JKU Linz: admission for international applicants

To apply to JKU Linz from abroad you need an account for prospective students, an application inside the window for your citizenship group, and a programme whose teaching language you can meet. EU/EEA citizens apply from early July to 5 September; non-EU/EEA citizens apply earlier, from 6 February to 31 March, for a winter-semester start.

Those windows are JKU's standing winter-semester windows for its Bachelor's degree programmes. JKU names a specific entry year for only one Bachelor programme, Transformation Studies (see the programmes chapter), so check the exact dates for your entry year on JKU's page before you plan.

English-taught and German-taught Bachelors

JKU says it offers a wide range of academic degree programs in English, including dual-language degree programs that are generally offered in German. The Bachelor programmes in this report that are taught in English are:

• Artificial Intelligence, English (Level B2)
• Biological Chemistry, a dual degree taught in Linz and Budweis (Czech Republic), English (Level B2)
• Chemistry and Chemical Technology, English (Level B2)
• International Business Administration, English (Level C1)
• Quantum Science and Technology, English (Level B2)
• Transformation Studies. Art x Science, English (Level B2), beginning winter semester 2027/2028

Programmes such as Computer Science, Business Administration, Mechatronics, Medical Engineering and the Law Diploma are taught in German, mostly at Level B2 or C1. The programmes chapter gives each level.

Rules that catch international applicants out

• Non-EU/EEA citizens must submit the application six months before the start of their studies.
• Upload your documents first without legalisation. Originals or certified copies are only needed when the Admissions Office asks for them.
• Some acceptance letters require supplementary examinations: a German supplementary examination, German and subject-area examinations, or subject-area examinations.
• Applications submitted by an agency or placement organisation are unlawful and are not processed.

JKU's Facts & Figures page does not list an overall position in the QS, THE, ARWU or U.S. News tables, so this report gives no rank for JKU Linz; for a position, open the current edition on each publisher's own site. What JKU does state about itself is its size: about 27,000 students, of whom over 21% are international.

JKU Linz describes itself as Upper Austria's largest institution of education and research, with 100 academic degree programmes and post-graduate programmes.

JKU campus buildings and lawn

What JKU says about itself

According to JKU's Facts & Figures page, the Faculty of Social Sciences, Economics & Business was founded in 1966 and the Faculty of Medicine in 2014. JKU calls itself the first Austrian university to offer a medical degree programme as part of a Bachelor/Master's system.

These are JKU's own descriptions of its size and research base. They are not a ranking, and they do not tell you how JKU compares with other Austrian or European universities.

Artificial Intelligence in Linz

JKU's Artificial Intelligence Bachelor page says that JKU is the first university in Europe to offer an academic degree programme in AI, and that the programme is international and offered in English. That is JKU's own claim, not a finding by an independent body.

JKU's Facts & Figures page also lists two Wittgenstein Award winners, one for Artificial Intelligence (Prof. Widmer) and one for Renewable Energies (Prof. Sariciftci).

If you are comparing universities for a degree in AI, use these statements as a starting point for questions to the programme, and compare the curriculum, the English-language requirement and the entry rules in the chapters that follow.

JKU Linz does not publish applicant numbers, admission numbers or an acceptance rate for its Bachelor programmes, so there is no admit rate to quote. What JKU does publish is which programmes use an admissions procedure: International Business Administration admits a maximum of 80 students, and Sociology has no admissions procedure.

JKU states that some of its degree programmes require prospective students to undergo an admissions procedure and others do not. For a programme without one, admission depends on holding an accepted entrance qualification and meeting the language and subject requirements described in the later chapters.

Open admission and limited places

JKU states for individual programmes whether a procedure exists, and the table above lists those it states. For a programme that is not in the table, JKU's page for that programme and the general admission pages decide whether a procedure applies. A programme without a procedure does not mean a programme without conditions: your entrance qualification must still be accepted, and the German or English level for that programme must still be met.

