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Meta title: Studying Medicine in Austria: MedAT, 5% Quota | StudyU
Meta description: Studying medicine in Austria: 1,806 places, up to 5% for non-EU applicants, MedAT dates and scoring, German C1, the preparation year, fees and transfers.
Last modified: 2026-09-24

# Studying Medicine in Austria as an International Student: MedAT, the 5% Quota, German C1 and the Preparation Year

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Non-EU citizens can study medicine in Austria, but they compete in a separate, narrow quota. All four public medical schools — the medical universities of Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck and the medical faculty of JKU Linz — admit students only through the joint MedAT test, held once a year in German. In 2026 there were 1,806 places in human medicine, and third-country nationals can receive at most 5% of them; dentistry (144 places) has no such quota. Enrolment requires German at C1, so school leavers from outside the German-speaking world usually need a preparation year first. Fees are $826 (€726.72) per semester plus a $30 (€26.20) union fee, and the programme lasts 12 semesters.

The Josephinum on Währinger Strasse, built in 1785 as a military medical academy and now home to the Medical University of Vienna's museum and collections, Vienna, Austria. Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alsergrund_(Wien)_-_Josephinum.JPG), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

## Who this route suits {#section-1}

| Profile | Realism | Next step |
| --- | --- | --- |
| School leaver, German A2–B1, strong biology/chemistry | Possible, but a 2+ year project | Preparation programme, German exam, MedAT preparation |
| School leaver with German C1 | Possible | Register for MedAT in March, sit the test in July |
| Medical student abroad with under 180 ECTS | Only via MedAT | Sit the test; some courses may be credited |
| Medical student with 180+ ECTS (150 at JKU) | Transfer to a higher semester if places are free | Transfer application, German C1 |
| Not prepared to reach German C1 | Public medicine not accessible | Consider [Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studying-medicine-in-germany) (also German) or English-taught options in [Czechia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studying-medicine-in-czechia), [Slovakia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studying-medicine-in-slovakia) or [Italy](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-imat-medicine-in-italy) |

## Places in 2026/27 {#section-2}

| Where | Human medicine | Dentistry | 5% of medicine places (StudyU calculation) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Medical University of Vienna | 704 | 80 | about 35 |
| Medical University of Innsbruck | 390 | 40 | about 19 |
| Medical University of Graz | 382 | 24 | about 19 |
| JKU Linz, medical faculty | 330 | — | about 16 |
| Total | 1,806 | 144 | about 90 |

The non-EU quota is a ceiling, not a guaranteed number.

## How the quota works {#section-3}

When registering for human medicine you choose a quota: Austria (anyone with an Austrian school certificate, at least 75% of places), EU (EU citizens and equivalents with a non-Austrian certificate; together with the Austrian quota at least 95%) or non-EU (all others, at most 5%). If your quota turns out to be wrong at enrolment, the ranking is recalculated. Dentistry places are allocated purely by test ranking.

## The MedAT {#section-4}

| Part | Content | Weight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BMS | School biology, chemistry, physics, maths | 40% |
| TV | Text comprehension | 10% |
| KFF | Spatial reasoning, memory, number sequences, word fluency, implications | 40% |
| SEK | Recognising and regulating emotions, social decision-making | 10% |

The test runs on one day, usually in early July (3 July in 2026, roughly 8:00–17:00), simultaneously in all four cities, in person and in German only. Official preparation material is free.

MedAT 2027 dates had not been announced as of 24 September 2026. The organisers publish them around the turn of the year, once the new admission regulation is issued. Until then, plan on the usual pattern: registration in March, the test in early July, results in August.

- Registration and payment of $125 (€110) only within the March window (2–31 March in 2026); no late registration, no refunds.
- You choose the location at registration, and the result counts only there.
- Unlimited attempts; repeat candidates are treated equally.
- School grades do not count.
- A result is valid only for the academic year you sat the test for and cannot be carried over; studies start in winter only.

In 2026, 16,880 people registered and 13,248 sat the test.

## Eligibility and enrolment requirements {#section-5}

You may sit the MedAT in your final school year (or an equivalent stage abroad) or with a certificate already in hand; no certificate or Latin is needed to take part. At enrolment in August the Medical University of Vienna requires German C1, general university entrance qualification (an equivalent certificate or passed supplementary exams) and specific qualification — mainly Latin, which can be made up during studies. No biology exam is needed, as the test covers it. If you cannot prove C1 German when a place is offered, the place lapses, and the result does not carry over to the next year.

