Austria is one of the most underrated study destinations for African postgraduate students. While Germany gets most of the attention for affordable European education, Austria offers similar advantages: world-class universities in one of Europe's most liveable and safest cities, at a predictable flat fee of €1,453/year for non-EU students.
Unlike Germany's €0 model, Austria charges a fixed semester contribution (€726.72/semester) regardless of your programme or income. This is still a fraction of UK or US tuition: and Austria does not require a blocked bank account equivalent, which removes one of the biggest administrative hurdles African students face with Germany. Proof of €900/month is sufficient.
Vienna consistently ranks as the world's most liveable city. Austria's universities are research-strong, internationally respected, and increasingly taught in English at the postgraduate level. For African students in engineering, business, computer science, or natural sciences, Austria deserves serious consideration alongside Germany and Italy.
This guide walks through the complete process: choosing a university, the application steps, the student visa, OeAD scholarships, and what life is like for African students in Austria.
Austria has seven universities on the StudiePoint Affordable Destinations list. The strongest options for African postgraduate students: TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology), Austria's top technical university, ranked among Europe's best for computer science, electrical engineering, and cybersecurity. All master's programmes are taught in English. WU Vienna (Vienna University of Economics and Business), triple-accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA), Central Europe's most prestigious business school. Strong MSc programmes in Economics, Business Administration, and Finance, taught in English. University of Vienna. Austria's flagship comprehensive university, founded in 1365. Excellent for natural sciences, molecular biology, data science, philosophy, and social sciences. Many master's programmes in English. TU Graz (Graz University of Technology), strong in engineering, computer science, and geomatics. Graz is Austria's second-largest city and significantly cheaper than Vienna. University of Graz: comprehensive research university strong in natural sciences, law, and environmental sciences. University of Innsbruck. Austria's third-largest university, exceptional for alpine environmental science, physics, and economics. Located in the Alps: a dramatically different environment from African students' home contexts, but uniquely beautiful. Use the StudiePoint GPA converter to check whether your African grade meets the typically required 3.0/4.0 minimum before applying.
Austrian public universities charge non-EU/EEA students a semester contribution (Studienbeitrag) of €726.72 per semester, totalling approximately €1,453 per year. This is a flat rate: it does not depend on your income, your programme, or which university you attend. All seven Austrian public universities on the StudiePoint list charge this same amount. The fee covers tuition plus the student union (ÖH) contribution. There are no additional hidden tuition charges. Scholarships and waivers: OeAD (Austria's international education agency) scholarships cover tuition completely. The Ernst Mach Grant for African students is specifically designed for non-EU students from developing countries and is fully funded. Some universities also offer their own merit-based fee waivers, check the international office of your target university. Compared to Germany (€0 but complex APS + blocked account process), Austria offers a simpler administrative journey at a modest cost.
Start at the international office website of your target Austrian university. TU Wien English programmes: tuwien.ac.at/en/studies/master-programmes. WU Vienna: wu.ac.at/en/programs/masters-programs. University of Vienna: studieren.univie.ac.at/en. Universitaly.it lists all English-taught Italian programmes: the Austrian equivalent is the university's own website or studienwahl.at. Key things to check: (1) Is the programme taught in English or German? Many Austrian master's programmes are bilingual, confirm before applying. (2) What is the admission GPA requirement? Most require 3.0/4.0 or the Austrian equivalent (generally 'Gut' / Good or above on the Austrian Notensystem). (3) What documents are required? Check the specific programme page, not just the university homepage. Use StudiePoint's scholarship match tool to identify which Austrian universities best fit your profile before committing to an application.
No. Austria does not require an APS certificate. The APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) is a Germany-specific document authentication process required for applicants from certain African countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, etc.). Austrian universities evaluate your academic documents directly. Some programmes may ask for apostille certification of your degree, but this is simpler and cheaper than the full APS process.
No: this is one of Austria's key advantages over Germany. For the Austrian student visa, you need to prove €900/month in available funds, but this can be shown through regular bank statements, a scholarship letter, or a sponsor's guarantee letter. You do not need to open a special blocked account and lock away €11,000+ before arriving, as Germany requires.
Yes: especially at the postgraduate level. TU Wien offers all master's programmes in English. WU Vienna's master's programmes are in English. University of Vienna has an increasing number of English master's programmes in sciences and social sciences. TU Graz has several English MSc programmes in engineering and computer science. German is helpful for daily life but not required for academic study in these programmes. Learn at least basic German (A2) before arriving, bureaucratic processes and social life outside campus are largely in German.
Germany: €0 tuition (only €150–350 semester contribution) but requires APS certificate, uni-assist application, and a blocked bank account of €11,208, significant administrative burden. Italy: income-based, often €0–800/year for African students via ISEE assessment, plus DSU grants possible: but requires Declaration of Value from Italian Embassy. Austria: flat €1,453/year, no blocked account, no centralised application portal, simpler process but a modest fixed cost. For students who want to minimise cost: Germany is cheapest. For students who want the simplest process: Austria.
The Ernst Mach Grant is Austria's flagship scholarship for postgraduate students from developing countries, including all 54 African nations. It is a fully funded scholarship covering: tuition fees, a monthly stipend of €1,050 (master's) or €1,200 (PhD), health insurance, and a travel allowance. Applicants are assessed on academic merit and relevance of their study plan. The deadline is typically November–January for the following academic year. Apply through grants.at, the OeAD scholarship portal. Success rates are higher than DAAD Germany because fewer African students know about it.
Last updated: May 2026. Find scholarships on StudiePoint AI →