The one capacity limit among the programmes in the table is the cap of 80 places in International Business Administration.

How many students JKU reports

JKU reports approximately 27,000 students currently enrolled. Over 21% of the student body is international, with students from over 120 different countries. These are enrolment figures for the whole university, not admission figures for a single programme, and they cannot be turned into an acceptance rate.

JKU Linz's Admissions Office reviews your school-leaving certificate, any entrance examination or preliminary studies your issuing country requires, and your language proof; its acceptance letters can then require supplementary examinations. There is no fee to submit an application, and applications sent by an agency are unlawful and are not processed.

JKU treats your educational background as international if you did not pass an Austrian Matura or a university enrollment eligibility examination in Austria, or if you attended an international school in Austria. International applicants are reviewed on that basis.

What the Admissions Office reviews

• A certificate of general university entrance qualification: your secondary school certificates listing all subjects and grades.
• Proof of a university entrance examination and/or corresponding preliminary studies, if the country that issued your certificate requires them.
• Your language proof, which depends on the programme (see the English and German language chapters).

The letter you receive

JKU issues several types of acceptance letter. Which one you get depends on what the review finds:

The letter of admission can contain conditions, and you can only be admitted if you fulfil them. The supplementary examinations chapter explains what they cover.

If you do not have a Matura or equivalent

JKU names three other ways towards studying, each with limits:

• A completed degree. For Bachelor's degree programmes, an academic degree of at least three years from a post-secondary institution in Austria or abroad also qualifies you to enrol.
• University Enrollment Eligibility Examination (Studienberechtigungsprüfung). If you pass it at JKU, you will only be qualified to pursue a degree within a certain area of study, and JKU notes that the examination is only suitable for people with German as their mother tongue.
• Non-degree seeking status. If you do not yet have your Matura diploma, you can still enrol as a non-degree seeking student in advance.

Application fee and agencies

There is no fee to submit an application for admission. Applications submitted by an agency or placement organisation are unlawful and will not be processed. Apply yourself, through your own applicant account.

JKU Linz does not ask for the SAT or ACT in the programme pages that name admission requirements; four Bachelor programmes use their own admissions procedure instead, and applicants whose previous education was in Bangladesh, India or Pakistan must take part in an in-person competence check run by VFS Education Services if they start in summer semester 2027 or later.

JKU Linz names the entrance qualification and the language level as the requirements for Artificial Intelligence: a general higher education entrance qualification, such as an Austrian Matura diploma, and English at level B2. The page does not mention the SAT, the ACT or any other standardised test. Sociology has no admissions procedure.

International Business Administration: video and interview

International Business Administration (IBA) is the Bachelor with the most detailed procedure. To enrol you must meet the admission criteria and complete an admissions procedure held once a year during the spring/summer. A maximum of 80 students are accepted. A successful applicant is eligible to enrol for the following winter semester or the subsequent summer semester.

Teacher Education: three modules

For the secondary teacher training programme (Lehramt Sekundarstufe Allgemeinbildung), JKU's German-language page says the registration procedure consists of three modules: Module A, registration and the Online-Self-Assessment (OSA); Module B, an electronic admission test (Zulassungstest); Module C, a check of specific aptitude for selected subjects. JKU links a procedure regulation titled Verordnung Aufnahmeverfahren für das Studienjahr 2026/27, so the details above belong to the study year 2026/27; check the regulation for your entry year.

Cultural Studies and Transformation Studies

Admission is contingent on valid university entrance qualifications and on passing the admissions examination at the Linz University of Art & Design, which evaluates your aptitude in arts and academics.

Transformation Studies is the one programme for which JKU names an entry year: the programme begins in winter semester 2027/28 and the application period is January 2027. You apply to the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, not to JKU: you must pass the admissions procedure at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. The procedure is conducted in English, with detailed information to be provided in autumn 2026.

