General Information about the Program 

BACHELOR'S DEGREE

To be admitted to a bachelor’s degree program at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, at least one of the following criteria must be met:  

• General university entrance qualification (Austrian high school diploma or an equivalent foreign diploma)
• Vocational Maturity Examination
• Subject-specific university entrance qualification
• Subject-specific vocational qualification (subject-specific apprenticeship certificate or graduation from a vocational secondary school with a minimum duration of three years) with supplementary exams

Additional program-specific admission requirements and further information on admission can be found on the website for the respective program. 

The German Fachhochschulreife is only valid as a qualification for admission to an Austrian university of applied sciences (FH) bachelor’s program if it also confers a subject-specific vocational qualification. 

Submission of Documents — Bachelor’s Programs

Students in their final year of high school can apply for a spot in a Bachelor’s program even before taking the Matura, using their most recent report card. If admitted, the Matura diploma must be submitted by the start of the program.

MASTER'S DEGREE

To be admitted to a master’s degree program at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, at least one of the following criteria must be met:

• Completion of a relevant bachelor’s degree program
• Completion of an equivalent degree program at a recognized domestic or foreign postsecondary educational institution

Submission of Documents — Master’s Programs

Students in the final semester of a Bachelor’s program may apply for admission to a Master’s program even before completing their degree, using their most recent Transcript of Records. If admitted, the final documents from the Bachelor’s program must be submitted by the start of the program.

Before enrolling in a degree program at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, an educational contract is signed between the prospective student and Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. This contract sets forth the rights and obligations of both the student and the university.

An overview of the student’s rights and obligations:

• Attendance at the modules or courses of the chosen degree program
• Participation in and adherence to exam and assignment deadlines
• Payment of tuition and the ÖH (Austrian Student Union) fee
• Compliance with data protection and copyright regulations

The education contract is sent electronically to applicants who have received an offer of admission. In addition to electronically accepting the education contract, timely payment of the tuition fee and the ÖH fee is also a prerequisite for admission to the degree program.

• Learning Agreement

Important legal foundations for studying at a university of applied sciences in Austria:

FHG – University of Applied Sciences Act
HS-QSG – Higher Education Quality Assurance Act

General Recognition Procedures

With regard to the recognition of documented knowledge acquired at other educational institutions, the principle of course-based recognition applies.

The equivalence of the acquired knowledge to the course requirements in terms of content and scope of the course to be waived is determined by the program director upon the student’s request. If equivalence is established, successfully completed exams may be recognized. No additional assessment of knowledge is required in these cases.

Special knowledge or experience gained through professional practice is taken into account when granting credit for courses or the professional internship. In cases where credit is granted for courses based on knowledge acquired through professional experience, an assessment of knowledge may be conducted.

The application for recognition of exam results for individual courses must be submitted to the program director no later than the start of the respective course.

• Before the study abroad period
  , students decide on a university abroad and clarify the requirements with the respective academic coordinators. A Learning Agreement is drawn up before the study abroad period. This agreement specifies the courses to be completed abroad and, upon successful completion, credited at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CU Hochschule Kärnten). The list of selected courses must correspond, in terms of content and workload, to the semester-level courses in the degree program at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. Students are required to earn 30 ECTS credits per semester. The Learning Agreement is signed and approved by the student, the host university, and the program director or authorized representative at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. The Learning Agreement is an agreement regarding the courses to be taken abroad and has no legal validity in terms of credit transfer. Therefore, this document is linked to the “Application for Recognition” (the official document for the recognition of academic achievements).
   
• During the stay
  : Starting at the beginning of the semester abroad, students have four weeks to amend their Learning Agreement. This is necessary, for example, if courses are canceled or if there are scheduling conflicts. Any changes must be discussed with the relevant personnel at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences and at the host university. The changes are then noted separately on the Learning Agreement (Note: Changes to the original Learning Agreement). The document must then be
    signed and approved by the student, the host university, and the program director or authorized representative at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences
• After the Stay
  After the study abroad period, the academic credits earned will be recognized. This requires the original Transcript of Records from the host university and the legally valid “Application for Recognition” form, which lists the courses actually completed. The credits earned abroad will appear on the Transcript of Records from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. If a student does not successfully complete a semester abroad, the responsible academic coordinator and the director of the respective degree program will make an individual decision regarding which courses will be credited and how additional ECTS credits can be earned.
   
