STUDY

Special Admission Procedure for the Master Game Studies and Engineering

The special admission procedure for the Master’s degree programme in Game Studies and Engineering is scheduled to take place once per year, before the start of the winter semester. Once the special admission procedure has been successfully concluded, new entrants can take up their studies at the start of the following winter semester or, respectively, at the start of the following summer semester.

Each academic year, a total of 35 university places will be awarded at the University of Klagenfurt on the basis of a special admission procedure.

Steps of the special admission procedure:

Registration
Upload of all required documents
Entry and residence
Enrolment in person
Payment of student union fees / university fees

Contact & Information

Game Studies and Engineering
E-mail: gse [at] aau [dot] at
Web: www.aau.at/en/master-gse
Regulation on the Special Admission Procedure (English version, PDF)

Special admission procedure 2022
University places: 35
Start of studies: academic year 2022/2023

Links

Legalisation and translation requirements

Entry & residence

The steps of the special admission procedure in table view:

WHAT	WHO	WHEN	WHERE/HOW
Registration for the admission procedure	All applicants for the Master’s degree in Game Studies and Engineering	17 January to 30 June 2022 (11:59 pm CEST)	Online registration Complete the registration for the admission procedure in the registration portal For detailed information, please refer to Step 1!
Upload of the required documents	All applicants who have successfully completed the registration for the admission procedure	17 January to 30 June 2022 (11:59 pm CEST)	Upload all required documents to the registration portal of the University of Klagenfurt For detailed information, please refer to Step 2!
Later submission of graduation documents	All applicants who submit a complete application by 30 June 2022 (11:59 pm CEST), the documents of which (with the exception of the graduation documents) meet the criteria in the opinion of the Admission Committee and the Admissions and Examinations Office	by 31 October 2022 at the latest	Upload the Bachelor’s degree certificate and the transcript of records to the registration portal of the University of Klagenfurt For detailed information, please refer to Step 2!
Acceptance of the university place	Applicants who receive an invitation letter by e-mail	Within 7 days from the day on which the invitation letter is sent	Accept the university place via the registration portal of the University of Klagenfurt For detailed information, please refer to Step 2!
Entry and residence	Applicants who are not from Austria	as soon as possible	Entry and residence For detailed information, please refer to Step 3!
Enrolment	All applicants who successfully complete the admission procedure and who meet the admission requirements _____________________ Applicants who successfully complete the special admission procedure and meet the admission requirements, but cannot be in Klagenfurt by 31 October 2022 due to issues related to entry and residence	by 31 October 2022 at the latest ________________ by 31 March 2023 at the latest	In person at the Admissions and Examinations Office of the University of Klagenfurt For detailed information, please refer to Step 4!
Fee payment	All enrolled students	by 31 October (for the winter semester) or by 31 March (for the summer semester)	Bank/online-banking For detailed information, please refer to Step 5!

The separate steps of the special admission procedure in detail

STEP 1: Registration

All applicants must register for the special admission procedure using only the online registration, which is accessible on the website of the University of Klagenfurt during the period from the 17^th of January to the 30^th of June. Other forms of registration for the admission procedure cannot be considered.

Registration period

17^th of January to 30^th of June 2022

Registration for the special admission procedure for all students for whom this is the first degree at the University of Klagenfurt

Carry out the online registration to receive a user account. Applicants must provide an e-mail address for the purpose of registration (e.g. gmail, yahoo, etc.). Be sure to fill in all fields marked with an asterisk (*). After the online registration you will receive an e-mail, inviting you to activate your user account.
Once you have activated your user account, you can log in to the registration portal with the access data you have chosen and register for the special admission procedure for the degree programme.

Registration for the special admission procedure for individuals who are already students at the University of Klagenfurt

Log in to your student portal and select the link Bewerbungsportal (registration portal) under services in the menu on the left-hand side.
Please follow the steps as indicated to complete the registration for the special admission procedure.