The VFS competence check

The competence check by VFS Education Services takes place in person at VFS locations and is mandatory for all prospective students who completed their previous education in Bangladesh, India or Pakistan and wish to begin a degree programme at JKU in summer semester 2027 or thereafter. It applies to those countries only.

• Fee: around 100 Euros, paid directly to VFS Education Services when you book your appointment.
• What it covers: your general competence in German (for degree programmes taught in German), English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and History/Geography.

You apply to JKU Linz through an account for prospective students, and the window for a winter-semester start depends on your citizenship: EU/EEA citizens apply from early July to 5 September, and non-EU/EEA citizens apply from 6 February to 31 March. These are JKU's standing windows; the only programme with a named entry year is Transformation Studies, for winter semester 2027/28.

JKU says the application process, meaning creating an account and selecting a programme, takes around 20 minutes if you are well prepared. Processing takes a while, so submit in good time within the periods below.

The registration steps

Application periods

None of these tables names a year. The one dated cycle is the latest winter semester JKU's dates page covers: for the Bachelor's and Diploma programmes beginning WS 2026/2027, the general admission period ran from 8 July to 5 September 2026, and admission can be extended to 31 October 2026, in special cases. JKU also states that applications may be submitted 1 month before the deadline begins.

The exceptional-case period applies to applicants from EU and EEA countries and those belonging to the Groups of Persons Regulation. It does not apply to non-EU/EEA citizens, who must submit six months before the start of their studies.

The summer-semester row for non-EU/EEA citizens matches the application period JKU's page gives for its document-submission options: 6 September - 31 October 2026.

Documents, legalisation and translation

• Passport. Only official identification documents containing the holder's photograph, signature and gender are accepted.
• Language proof. If you choose an English-language programme, you must provide proof of English proficiency. For degree programmes taught in German, you must show proof of German at the A2 level.
• Upload first, legalise later. JKU MyAdmission lets you upload documents without any legalisation at first. You submit originals or certified copies only when the Admissions Office asks.
• Translation. Documents not issued in German or English must be translated by a court sworn translator after legalisation, because the legalisation has to be translated too.

Do you have to come to Linz?

Normally, after you receive the notification of admission, you must also appear in person at JKU's Admissions Office within the admission period, and you are informed in writing whether you have to come. For a winter-semester start the in-person period runs from early July to 31 October.

If you hold an Austrian or German school-leaving certificate, or a school-leaving examination from South Tyrol or Liechtenstein, you do not need to show up in person to enrol. For Artificial Intelligence, JKU states that you must come to Linz to complete the admissions process and enrol, and that some courses require your attendance in Linz, Vienna or Bregenz.

JKU Linz requires English at level B2 for five English-taught Bachelor programmes and at level C1 for International Business Administration. A B2 certificate can be, for example, PTE Academic 70 in each of the 4 skills; C1 needs 7.0 in IELTS Academic or 80 in PTE Academic, each with the per-skill minimums below.

If you wish to enrol in an English-language degree programme, you must provide proof of language proficiency in English. The level depends on the programme.

Test scores that prove B2 and C1

A B2 certificate (CEFR) from a university language center in the EU, EEA or Switzerland also counts for level B2. For level C1, JKU accepts IELTS Academic 7.0 in each of the 4 skills. JKU's language proof page lists the other accepted certificates and scores.

Proof without a test

• International Baccalaureate, Level B2. English as Language A with a minimum grade of 4, or Language B with a minimum grade of 5 (HL) or 6 (SL).
• International Baccalaureate, Level C1. English as Language A with a minimum grade of 6, or Language B with a minimum grade of 7 (HL).
• Completed studies in English. At least 4 semesters at a recognised post-secondary institution within the EU, the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the USA, Australia, New Zealand or Canada count for B2, and at least 4 semesters count for C1.