• Further Information
  : Detailed Procedure for a Semester Abroad (the necessary documents are available to students on the intranet (QM-Library)). The International Relations Office is available to answer any further questions.

• General Information
  : For programs at universities of applied sciences, there is generally only a limited number of spots available. As part of the admissions process, all applicants are interviewed, and the results of this interview are taken into account when allocating spots. In addition, some degree programs require written admission tests or assessment centers. Details regarding the individual procedures are described on the pages for each respective degree program. Applicants are generally permitted to reapply for a degree program (e.g., the following year). In the event of a new application, the entire admissions process must generally be completed anew. In cases of doubt regarding the authenticity or accuracy of the documents used to prove fulfillment of the admission requirements, or if the documents are insufficient to determine whether the admission requirements have been met, the right to collect a deposit of EUR 363.36 from the applicant in accordance with § 4(5a) of the Higher Education Act (FHG). This deposit will be refunded once the review has confirmed the authenticity and accuracy of the documents and the admission requirements have been met.
   
• Application Deadlines for Students
  Please refer to the websites of the respective degree programs for application deadlines!
   
• Admission of Exchange
  StudentsCarinthia University of Applied Sciences accepts both exchange students from partner universities and freemovers. The program director decides on the admission of freemovers on a case-by-case basis. In the first case, an official nomination (via email) from the partner university is required. After nomination, students will receive information about the application process. Freemovers may apply directly.
   
• Enrollment
  Requirements for enrollment in a degree program at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences:
  Timely payment of tuition fees (except for incoming Erasmus exchange students, who are exempt from this fee); timely payment of the ÖH membership fee; and signing of the education contract. The enrollment periods for the individual degree programs will be announced to applicants in a timely manner. 

• Examination Regulations
  The Examination Regulations are an integral part of the educational contract between the student and CU University of Carinthia. They are available to students and faculty on the intranet.

  Study and Examination Regulations of CU Carinthia
    University of Applied Sciences

• Assessment and Grading
  Student exam performance is graded in accordance with § 17 (1) of the Higher Education Act (FHG) using the Austrian grading scale

• General Information
  
  What is academic recognition?
  Academic recognition is the acknowledgment of a foreign academic degree (tertiary education at a college or university) as equivalent to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. Nostrification at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences can only take place if a degree program equivalent to the foreign degree is offered at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences and provided that nostrification is absolutely necessary for the practice of a profession in Austria (e.g., a regulated profession). A recognized academic degree has the same legal effect as an academic degree earned domestically.
  Within the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), recognition is not mandatory and is therefore not possible. In Austria, the decision to recognize European educational qualifications in a regulated profession (e.g., in the fields of medical-technical services, midwifery, and health care and nursing) is made by the competent authority (the ministry responsible for health or the provincial governments).
  Excerpt from: nostrifizierung.at
  Applications for nostrification can only be submitted for degrees that correspond to the programs offered by the CarinthiaUniversityof Applied Sciences. 

  How does the recognition process work?
  Recognition is an administrative procedure at a university or university of applied sciences that is subject to certain requirements.
  
  Who can apply for recognition?
  The applicant must prove that recognition is a mandatory requirement (see: “What must be submitted?”) for their intended occupation in Austria. In all other cases, the evaluation of the foreign degree is the responsibility of the employer anyway. 
  
  Where should the recognition be applied for?
  Recognition can be applied for at any university or university of applied sciences that offers a comparable Austrian degree program. In many cases, therefore, several universities or universities of applied sciences may be eligible. In such cases, the applicant may choose at which institution to submit the application. However, the same recognition application may only be submitted to one institution. 
  
  What documents must be submitted?
  See: Required attachments for the recognition
  
  application.How much does recognition cost?
  The recognition fee is currently EUR 150.00 and must be paid in advance. Additional fees and administrative charges apply. For more information, see “Attachments for Recognition of Equivalency.”
  
  What is reviewed?
  The criteria for review include the content, scope, and requirements of the Austrian degree program for which equivalency is being sought. If certain requirements are not met, they may be fulfilled as a special-status student. All conditions are specified in the official decision. If the applicant has fulfilled all additional conditions or if no conditions were specified, the competent authority grants recognition. 
  
