month, while a larger apartment costs around 800 euros and upwards. Student halls of residence are also available. The housing market in a city of this size is limited, especially at the start of semester, so searching early pays off here more than elsewhere. Overall you should budget approximately 800 to 1,200 EUR per month for rent, food, insurance, and transport.

For context: for Vienna, Numbeo reports (as of 16 August 2026) a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre at 1,160.70 EUR and outside the centre at 845.71 EUR, plus approximately 1,050.30 EUR monthly living costs excluding rent for one person. Living in Krems costs significantly less while still putting a city of a million within train reach. Some students commute from the surrounding area – it works, but costs time during clinical hours.

What I notice again and again about locations like this: a small city with a manageable cohort quickly produces tight study groups. The nightlife is limited; the social density is high. Anyone seeking anonymity is in the wrong place; anyone who wants to know half the cohort by first name after two semesters is in the right one.

Who is this location right for?

Krems is right for you if you want to stay in the German-speaking world without entering a lottery or waiting list. You study in an EU country, work in German during the Master, complete your practical year in hospitals where you could later work, and end up with a degree that is recognised in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland without any additional examination. If English in the Bachelor holds no fears for you and you see the interview as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, there is much to be said for this path.

The location is less suitable if your finances are tight. 14,175 EUR per semester over twelve semesters is a commitment that either holds over six years or it doesn't; dropping out in year four would be costly. You should also be aware that the change of language after the third year is an adjustment, even if it goes in the direction that is easier for you.

My assessment: Krems is the most straightforward path in this series and simultaneously the most expensive. You dispense with the foreign language, the long journey, and any debate about recognition – and pay a clearly quantifiable premium for that. If your budget allows it, this is a very direct route to the medical profession. If not, there are locations in Central and Eastern Europe that match the standard academically and cost a third of the price. Which of those fits your situation is something we clarify in a free consultation.