How old a certificate may be

At the time of application, your language certificate must not be older than 2 years and, if possible, digitally verifiable. This does not apply to school-leaving certificates, degrees and proof of the supplementary examination completed as part of a University Preparation Programme.

To apply for a German-taught Bachelor at JKU Linz you must show German at level A2 when you apply, and the programme then requires B2 or C1 depending on the subject. If your German is below that level, JKU can issue a letter of admission stating that you may enrol in a German-language degree programme once you have successfully completed the German courses for the corresponding level in the pre-study programme.

Degree-seeking applicants wishing to be admitted to degree programmes taught in German are required to show proof of German language proficiency at the A2 level. JKU's German-language page adds that this applies if German is not your first language: zumindest das Sprachlevel A2 bei der Antragstellung (at least language level A2 when you submit the application).

Technical Mathematics and Technical Physics add a first-language rule. For Technical Mathematics, if your first language is not German you must submit proof of B2 level of German; for Technical Physics, if your first language is not the programme language you must submit proof of German at level B2.

Certificates that prove German

Some school qualifications count without a separate test. For level B2 these are a passing grade in German in an annual report card or on the school-leaving certificate (such as a Matura or Abitur) from an institution recognised in the EU, EEA or Switzerland or an IB diploma with German as Language A with a minimum grade of 4, or Language B with a minimum grade of 5 (HL) or 7 (SL). For level C1 they are an Austrian school-leaving certificate (Matura) or a matriculation certificate from a German-language school or an Austrian or German school abroad, or an IB diploma with German as Language A with a minimum grade of 6, or Language B with a minimum grade of 7.

If your German is not yet enough: the pre-study programme

JKU's Vorstudienlehrgang (pre-study programme) is the route for the German you are missing. JKU's German page says that depending on your field of study you need B2 or C1, and the modules are designed so that you complete one level per semester.

• Entry condition. To enrol in the pre-study programme you must hold a letter of admission stating that you may enrol in a German-language degree programme once you have successfully completed the German courses for the corresponding level.

JKU Linz says that to pursue an academic degree you need to be qualified to attend university, and it does not publish minimum grades or required subjects for the IB, A-levels, a US high school diploma, the Polish matura or other EU certificates. For India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, JKU does publish country rules with minimum percentages.

If you intend to enrol at JKU to pursue an academic degree, you need to be qualified to attend university.

Austrian, German and international certificates

• Austrian. You have Austrian educational qualifications if you passed your school-leaving examination (Matura) or university enrolment eligibility examination in Austria.
• German. You have German educational qualifications if you passed your school-leaving examination (allgemeine Hochschulreife, Abitur) in Germany.
• South Tyrol and Liechtenstein. A school-leaving certificate from South Tyrol or Liechtenstein counts as an equivalent educational qualification.
• International. Your background is considered international if you did not pass an Austrian Matura or eligibility examination in Austria, or if you attended an international school in Austria.

If an international qualification needs more, JKU's acceptance letters can require a German supplementary examination, German and subject-area examinations, or subject-area examinations, which are held in German, chemistry, history, mathematics and physics. The supplementary examinations chapter explains how they work.

JKU does not publish a minimum IB score, A-level grades, a US high school grade or SAT/ACT score, a Polish matura result or required subject lists for other EU certificates.

Country rules for South Asia and Afghanistan

JKU states that, regardless of its general enrolment information, notes for certain countries must be taken into account. Each rule is for the certificate named.

Subjects some programmes require

• Mechatronics. Proof of Descriptive Geometry at school (at least 4 hours per week); if you did not take it, you must pass a supplementary examination.
• Law (Diploma programme). Proof of Latin as a foreign language at school (a minimum of 10 hours per week); otherwise you must pass an additional examination in Latin.

Which documents need verification

Depending on the country that issued your documents, they may also have to be certified as authentic. Two cases are listed here; check JKU's page for your country.

