Admission to a doctoral programme

Admission requirements

Admission to the doctoral programme at the University of Klagenfurt is subject to the completion of a relevant Diploma or Master’s programme at a recognised post-secondary educational institution.

The precise legal regulations on admission requirements can be found in § 19 (2a) Part B of the University of Klagenfurt Statute and in the Universities Act 2002, Austrian Federal Gazette I no. 120/2002 (§§ 63, 64 (4) and 65)

Applicants with a Master’s/Diploma degree earned at the University of Klagenfurt

Required documents

Copies of the degree certificate(s) and the award certificate(s) for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programme(s) or the Diploma degree programme(s) completed at the University of Klagenfurt.
Application for admission with provisional letter of support from a supervisor
(Scientific staff with authorization to teach (venia docendi), who work full-time at the University of Klagenfurt as defined by Section 100 (3) in conjunction with (4) of the Universities Act, see p. 4 of the application)
Student Data Sheet

Processing can take up to two months.

Applicants with a degree from an Austrian post-secondary educational institution

Required documents

Application for admission with provisional letter of support from a supervisor
(Scientific staff with authorization to teach (venia docendi), who work full-time at the University of Klagenfurt as defined by Section 100 (3) in conjunction with (4) of the Universities Act, see p. 4 of the application)
Where applicable
- online application (if you are applying to the University of Klagenfurt for the first time)
- Student Data Sheet (if you have already been admitted to a degree programme at the University of Klagenfurt )
Graduation documents relating to previous Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, or documents relating to Diploma degree programmes.
Please submit the degree certificates, the award notification and the Diploma Supplement. If no Diploma Supplement is available, the Transcript of Records can be submitted as a substitute.

Processing can take up to two months.

Applicants with a degree from a recognised post-secondary educational institution abroad

Required documents

Application for admission with provisional letter of support from a supervisor
(Scientific staff with authorization to teach (venia docendi), who work full-time at the University of Klagenfurt as defined by Section 100 (3) in conjunction with (4) of the Universities Act, see p. 4 of the application)
Where applicable
- online application (if you are applying to the University of Klagenfurt for the first time)
- Student Data Sheet (if you have already been admitted to a degree programme at the University of Klagenfurt)
Graduation documents relating to previous Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, or documents relating to Diploma degree programmes.
Please submit the degree certificates, the award notification and the Diploma Supplement. If no Diploma Supplement is available, the Transcript of Records can be submitted as a substitute.
Non-EU or EEA citizens must provide an eligibility letter in accordance with § 65 (2) of the Universities Act. A template “Nachweis der besonderen Universitätsreife/eligibility letter” can be found in German here and in English here.

If supervision is to be provided in German, at the time of application applicants with a first language other than German must demonstrate German language ability at level A2 in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Proof of A2 level German language ability

– qualifications/diplomas (with unlimited validity):

university-entrance certificate / high school diploma issued by a school where the language of instruction and examination is German or by an Austrian or German school abroad
completion of a study program of at least two years’ duration at a recognised post-secondary educational institution where the language of instruction and examination is German

The following proof is accepted and must be no more than 2 years old:

Österreichisches Sprachdiplom (ÖSD – Austrian language diploma) certificate
Goethe certificate
telc German A2
Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz DSD I (German language diploma from the KMK – Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs)
Course certificates at level A2/b from the intensive German course or German as a Foreign/Second Language course offered at the ‘Deutsch In Österreich’ (German in Austria) language centre at Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt.

Notes

EU and EEA citizens can apply for admission at any time. However, they can only register on a programme during the prescribed admission period.
A special admission period applies to non-EU or EEA citizens: Requests for admission during the summer semester must be submitted in full by 5 February; the deadline for requests for admission during the winter semester is 5 September.
Requests are usually processed within 2 months.
All documents must be provided as originals or notarised copies. However, the eligibility letter is needed as an original document.
Foreign documents and translations must be certified. English or German translations are required if the documents have been issued in another language. Information about the regulations on certification
For thesis areas not in English, students must provide proof of German language ability at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Information on accepted proof can be found in the rectorate’s regulations on the proof of German language requirements for degree programme admissions.
This requirement is waived if the supervisor confirms in their provisional letter of support that the entire doctoral programme can be delivered in English.

An overview of the stages of admission to a doctoral programme

You look for a supervisor and obtain a provisional confirmation of support.
You gather the required documents and submit an application for your desired doctoral programme either in person or by post to the Admissions and Examinations Office.
If your application is approved, you will receive an digitally signed acceptance letter by e-mail.
If you have already studied at the University of Klagenfurt, please come to the Admissions and Examinations Office with your acceptance letter, an official photographic identity document and a completed Student Data Sheet.
If you have never studied at the University of Klagenfurt, please complete the online application before coming to the Admissions and Examinations Office with your acceptance letter and valid passport.
The current admission periods for the University of Klagenfurt can be found in the academic calendar.

Do you have any more questions about admissions?

Please contact:

Christine Moser, BA

Admission Doctoral Degree Programmes surnames A to J
+43 463 2700 9133
Christine [dot] Moser [at] aau [dot] at

Juliane Achleitner, BA MA

Admission Doctoral Degree Programmes surnames K to Z
+43 463 2700 9126
Juliane [dot] Achleitner [at] aau [dot] at