Online Registration Guide

Once you have registered and applied for admission to the Master’s degree programme in Game Studies and Engineering, you will receive confirmation by e-mail.
This does not conclude the special admission procedure!

STEP 2: Upload of all required documents

Start the special admission procedure on the application page and upload all required documents by the 30^th of June 2022 at the latest.

Incomplete applications cannot be considered and will be invalidated after the deadline for uploading the documents!

Note on Bachelor’s degree certificate, transcript of records, and proof of proficiency in English: Only documents which are equipped with a wet ink signature and a wet stamp/embossing seal (i.e. manually signed and stamped) or with the Austrian ‘official signature’ (“Amtssignatur”) are considered official documents. Digitally generated documents without a wet ink signature and wet stamp/embossing seal or, respectively, without the Austrian official signature will not be considered. This also applies to provisional confirmation documents etc.

To scan your documents, fold them. Do not remove existing attachments under any circumstance.

Permissible file formats for uploads: PDF, Word, RTF

For each required document type one file can be uploaded. If you have multiple pages of a scanned document stored in separate files, please merge them into one file before the upload.

Upload period

17^th of January to 30^th of June 2022

Required documents

Valid passport
Bachelor’s degree certificate
Transcript of records
Proof of proficiency in English
CV
Motivation video

Documents required where applicable

Documents concerning name change/variations
Confirmation of accreditation
Official translations

Upload all required documents:

Valid passport or ID
Bachelor’s degree certificate (in consideration of legalisation requirements)
Documentary evidence of the completion of a relevant degree programme or of an equivalent degree programme (Bachelor’s degree or, respectively, undergraduate degree)¹does not necessarily have to be submitted within the registration period, but it must be provided by the 31^st of October at the latest for admission in the winter semester or the following summer semester (see step 4: Personal enrolment). Applicants who have not yet completed their undergraduate degree within the registration period are required to provide evidence of their academic achievements in the form of an official provisional transcript of records and the corresponding curriculum/study plan in German or English
A transcript of records (in consideration of legalisation requirements)
A transcript of records of all examinations passed within the undergraduate degree programme or – if available – a diploma supplement must not necessarily be submitted within the registration period, but it must be provided by the 31^st of October at the latest for admission in the winter semester or the following summer semester (see step 4: Personal enrolment). Applicants who have not yet completed their undergraduate degree within the registration period are required to provide evidence of their academic achievements in the form of an official provisional transcript of records and the corresponding curriculum/study plan in German or English
A certificate or other documentary proof of proficiency in English (Level C1 (CEFR)) ²
An up-to-date CV in English, which MUST include information about the applicant’s education, first language(s), all foreign language skills
A motivation video ³, in which the applicant explains in English why they seek admission to the Master’s degree programme in Game Studies and Engineering at the University of Klagenfurt and why they should be offered a place
Where applicable, documents concerning a name change or variations in the spelling of a name/names, e.g. marriage certificate, affidavit etc. (in consideration of legalisation requirements)
Where applicable, a confirmation of accreditation (in consideration of legalisation requirements)
Where applicable, official translations of the above-mentioned documents, providing that they have been issued in a language other than German or English (in consideration of legalisation requirements)

The required documents have to be uploaded in their entirety.

If there are doubts about the authenticity of documents or the identity of the applicant, further evidence can be requested or, for instance, an assessment interview can be held.

Legalisation requirements

Depending on the country in which your documents were issued, they may need to be authenticated:

Legalisation requirements

Translation requirements

Documents which are issued in a language other than German or English need to be translated into either of these two languages:

Translation requirements

Your application documents will be verified for completeness and to ensure that all formal and personal criteria have been met. If shortcomings are found, you will be notified by e-mail. You will receive confirmation by e-mail as soon as all formal and personal criteria have been met.