• No verification. Documents from these countries need no verification, but must be submitted as an original or a verified true copy: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy; Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania; Sweden, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland.
• Full legalisation. If there is no agreement regarding authentication, the authenticity of documents must be verified by the foreign ministry of the issuing country and by the Austrian consulate or embassy.

JKU Linz can require supplementary examinations (Ergänzungsprüfungen) in German, chemistry, history, mathematics and physics. Chemistry, history, mathematics and physics can be taken either as part of a preparation course in the pre-study programme (Vorstudienlehrgang) or as a subject-area examination after independent study.

JKU describes the examinations as a chance to brush up on content that your international school-leaving examination may not have covered. Which ones you need is stated in your letter of admission: acceptance letters can require a German supplementary examination, German and subject-area examinations, or subject-area examinations.

How you can pass each examination

Fees and courses in the pre-study programme

• Student Union fee. Students in the pre-study programme must pay the mandatory Austrian Student Union fee each semester.

Degree courses are very limited while you are in the pre-study programme. The only course you can take is in Gender Studies, worth a minimum of 1 ECTS credit.

After you pass

Once you have passed the supplementary examinations, you must register for your intended degree programme at the Admissions Office, and you must observe the deadlines in your letter of admission. The German pre-study modules and certificates are in the German requirements chapter.

Six of the JKU Linz Bachelor programmes in this report are taught in English: Artificial Intelligence, Biological Chemistry, Chemistry and Chemical Technology, International Business Administration, Quantum Science and Technology and Transformation Studies. Most run for 6 semesters and 180 ECTS credits; the others in this report are mainly taught in German.

Students on a walkway at JKU Linz

How undergraduate study is organised

JKU says an undergraduate degree can generally be completed in 6 semesters and concludes with the academic degree Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in a specified major. The most common system is Bachelor, Master, Doctorate; only a few majors conclude with a Diploma degree. Law is one of them, as the table below shows.

At the start of your studies you take the StEOP, the introductory and orientation phase: the StEOP requirements include mandatory courses that you must take and pass at the beginning of your studies.

English-taught Bachelor programmes

Three programmes have conditions worth knowing before you apply. Biological Chemistry is split between two universities: semesters 1 and 2 at JKU Linz, semesters 3 and 4 at USB Budweis in the Czech Republic, semester 5 at JKU Linz and semester 6 at JKU Linz and/or Budweis. In Chemistry and Chemical Technology, students generally take courses in English, although some courses in the first year are also held in German. International Business Administration is the most international: students are required to go on a student exchange abroad and all classes are held in English only.

German-taught Bachelor programmes

Computer Science needs attention if you expect English: the undergraduate degree is held in German and the Master's degree is in English. Molecular Biosciences is run with the University of Salzburg, and prospective students must be admitted to the programme at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg. Teacher Education (Bachelor of Education) runs for 8 semesters and 240 ECTS in Upper Austria and Salzburg. The German requirements chapter gives the German level for each programme.

How many programmes JKU offers

JKU offers 100 academic degree programmes and post-graduate programmes, so the lists above show only the Bachelor programmes that international applicants most often ask about. Each programme has its own page with entry requirements and, where one exists, an admissions procedure, which the admissions chapters describe.

JKU Linz does not publish university-wide graduate employment or salary figures. Its programme pages give outcomes for only two degrees: Business Education graduates earn an average monthly gross salary of EUR 4,097 after 3 years on the job, and Law graduates EUR 3,735 after 3 years. JKU gives no survey year for either figure.

Treat both figures as JKU's own statements about those two programmes. They do not describe graduates of the English-taught Bachelors, and JKU does not state how many graduates the averages cover.

The JKU Career Center

The JKU Career Center is the university's official career service, offering opportunities for each and every student as well as each and every graduate.