  If recognition cannot be granted ......
  because the differences from the Austrian degree program are too great, an application for admission to the Austrian degree program may be submitted; once admission is granted, examinations from the foreign degree program may be recognized, provided they are equivalent to the Austrian ones. Afterward, the Austrian degree program can be continued and completed.
  Excerpt from: How-Does-Nostrification-Work

• Application for Recognition
  To apply for recognition, the completed form “RE-F03 Application for Recognition” must be submitted along with the following attachments:
  
  RE-F03 Application for Nostrification
  
  Proof that nostrification is absolutely necessary for the applicant to practice their profession or to continue their education in Austria[1]

1. Signed resume (with particular emphasis on previous education)
2. Birth certificate and any documents regarding a name change (e.g., marriage certificate), if the attached academic transcripts are issued under a previous name
3. Copy of proof of citizenship or passport
4. High school diploma and any other documents proving eligibility for admission to higher education in the foreign country
5. Academic transcript (student record / index / study plan / curriculum / module descriptions / syllabi), certificates of completed exams, including the names and credit hours of the courses taken and exams passed (Transcript of Records)
6. Degree or diploma certificate
7. Evidence of any existing additional qualifications (e.g., completion of university-level courses)
8. Any documentation of completed internships or relevant professional experience
9. A copy of the thesis or a summary in German, if required by the foreign degree program
10. Proof of sufficient German language proficiency (language certification—minimum language level B2; for the “Speech-Language Pathology” program, minimum C1)
11. A copy of the payment confirmation for the recognition fee of 150 euros (recognition fee), which must be paid in advance to the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. The invoice must be requested in advance from the Rector’s Office at rektorat[at]fh-kaernten[dot]at.

All documents must be submitted as originals and translated into German by a court-certified interpreter (exception: proof of citizenship/passport, theses, and original documents in English).

The application, together with all the supporting documents listed above, must be submitted in person at the Rector’s Office of the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences after a prior appointment has been scheduled. Please schedule an appointment.
 

• Procedure
  In accordance with the provisions of § 6 (6) and (7) of the Higher Education Act (FHG), as amended, the College’s Executive Board decides on applications for the recognition of degrees earned abroad. To ensure that such decisions are made on a properly prepared basis, the following procedure is established:

1. Applicants must request an invoice from the Rector’s Office. A fee of €150.00 must be paid in advance to the bank account specified on the invoice, along with the invoice number.
2. Submission of the Application: Applicants must submit an application for recognition of foreign academic qualifications to the Rector’s Office using Form RE-F03, “Application for Recognition of Foreign Academic Qualifications.” The form is available under “Application for Recognition of Foreign Academic Qualifications.”
3. The Rectorate’s office can now accept the recognition application. A formal review of the application will be conducted—see form RE-F03 for review criteria.
4. After the formal review is successfully completed: The Rector (Head of the College) commissions the respective STGL to conduct the evaluation
5. Any requests for additional documents from the Rector’s Office or the STGL
6. Submission of the expert opinion by the STGL to the Rector’s Office
7. Notification to the applicant of the outcome of the review (including the expert opinion) and the opportunity to comment (right to be heard)
8. Possible request for a revision of the expert opinion (supplementary expert opinion)
9. Issuance of a decision by the Chair of the University of Applied Sciences Faculty (negative, positive, or positive decision with conditions)
10. Delivery to the applicant
11. For conditional decisions: The applicant must fulfill the conditions
12. After full fulfillment of the conditions: a new decision (positive decision)

• General Information
  The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a student-centered system for the accumulation and transfer of academic credits. ECTS is one of the key features of the Bologna Process and serves to ensure the mutual recognition, transfer, and accumulation of academic credits within the European Higher Education Area and to guarantee the international recognition of degrees. In this way, ECTS regulates both student mobility and admission to advanced studies. The system is based on the transparency of learning outcomes and learning processes. The acquisition of competencies is made visible through the description of learning outcomes at the degree program, module, and course levels, which contributes significantly to quality assurance.
   
• ECTS Credits
  ECTS credits are calculated based on the workload required of students, which is generally necessary to achieve a positive learning outcome. The learning outcomes describe what students should know, understand, and be able to do upon successful completion of a learning process. The workload indicates the time students typically must spend on all learning activities (such as lectures, seminars, projects, lab exercises, self-study, and exams) to achieve the expected learning outcomes. In the European Higher Education Area, one semester is valued at 30 ECTS credits, and one academic year at 60 ECTS credits. The workload for one academic year ranges between 1,500 and 1,800 hours. In Austria, one ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 25 actual hours.
   