Invitation letter and university place acceptance

Depending on the number of applications received, approximately 10 university places will be allocated per tranche. Applicants who are allocated a place at university receive an invitation letter with a conditional offer of study. This document can be used for various bureaucratic affairs such as applying for a visa. It is the only document issued to applicants prior to enrolment. If you would like to accept your conditional offer of study, follow the instructions which will be sent to you along with the invitation letter. Please note that the offer letter is valid only for an entry in the academic year following the special admission procedure and that the deadlines stated in the invitation letter apply.

All suitable applications will remain upright for the entire registration period. Applications that exceed the number appointed during one tranche, will automatically be included for consideration in the next tranche.

Applications which do not meet the personal and/or formal criteria will be rejected.

STEP 3: Entry and Residence

International applicants should gather information on entry requirements and procedures early enough.

If you are not originally from Austria, please make sure you find out about entry and residence requirements such as visa requirements and deadlines in a timely manner.

If you need a visa, you will need to apply for it in person, before you enter Austria. The application process for a visa can take several months.

Additional documents might need to be legalised and/or translated for a visa application to be considered complete.

Entry & Residence

Important links

HELP.gv.at

MIGRATION.gv.at

OeAD – Entry and Residence (General Information)

OeAD – Entry and Residence (EU/EEA/Swiss)

OeAD – Entry and Residence (Third Countries)

University of Klagenfurt: International Office

STEP 4: Enrolment in person

The winter semester starts on the 1^st of October, the summer semester starts on the 1^st of March. ⁵ A start of studies after the beginning of the semester may result in difficulties.

Applicants who have successfully concluded the special admission procedure can enrol up to the 31^st of October. Alternatively, if this deadline cannot be met due to issues related to entry into and residence in Austria, successful applicants can enrol during the admission period for the summer semester, i.e. no later than the 31^st of March. Enrolment for the summer semester is possible only if the application meets all requirements for admission by the 31^st of October 2022. Enrolment (admission) takes place in person at the Admissions and Examinations Office.

You will receive information about the date for your enrolment by e-mail in the course of the special admission procedure.

Required documents (originals or certified copies)

Valid passport or ID
Bachelor’s degree certificate
Transcript of records
Proof of proficiency in English

Documents required where applicable

Documents concerning name change/variations
Confirmation of accreditation
Official translations

At enrolment, applicants must present the following documents as originals or certified copies:

Valid passport or ID (original document)
Bachelor’s degree certificate as documentary evidence of the completion of a relevant degree programme or of an equivalent degree programme (undergraduate degree) ¹
A transcript of records pertaining to the undergraduate degree programme
A certificate or other documentary proof of proficiency in English (Level C1 (CEFR)) ²
Where applicable, documents concerning a name change or variations in the spelling of a name/names, e.g. marriage certificate, affidavit etc.
Where applicable, a confirmation of accreditation
Where applicable, official translations of the above-mentioned documents, providing that they have been issued in a language other than German or English

Documents must be presented as original documents and must fully comply with the legalisation and the translation requirements.

The documents required for the purpose of enrolment must be submitted and will be returned to the applicant without delay, as soon as the authenticity has been verified.

Prints, scans, or simple copies do NOT suffice for admission.

STEP 5: Payment of student union fees / university fees

Following the successful enrolment, the prescribed student union fees/ university fees ⁴ must be paid in a timely and orderly manner by the end of the general admission period.

The admission to the degree programme is only valid once the prescribed fees have been paid in full and on time! Students can only register for courses once the fees have been paid.

University fees

Important Information

¹ Successful completion of a relevant undergraduate degree programme (at least 180 ECTS credits)

The following undergraduate degrees at the University of Klagenfurt are considered appropriate prerequisites for the Master’s degree programme in Game Studies and Engineering in any case, given the successful completion of the special admission procedure:

Applied Informatics
Applied Cultural Studies
English and American Studies
Informatics
Information and Communications Engineering
Information Management
Media and Communications Science

Students who have completed a Bachelor’s degree programme in the humanities, social-, or media sciences, a Bachelor’s degree programme in the field of computer sciences, information technology, information management, English studies, or media communication, or an equivalent degree programme at a domestic or foreign university, university of applied science or other recognised post-secondary educational institution, are admitted to the Master’s degree programme if they provide evidence of at least 8 ECTS credits from one of the supplementary subjects.

Holders of different undergraduate degrees are required to consult the programme director gse [at] aau [dot] at

² Evidence of proficiency in English at the C1 level (CEFR)

Your English competency is required to be certified by one of the following qualifications. The certificates mentioned under points 5 to 8 must not be more than two years old at the time of application for admission:

School-leaving certificate from a school with English as language of instruction and examination
Completion of a study programme conducted in English and lasting at least two years at a recognised post-secondary educational institution
School-leaving examination in English with a final grade no less than “good (2 or B)” in accordance with the Austrian school grading system and a minimum of 8 ECTS credits in courses with English as the language of instruction and examination at a recognized Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institution, with a grade average not below “good (2 or B)“, or a comparable foreign education
English proficiency of university applicants whose native language is English, or university applicants with an extended stay in an English-speaking country (a semester abroad, a school year abroad, employment,
etc.), which can be proven through relevant documents (a certificate of employment/ reference, a residence permit etc.) stating the time period.
TOEFL iBT (Minimum Score: 100)
IELTS (Minimum Overall Band Score: 7) – Exam dates at the University of Klagenfurt
Cambridge English: Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or C1 Advanced (Minimum Scale Score: 180, minimum grade C) or above
GMAT or GRE: the point value in the area of “verbal skills” must be above average for the participants in the year in question
If none of the certificates and confirmations mentioned above provide proof of English language proficiency, the admissions committee may conduct an assessment interview with the applicant in order to determine his/her existing language skills. This interview can also be conducted as a video conference.

³ Motivation video

The motivation video will be assessed by the Admission Committee, who also give due regard to additional interpersonal and intercultural skills.

Content:

The applicants’ personal criteria are assessed amongst others on the basis of the motivation video. In this elevator pitch, you should describe why you want to enrol for the Master’s degree programme in Game Studies and Engineering. Outline, for instance, your motivation, your objectives, and your perspectives in relation to the degree, and explain the reasons for selecting the University of Klagenfurt as your potential educational institution. Clarify why you are the right person for this Master’s degree programme and why you should be offered a place. So, elaborate on the following three questions:

Why do I want to study Game Studies and Engineering?
Why do I wish to study at the University of Klagenfurt?
Why am I the right person for this degree programme?

Language:

English

Technical details:

Length: 60–90 seconds
File size: max. 100 MB
Permissible file formats: MPEG-4 (file extension: .mp4), M4V (.m4v), WebM (.webm), MKV (.mkv), QuickTime (.mov)

Before you create your video, watch our tutorial.

⁴ University fees and student union fee

Austrians, EU citizens, students with the status of “Konventionsflüchtlinge”, and privileged third-country nationals (“begünstigte Drittstaatsangehörige“) are EXEMPT from the tuition fee, if they are regular students and the duration of their study is not extended by more than two semesters.

All students have to pay the student union fee.

Students who are nationals of the least-developed countries or LDCs within the meaning of the DAC list NEED NOT pay the tuition fee.

OECD: DAC List of ODA Recipients

United Nations: LDCs at a Glance

⁵ Term dates and deadlines

The academic year commences on the 1^st of October and ends on the 30^th of September of the following year. It consists of the winter semester and the summer semester, each including the recess period. The winter semester begins on the 1^st of October, the summer semester begins on the 1^st of March. Courses in the winter semester begin on the 1^st of October, courses in the summer semester begin on the 1^st of March (see academic calendar).

Disclosure of data

In the course of the preliminary proceedings, personal data may be passed on to third parties.

In the event of doubt, the university reserves the right to verify the authenticity of any documents submitted.

Regulation on the Special Admission Procedure

Regulation on the special admission procedure prior to admission for Master’s degree programmes in English at the University of Klagenfurt (PDF, English Version)