Sectors named for Artificial Intelligence graduates

The Artificial Intelligence Bachelor page names the sectors it expects its graduates to work in. In Information Technology, graduates integrate AI into products and services and build data pipelines and operate models. In Finance and Insurance, they make data-driven decisions, detect risk and fraud, automate processes and personalise offerings. The page also says that AI experts are highly sought after by industrial companies and businesses. That is JKU's marketing of its own programme, not a labour-market statistic.

Working in Austria while you study

• EU/EEA and Swiss nationals. Students who are EU/EEA nationals or Swiss nationals may work in Austria without an extra work permit.

Third-country nationals, with some exceptions, are subject to tuition fees at JKU Linz, EU/EEA citizens pay no tuition within the programme duration plus two tolerance semesters, and every student pays the Austrian Student Union fee of EUR 26.20 per semester. JKU does not publish a monthly living-cost budget; it quotes only a shared-flat rent figure.

In principle, all students studying at a university in Austria are subject to a general tuition fee. What you pay depends on your citizenship and on how long you have studied.

The Student Union fee is the one figure JKU dates, to winter term 2026/27. Confirm the current tuition amount for your group on JKU's tuition page before you budget.

When to pay

Pay the Student Union fee and any tuition within the admission period. If you do not pay by the end of it, you will be disenrolled. The tuition you owe must be paid in full within the admission period; partial payment is not permitted.

Living costs in Linz

JKU does not state a monthly budget for living in Linz. The one rent figure it gives sits in a housing scam warning: a price far below normal should make you suspicious, and JKU gives the average monthly rent for a shared-flat room as EUR 400-600. Housing is covered in its own chapter.

• Health insurance. Third-country nationals must purchase health insurance that covers all risks and is valid in Austria.
• Getting to campus. The JKU is located 15 minutes from the city centre by tram line 1 or 2.

Fees in the pre-study programme

If your admission letter requires the pre-study programme, you must pay the mandatory Austrian Student Union fee each semester.

At JKU Linz your citizenship and residence status decide whether you pay tuition. Degree-seeking students in the listed groups pay no tuition if they finish within the programme duration plus two tolerance semesters, while third-country nationals, with some exceptions, are subject to tuition fees.

Who is exempt

The exemption holds as long as you complete your degree programme within the outlined programme duration plus two tolerance semesters (per study section for Diploma programmes). If you exceed it, you pay tuition fees and the student union fee each semester.

Even if you are exempt from tuition, you must still pay the Austrian Student Union fee each semester.

Waivers and reimbursement

JKU's German page lists receipt of a study grant (Studienbeihilfe) under the Study Grant Act 1992 in the past or current semester, or a degree of disability of at least 50% among the grounds for a waiver.

JKU's standing application windows for a waiver are between July and 30 September for the winter semester and between January and 28 February for the summer semester. For the summer semester 2027 specifically, the application form will be available from 7 January 2027.

JKU Linz's merit scholarships are awarded annually, with funds from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and the Economy, and one criterion JKU lists is completing the degree programme in the allotted time with an average GPA of no less than 2.0. JKU does not publish need-based aid for international Bachelor students; it points to external sources for other funding.

JKU merit scholarships

The merit scholarship rewards completed study, not entry. Because of the grade and time test above, it is aimed at students already at JKU, so it is not a way to fund your first year. JKU's scholarship page is where to check the current call.

Other funding JKU names

• University Enrollment Eligibility Examination. Students may be eligible for financial aid during this one-year programme, under the same conditions as for normal degree programmes, for example grants for self-sufficient students.

Where JKU sends you for more

JKU points international students to an outside source: Grants.at lists ongoing scholarships.

JKU Linz does not state whether international Bachelor students can receive Austrian state study grants or any JKU need-based aid. What it does state is that a study grant (Studienbeihilfe) under Austrian law is a ground for a tuition waiver, which the tuition status chapter describes.

JKU Linz does not allocate housing: students are responsible for finding their own accommodation in Austria. Several student residences stand close to campus and provide accommodation to approximately 3,000 students, and JKU quotes an average rent of EUR 400-600 per month for a room in a shared flat.