## A realistic route for a school leaver from abroad {#section-6}

1. Reach A2 German and apply to the medical university for the preparation programme (Vienna: 1 April – 5 September for winter), with your certificate and grades for the last three school years.
2. Use the admission decision to apply for the student residence permit ([student visa and residence permit in Austria](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-and-residence-austria)).
3. Attend the VWU: German plus the subjects the Medical University of Vienna may prescribe — biology, chemistry, physics, maths ([Vorstudienlehrgang](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-vorstudienlehrgang-preparatory-programme-austria)).
4. Register for MedAT in March while on the course.
5. Pass the VWU exams by June so they count at August enrolment.
6. Sit the test in early July (3 July in 2026); results come in calendar week 32, i.e. the first half of August, and enrolment follows.

Once admitted to the preparation programme, the Medical University of Vienna accepts only the VWU German exam as proof of German. If the test fails, your residence permit continues only with continued study; OeAD describes an exception for applicants who passed their preparation-programme exams but can take an admission test only the following semester — a further student permit while enrolled in individual courses. Plan a fallback before the test.

## Preparing for the MedAT {#section-7}

- Start with the free official material (Virtual Medical Campus) linked from the MedAT site; it defines the format.
- Treat German as part of preparation: every task, including the cognitive ones, is in German.
- Do not neglect KFF and SEK: the cognitive part weighs as much as the science part (40% each), and the social-emotional part adds 10%.
- Plan for two attempts and decide in advance how you will keep a valid residence permit between them.

## Austria, Germany or Czechia? {#section-8}

|  | Austria | Germany | Czechia |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Public programme language | German C1 | German C1 | Czech, or fee-paying English programmes |
| Non-EU selection | MedAT, up to 5% of medicine places | Foreigner quota set by state and university | University entrance exams |
| Public tuition | $826 (€726.72) per semester | Usually no tuition, except some states | Free in Czech |
| Main hurdle | Narrow quota and German by August | Competition within the quota, Studienkolleg | Czechia currently does not accept study visa or permit applications from Russian citizens |

## Costs {#section-9}

| Item | Amount |
| --- | --- |
| Public medical university | $826 (€726.72) per semester + $30 (€26.20) ÖH fee |
| MedAT registration | $125 (€110) per attempt |
| VWU preparation programme | $696 (€612) or $2,103 (€1,850) + $45 (€40) per semester |
| VWU exams | $75 (€66) German/maths; $52 (€46) biology/chemistry/physics |
| Living costs (OeAD) | about $1,478 (€1,300) per month |
| Residence-permit funds per year | $9,856 (€8,670.96) under 24; $17,847 (€15,700.68) from 24 |

See [cost of studying in Austria](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-austria).

## The programme {#section-10}

Human medicine at the Medical University of Vienna takes 12 semesters, including 18 weeks of clinical placements (Famulaturen) and a 48-week clinical-practical year. Graduates receive the Dr. med. univ. but need postgraduate training to practise independently. Dentistry shares most of the first two years, includes 72 weeks of clinical practice and, unlike medicine, qualifies graduates for independent practice on completion.

## After graduation {#section-11}

Third-country graduates can extend the student permit for 12 months to look for work, including a postgraduate training post, and switch to a Red-White-Red Card for graduates with a suitable offer ([working while studying in Austria](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-working-while-studying-in-austria)).

## Private medical universities {#section-12}

Study in Austria lists private universities with medical programmes, such as Paracelsus Medical University (Salzburg), Karl Landsteiner University (Krems) and Sigmund Freud University's medical faculty (Vienna). They are outside the MedAT quota system, run their own selection and set their own fees; check recognition in the country where you intend to work.

## Common mistakes {#section-13}

- Missing the March registration window.
- Registering in one city and expecting to use the result in another.
- Choosing the wrong quota.
- Planning to submit an external C1 certificate after joining the preparation programme.
- No fallback plan.
- Preparing only science: half the score comes from cognitive and social-emotional parts.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Can international students study medicine in Austria?

Yes. Non-EU applicants sit the MedAT and compete for up to 5% of human medicine places; dentistry has no quota. German C1 is required at enrolment.