• Key ECTS Documents
  The Learning Agreement (an agreement regarding the courses to be taken abroad) includes a list of all course units/modules or other learning units that students will take at an institution during their semester abroad. The document also lists the course codes and the assigned ECTS credits. If an ECTS credit transfer is to take place, the Learning Agreement must be signed and approved in advance by three parties: the student, the host institution, and the sending institution. It is possible to amend the Learning Agreement up to four weeks after the start of the semester abroad. The “Confirmation of Stay” document confirms the student’s actual stay at the host institution and is typically issued by the International Relations Office. This document can be requested from the relevant International Relations Office no earlier than two weeks before departure. This document is mandatory for Erasmus+ students. The Transcript of Records provides an overview of academic achievements (courses or modules completed, grades, and the number of ECTS credits earned). For student mobility, the Transcript of Records serves as proof of academic achievements (before the study abroad period, as information for the host institution; after the study abroad period, as the basis for the home university’s recognition of academic achievements earned abroad). The Diploma Supplement contains a standardized description of a completed degree program. The Diploma Supplement is intended to improve international transparency and facilitate the recognition of academic and professional qualifications.

Important Dates for the 2026/27 Academic Year

To help you plan your studies effectively, here’s a quick overview of the most important dates.

Semester Dates

Winter Semester 2026/27

• Start of the semester: October 1, 2026
• End of semester: February 28, 2027

Summer Semester 2027

• Start of semester: March 1, 2027
• End of semester: September 30, 2027

Please note: The exact start dates of your courses may vary depending on your degree program.

Registration Deadlines

Winter Semester 2026/27

• Early enrollment for applicants: July 1 through August 31, 2026
• Enrollment period: September 1–30, 2026

Summer Semester 2027

• Enrollment period: February 1 through 28, 2027

Tuition and Student Union Fees

Payment deadline

• Winter semester: by September 15, 2026
• Summer Semester: by February 15, 2027

Grace period

• Winter semester: by October 31, 2026
• Summer semester: by March 31, 2027

If payment is made during the grace period, the tuition fee increases by 10%. Enrollment becomes effective only after payment has been received.

Application deadlines for the 2027–28 academic year

• Application Period 1: November 1, 2026, through March 15, 2027
• Application Period 2: March 16 through May 31, 2027
• Application Period 3: June 1 through July 31, 2027
• Application Period 4: August 1 through September 30, 2027 (for remaining available spots)

Check the website for your desired degree program to see which application periods are open.

Break periods and holidays

• National Day: October 26, 2026
• All Saints’ Day: November 1, 2026
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception: December 8, 2026

Christmas break

• December 24, 2026, through January 6, 2027

Semester Break

• February 1–28, 2027

Easter Break

• March 20–29, 2027

Other holidays

• Public Holiday: May 1, 2027
• Ascension Day: May 6, 2027
• Pentecost: May 16 and 17, 2027
• Corpus Christi: May 27, 2027

Graduation Ceremonies

Fall Graduation Ceremony 2026

• November 12 and 13, 2026

Additional graduation dates for 2027 will be announced at a later time.

All information is subject to change. You can find the latest information on the CU Carinthia University of Applied Sciences website or through your program’s administrative office.

Other Dates

2026

• ACE²-EU Science Slam (Kulturhof) June 16, 2026
• G&S: A Healthy Start to College September 21–30, 2026
• Welcome Day for International and Exchange Students September 30, 2026
• Fall Graduation Ceremony November 12 and 13, 2026
• Online Master’s Session November 23, 2026
• Health Day November 25, 2026
• International Day December 10, 2026

2027

• Academic Ski and Winter Adventure Day at Goldeck, January 11, 2027
• Campus Days February 3 and 4, 2027
• Welcome Day for Exchange Students February 26, 2027
• Náboj (International Mathematics Competition) March 12, 2027
• Online Master’s Session April 12, 2027
• Teaching Day 2027 April 13, 2027 (NO CLASSES)
• CU Sports Running Event, Campus Villach, April 16, 2027
• FH Research Forum April 21–22, 2027
• Meet & Match 2025 April 22, 2027
• High School Graduation Project Competition April 23, 2027
• Women in Data Science April 29, 2027
• ACE² EU Week (Steering/Rectors’ Committee) June 14–18, 2026
• 30th Anniversary of the School of Management June 17, 2027
• CU Sports and Fitness Camp at Lake Ossiach June 18, 2027
• Summer Retreat: TBA