JKU Linz entrance sign

Student residences near campus

JKU's International Welcome Center page gives the same capacity: a number of student residences close to the JKU can accommodate approximately 3,000 students. JKU's housing page links each residence to its own homepage. Three of those listed are:

JKU does not publish residence prices on the pages it provides for students; ask the residence operator for the current price and for its application rules.

Private flats and shared flats

If you prefer a room in a shared flat or your own flat, JKU suggests the Austrian Student Union housing exchange board. JKU gives the average monthly rent for a shared-flat room as EUR 400-600, and it uses that figure to warn you: a price far below it is a warning sign.

Scams and temporary accommodation

• Protect yourself. JKU lists an unusually low price and pressure to decide quickly as warning signs, and advises you to request a live video tour before any payment.
• If your room is not ready. If you cannot move into your room or flat on arrival and need a few days of temporary accommodation, you can book a hotel room at a discount rate through the JKU.

JKU Linz's winter semester 2026/2027 began on October 1, 2026, courses began on October 5, 2026, and the summer semester 2027 begins on March 1, 2027. New students have a Welcome Week, an International Welcome Center, free preparation courses and a campus where most institutes sit in one place.

JKU's dates page stops at these two semesters. It does not yet list the dates of later winter semesters, so check the dates page again for your own entry cycle.

Welcome Week and support for new students

Welcome Week 2026 ran on October 5-9, 2026.

• International Welcome Center. The International Welcome Center is your first point of contact for organisational questions about your stay at JKU and in Austria.
• Preparation courses. They are free of charge, are ideal for newly enrolled students in Engineering and Natural Sciences, Business Informatics, and Statistics, and are held in German unless specified as English.

Campus, sports and getting around

JKU says its campus is unique in Austria because most of the institutes are located in one place. Each semester the University Sports Institute (USI) offers over 150 different, very affordable sports and exercise classes. The campus is 15 minutes from the city centre by tram line 1 or 2.

Exchange abroad

JKU says that for studying abroad, Taiwan, Canada, Czechia and the USA are particularly popular choices. International Business Administration includes a mandatory semester abroad; the programmes chapter has the details.

What you must do to live and study in Austria depends on your citizenship. EU/EEA and Swiss students need only a valid passport to enter Austria legally, while non-EU/EEA students require a residence permit and a visa, if necessary.

EU/EEA and Swiss students

• Entry. There are no special entry requirements for students from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland. A valid passport is sufficient.
• Registration certificate. During the first 4 months of your stay you must apply for a confirmation of registration (Anmeldebescheinigung) at the local residence authority in Austria.
• City registration. Austrian law requires new residents to register officially with the city office within three days of moving.

Third-country students: the student residence permit

To renew the permit later, you must show proof of a minimum of 8 semester hours or 16 ECTS credits successfully completed per academic year, as well as other documents. Plan your course load with this in mind.

Health insurance

• EU/EEA citizens. EU/EEA citizens holding a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are, with a few exceptions, also insured in Austria.
• Third-country nationals. You must purchase health insurance that covers all risks and is valid in Austria.

JKU Linz suits you if you want an English-taught degree such as Artificial Intelligence, or if you hold EU/EEA citizenship and want to study without tuition within the programme duration plus two tolerance semesters; it needs careful planning if you are a non-EU/EEA citizen, because you must apply six months before the start of your studies. Check the language level and the entry route for your own programme first.

Who JKU Linz suits

• Applicants who want to study in English. JKU offers a wide range of academic degree programmes in English, including dual-language programmes that are generally offered in German. JKU says that it is the first university in Europe to offer an academic degree programme in AI, and that the programme is international and offered in English.
• EU/EEA citizens. EU and EEA citizens pay no tuition within the programme duration plus two tolerance semesters.
• Third-country applicants who budget for tuition. Third-country nationals, with some exceptions, are subject to tuition fees; confirm the amount for your group on JKU's tuition page.