### Is medicine taught in English?

Not at Austria's public medical schools: both the MedAT and the degree are in German, and you need German at C1 to enrol. Private medical universities such as Paracelsus Medical University, Karl Landsteiner University and Sigmund Freud University sit outside the MedAT system with their own selection and fees, so check their teaching language and recognition in the country where you plan to work. If you cannot reach German C1, compare English-taught options in Czechia, Slovakia or Italy, keeping in mind that Czechia currently does not accept study visa or permit applications from Russian citizens.

### How much does it cost?

$826 (€726.72) per semester plus $30 (€26.20) at public universities for non-EU citizens, the same as any other subject; MedAT registration is $125 (€110).

### When is the MedAT?

Once a year, usually in early July. The 2027 dates are not yet published; they are announced around the turn of the year. For reference, in 2026 registration and payment ran 2–31 March on the chosen university's site and the test took place on 3 July.

### Can I sit the MedAT in my final school year?

Yes, if you are in the final year of school or at an equivalent stage abroad. Your school certificate, German C1 and other documents are checked only at enrolment in August.

### Can I transfer from a medical school abroad?

With 180+ ECTS (150 at JKU) you may apply for a higher-semester transfer if places are free; otherwise you sit the MedAT and may have courses credited.

### Does StudyU help?

Under an agreement with StudyU, we plan the preparation-year route, prepare university applications and residence-permit documents, and schedule MedAT registration and a fallback. Places depend on test results: the university decides on admission, and the Austrian residence authority decides on the residence permit.

## Sources {#section-15}

- MedAT: [basics and 2026 dates](https://www.medizinstudieren.at/allgemeine-informationen/basic-infos-der-medat/), [places and quotas](https://www.medizinstudieren.at/studienplaetze-und-kontingentregelung/studienplaetze/), [information in English](https://www.medizinstudieren.at/allgemeine-informationen/information-in-english/), [test content](https://www.medizinstudieren.at/der-aufnahmetest-medat/testinhalte/testinhalte-humanmedizin/), [admission](https://www.medizinstudieren.at/der-aufnahmetest-medat/testergebnisse-und-zulassung/informationen-zur-zulassung/), [FAQ](https://www.medizinstudieren.at/faq-haeufig-gestellte-fragen/faq/), [2026 participation](https://www.medizinstudieren.at/allgemeine-informationen/news/news/aufnahmeverfahren-zum-medizinstudium-13248-nahmen-teil-2026/) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- Medical University of Vienna: [admission requirements](https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/studium-weiterbildung/anmeldung-zulassung/diplomstudien-human-und-zahnmedizin/zulassungsvoraussetzungen/), [preparation programme](https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/studium-weiterbildung/anmeldung-zulassung/diplomstudien-human-und-zahnmedizin/vorstudienlehrgang/), [supplementary exams](https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/studium-weiterbildung/anmeldung-zulassung/diplomstudien-human-und-zahnmedizin/zusatzpruefungen/), [fees](https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/studium-weiterbildung/anmeldung-zulassung/studienbeitrag/), [human medicine](https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/studium-weiterbildung/diplomstudium-humanmedizin/), [dentistry](https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/studium-weiterbildung/das-diplomstudium-zahnmedizin/) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [VWU: registration, groups, fees](https://vorstudienlehrgang.oead.at/de/wien/erstanmeldung); [Study in Austria: private universities](https://studyinaustria.at/en/study/institutions/private-universities), [living costs](https://studyinaustria.at/en/live-and-work/living-costs); [OeAD: Residence Permit – Student](https://oead.at/en/to-austria/entry-and-residence/residence-permit-student-no-mobility-programme) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- Conversion: ECB rate of 24 Sep 2026, €1 = $1.1367

[During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [Applying to Universities in Austria: Deadlines, Documents, Supplementary Exams and the Residence Permit](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-universities-in-austria)
- [Working While Studying in Austria: the 20-Hour Rule, the AMS Permit and What Needs No Permit](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-working-while-studying-in-austria)
- [Cost of Studying in Austria in 2026/27: Tuition, the Preparation Year and Living Costs](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-austria)
- [Austrian Student Visa and Residence Permit: Where to Apply, Proof of Funds, Timing and Renewal](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-and-residence-austria)
- [Studying Medicine in Czechia: Free in Czech or Paid in English — Faculties, Exams, Fees and Degree Recognition](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studying-medicine-in-czechia)
- [Studying Medicine in Germany as a Non-EU Applicant: Quotas, Selection, TMS, German C1 and Approbation](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studying-medicine-in-germany)

Updated: September 2026