Austria is a German-speaking country, and most medical programs, especially at public medical universities, require strong German skills. Admission to public medical studies is highly competitive and usually centers on the MedAT entrance examination, so applicants often spend significant time preparing for that test.
Austria is historically an artistic and cultural hub, closely associated with composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert. Today, it is also a strong option for medical education. The Medical University of Vienna, for example, is ranked 74th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for Medicine. At Austria’s public universities, Austrian, EU, and EEA students generally do not pay tuition if they complete their degree within the minimum study period plus two tolerance semesters, although student union fees still apply. Non-EU students generally pay tuition.
In this article, we will be looking at the best medical schools in Austria for international students.
Top Medical Schools in Austria
1. Medical University of Vienna
The Medical University of Vienna traces its medical faculty history to 1365 and is one of Austria’s most important medical education and research institutions. It is the largest medical institution in Austria, and its staff work at University Hospital Vienna, described by Study in Austria as Europe’s largest university hospital. The university’s academic system is called the triple track strategy, which combines research, education, and patient care to improve the medical and scientific quality of the university.
The medicine degree program at the Medical University of Vienna consists of 12 semesters divided into three phases. The first phase lasts two semesters, the second phase lasts six semesters, and the third phase lasts four semesters. Students complete extensive clinical training, including a 48-week clinical internship, during the program.
2. Medical University of Graz
The Medical University of Graz, one of Austria’s main public medical universities, became an independent university in 2004, building on the former Faculty of Medicine at Karl-Franzens-University of Graz, which was founded in 1863.
The medical degree programs are taught in German and follow an integrated, topic-centered, and patient-oriented methodology. The university is also known for health research infrastructure, including Biobank Graz, the Center for Medical Research, and other research facilities.
3. Medical University of Innsbruck
Originally rooted in the Faculty of Medicine established in 1674 at the University of Innsbruck, the Medical University of Innsbruck became an independent university in 2004 and is one of the largest educational facilities for doctors and medical researchers in Austria.
The university offers medicine, dentistry, molecular medicine, and other health-related programs. Its medical education combines scientific knowledge, clinical skills, and practical training to prepare students for medical practice and research.
Clinical training takes place in the later stages of the program and is completed through university clinics and approved clinical training settings.
4. Paracelsus Medical University
Paracelsus Medical University is a private university founded in 2002 in Salzburg, Austria. It established a second campus in Nuremberg, Germany, in 2014.
Its Human Medicine program is a five-year, practice-oriented program that leads to the Dr. med. univ. degree. PMU emphasizes small groups, early patient contact, interprofessional learning with pharmacy and nursing science students, and close ties to University Hospital Salzburg and Klinikum Nuremberg. The program also includes opportunities to study and conduct research at the Mayo Clinic in the United States.
5. Johannes Kepler University Linz
Johannes Kepler University Linz is a public university in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. Its Faculty of Medicine opened in 2014, and JKU offers Austria’s first human medicine program structured as a Bachelor’s-Master’s degree system under the Bologna model.
The Bachelor’s program in Human Medicine is a six-semester, 180 ECTS program offered in cooperation with the Medical University of Graz. Students can seamlessly continue to the Master’s program in Human Medicine and complete practical training through to the clinical year.
6. Vienna School of Osteopathy
While it is not a medical university, the Vienna School of Osteopathy is a specialist institution for osteopathy training. Osteopathy is a holistic manual approach that uses clinical and osteopathic examination and hands-on techniques to diagnose and treat restrictions in the mobility of body structures and tissues.
Its academic pathway is offered with the University for Continuing Education Krems. The current MSc in Osteopathy is a 120 ECTS blended-learning program lasting five semesters in Vienna and is organized together with the Vienna School of Osteopathy.
7. Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences
Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences is a private university in Krems founded in 2013 and named after Karl Landsteiner, who discovered the ABO blood group system. Its medical studies follow an interprofessional, Bologna-compliant Bachelor’s and Master’s structure.
The Bachelor’s program in Medical Science is the first part of KL’s medical program and is required for progression to the Master’s program in Human Medicine. The university and its study programs were accredited by AQ Austria in 2013, and clinical teaching is connected with university hospitals in Krems, St. Pölten, and Tulln.
FAQs: Studying Medicine in Austria
Can International Students Enroll in Medical Schools in Austria?
Yes. International students can apply to medical schools in Austria, but the process depends on the institution. At public medical universities, first-time applicants generally take the MedAT admission test. For Human Medicine, at least 95% of places are reserved for the Austrian and EU quotas combined, while applicants in the non-EU quota may receive a maximum of 5% of available places.
For German-language medical studies, applicants must usually prove C1-level German and meet the general and special university entrance requirements. Additional documents, such as diplomas, transcripts, translations, or country-specific documents, may be required by the individual university.
What is the Medical Curriculum Like in Medical Schools in Austria?
Medical programs in Austria are generally entered after secondary school, although the exact structure varies by university. Public medical programs are usually German-taught and require strong German skills. A common model is a six-year program of 12 semesters, such as the Medical University of Vienna’s medicine degree, which is divided into three phases.
At the Medical University of Vienna, the first phase consists of two semesters and introduces students to the principles of medicine and the human body. The second phase lasts six semesters and continues the thematic blocks and clinical training. The third phase lasts four semesters and includes clinical training, clerkships, and the clinical internship.
After graduating, doctors who want to practice in Austria must follow Austrian medical training and registration rules. Postgraduate training begins with at least nine months of basic medical training, known as Basisausbildung, to acquire basic clinical competencies. Doctors then continue into training for general practice or the relevant specialty, rather than simply completing a generic three-year residency before a single licensing exam.
Whether music, arts, quality of life, or medical education, Austria offers many reasons to study there. For medical education, choose your program carefully: admission, language requirements, tuition, and clinical training differ by university and nationality. You can explore the above schools alongside other best medical schools in the world. You will also find various scholarships in Austria to support your studies, from a Bachelor’s degree to a doctoral degree. Be sure to check out our list of fully funded scholarships to ease your financial burden in paying for tuition and other study expenses.
We hope this article on the best medical schools in Austria was helpful. If you are interested, check out the Study in Austria and Available Programs in Europe for International Students!