Who should be careful

• Applicants counting on English for everything. Many programmes are taught in German; for example, Business Administration requires German (Level C1).
• Applicants whose certificate may not be comparable. A letter of admission can require German supplementary examinations, subject-area supplementary examinations, or both. These add time and cost.
• Non-EU/EEA applicants. The application must be submitted six months before the start of your studies.
• Programmes with a procedure. Some degree programmes require an admissions procedure and others do not. Check the programme before you plan.

Your next steps

Two programmes have their own dates. Transformation Studies begins in winter semester 2027/28, with an application period of January 2027. For International Business Administration, a new admissions procedure is expected to open beginning in Spring 2027.

Official pages of Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), all on jku.at, each checked on 17 Oct 2026. No ranking table is cited. Every number on this page links to the page it comes from.

Facts & Figures | JKU Linz · Admission - Bachelors's Degree International Business Administration | JKU Linz · Bachelor's Degree Diploma Degree | JKU Linz · International Students | JKU Linz · Organizational Information for International Students | JKU Linz · Artificial Intelligence - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Language Proficiency in English | JKU Linz · Register to Enroll | JKU Linz · Biological Chemistry - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Technical Chemistry: Chemistry and Chemical Technology (CCT) Bachelor's Degree Program | JKU Linz · BA International Business Administration | JKU Linz · Quantum Science and Technology: Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · BA Transformation Studies. Art x Science | JKU Linz · Pay Austrian Student Union Fees and Tuition | JKU Linz · Why JKU? | JKU Linz · Sociology - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Aufnahmeverfahren und Studienbeginn Lehramt Sekundarstufe Allgemeinbildung - Bachelor | JKU Linz · Cultural Studies - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · General University Entrance Qualifications | JKU Linz · University Enrollment Eligibility Examination | JKU Linz · Competence check at VFS Education Services | JKU Linz · Dates & Deadlines | JKU Linz · ADMISSION EXEMPTIONS AFTER SEPTEMBER 5 OR · Language Proficiency in German B2/C1 | JKU Linz · Computer Science - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Law - Diploma Degree | JKU Linz · Supplementary examinations with International Educational Qualifications | JKU Linz · Zulassung - Sprachnachweise Deutsch | JKU Linz · Business Administration - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · BA Business and Economics | JKU Linz · Wirtschaftsrecht studieren: Infos zum Bachelor | JKU Linz · Social Economics - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · DS Business Education | JKU Linz · Business Informatics - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Electronics and Information Technology - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Mechatronics - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Statistics and Data Science - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Technical Mathematics - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · BA Technical Physics | JKU Linz · Polymer Engineering - Bachelor's Degree | JKU Linz · Bachelor's Degree in Fundamentals of Natural Sciences for Technology (NaSciTech) | JKU Linz · BA Medical Engineering | JKU Linz · Molecular BioSciences: Info about the Bachelor's Program | JKU Linz · BA Teacher Education Studies Secondary Level | JKU Linz · Ergänzungsprüfungen bei internationaler Reifeprüfung | JKU Linz · Choose Your Academic Degree Program | JKU Linz · Studies Introduction and Orientation Phase (StEOP) | JKU Linz · The Career Center | JKU Linz · ÖH- und Studienbeitrag: Soviel kostet dein Studium | JKU Linz · Scholarships | JKU Linz · Accommodations | JKU Linz · Student Residence Halls | JKU Linz · Welcome Week | JKU Linz · Preparation Courses | JKU Linz · JKU Exchange - Go Abroad! | JKU Linz

Photos: JKU Science Park building in Linz: photo Haeferl, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · JKU campus buildings and lawn: photo User .-TaiBo-. on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons · Students on a walkway at JKU Linz: photo User .-TaiBo-. on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons · JKU Linz entrance sign: photo D-Kuru, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons