IMC Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Krems

About IMC Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Krems

IMC Krems is an independent, degree-granting university of applied sciences rather than a department of another university. Its legal entity is IMC Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Krems GmbH, a private limited company whose official disclosure states that 70% of its shares are privately owned and 30% are held by the City of Krems. Austrian quality-assurance records document the institution’s name change from IMC Fachhochschule Krems to its present name in 2024. The university continues to use IMC Krems as its concise public-facing identity. The institution began as the International Management Center in 1994 and obtained university-of-applied-sciences status in 2002. Its academic portfolio spans three broad areas: business, health, and science and technology. The university reports 16 bachelor’s and 13 master’s programmes, with roughly half taught in English. This makes the language environment programme-specific: applicants should not rely on the database-wide German language label and must check the language shown for their intended degree. The educational model is applied and professionally oriented. Depending on the subject, students may encounter compulsory internships, laboratory practicals, applied research, project work or part-time formats designed for working professionals. International activity is also prominent: IMC reports more than 220 partner universities and students from over 70 countries. Prospective students should distinguish programmes delivered in Krems from separately presented transnational programmes offered with overseas partners, since location, curriculum delivery and mobility arrangements may differ.

Admission is programme-specific and begins through IMC’s online application system. As a general rule, applications for the following academic year open on 1 December. Closing dates vary by programme and applicant category, and the university may offer extended deadlines for selected programmes only when places remain. Those extensions apply to EU citizens and may close without notice. Non-EU applicants must complete their application by the regular deadline. Because the live deadline page changes during the cycle, candidates should use the individual programme listing rather than assume a single university-wide date. For bachelor’s admission, applicants normally need an Austrian general higher-education entrance qualification or a foreign qualification assessed as equivalent under Austrian university-of-applied-sciences law. IMC reviews foreign certificates after a complete application and may require supplementary examinations. Master’s applicants need a relevant bachelor’s degree comprising at least 180 ECTS and six semesters, or an equivalent qualification from a recognised Austrian or foreign institution. Subject relevance and additional requirements are assessed by programme. Language requirements follow the teaching language. Applicants to German-taught programmes generally need C1 German at application. For English-taught programmes, English is normally assessed during the admission interview, but certain master’s programmes require additional documented proficiency; the official requirements page lists the accepted routes and scores. Applicants should therefore avoid treating any single English test threshold as institution-wide. International documents may require translation, legalisation or certification. Admission can also involve programme-specific procedures, so candidates should review the selected programme’s application and admission section before submitting materials. Non-EU applicants should budget for the stated registration fee and allow time for immigration formalities after admission.

IMC Krems awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, health, and science and technology. The active 2026 programme listings include subjects such as business administration, tourism and leisure management, international wine business, sustainability management, informatics, chemistry, medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and music therapy. Master’s options span business and marketing, health sciences, biotechnology, biomedical data, sustainable chemistry and responsible artificial intelligence systems. Availability can change by admissions cycle, so the live programme page is the appropriate source for confirming whether a particular intake remains open. Bachelor’s programmes are generally structured as six-semester, 180-ECTS degrees, although their organisation and professional requirements differ. Business and technology offerings include several English-taught choices, while many regulated health programmes are taught in German. At master’s level, applicants will find both full-time and part-time formats and both German- and English-taught curricula. Programme pages identify the award, teaching language, duration, organisational format, curriculum and any specialised entry conditions. Applied learning is central to the institution’s model. Examples across the portfolio include compulsory practical training semesters, business projects and extensive laboratory exercises. Career Services supports students arranging internships in Austria or abroad, while the international office administers exchange opportunities. IMC states that students can access more than 220 partner universities, including Erasmus+ and worldwide bilateral exchanges. Some programmes also offer dual-degree arrangements, but these are programme- and partner-specific rather than a universal feature. Students comparing options should examine the curriculum and delivery pattern closely. A degree carrying the same broad subject label may require attendance on different numbers of weekdays, include clinical or laboratory components, or be organised around employment. Teaching language should likewise be verified at programme level.

Key Highlights

• Private Austrian university of applied sciences with the City of Krems holding a minority share
• Founded in 1994 and awarded university-of-applied-sciences status in 2002
• Officially reports 16 bachelor’s and 13 master’s programmes
• More than half of the degree programmes are reported as English-taught
• Network of more than 220 partner universities

Student Life & Environment

Student life is distributed across three principal locations in Krems. Campus Krems lies in the Stein district near the Danube, vineyards and the Kunstmeile cultural area. It includes places to eat, outdoor seating and an on-campus cinema that also hosts concerts and seasonal screenings. IMC Piaristengasse and IMC Gozzoburg occupy historic buildings in the old town; most international degree programmes are based at these central locations. The Campus Krems and town-centre sites are about five minutes apart by bicycle. Krems has a visible higher-education community, and students at Campus Krems share the wider campus environment with learners from other local institutions. Recreation is not limited to university buildings. Campus Sport offers activities such as fencing, yoga and badminton, while the Danube paths support cycling, running and inline skating. Rowing, hiking, climbing and mountain biking are available in Krems and the surrounding Wachau landscape. International students can use IMC’s Welcome Center for practical guidance relating to arrival, accommodation and life in Austria. Study Services provides administrative support, while Business and Career Services assists with internships, applications, employment planning and entrepreneurship. Social life is mainly town-integrated: cafés, restaurants, markets, traditional wine taverns and small bars are within reach of the central teaching sites. Housing is not presented as a guaranteed university residence allocation, so students should investigate residences and shared apartments early.

Location & Surroundings

Krems an der Donau is a compact university city in Lower Austria, west of Vienna. IMC describes the rail journey to Vienna as approximately one hour. The city sits beside the Danube at the edge of the Wachau, an area characterised by vineyards, historic settlements and outdoor routes. This setting suits students who prefer a smaller city while retaining access to the Austrian capital. The university’s locations offer two different environments. Campus Krems is in Stein, near the river, cultural venues and hillside vineyards. IMC Piaristengasse and IMC Gozzoburg are integrated into the historic centre, close to shops, cafés, restaurants and the weekly market. IMC states that most places in Krems can be reached on foot and that the city is bicycle-friendly; the main campus is roughly a five-minute bicycle ride from the central sites. Prospective students should account for travel between locations when checking a programme, although most teaching is associated with one principal site. Regional rail provides access to Vienna, while the Danube cycle route and Wachau walking trails create substantial leisure options without a car. The experience is therefore more town-based and regionally connected than that of a self-contained residential campus.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The official cost page lists tuition of EUR 363.36 per semester for citizens of the EU or EEA and Switzerland, plus compulsory Austrian Students’ Union dues of EUR 26.20 per semester. These figures were displayed as current when checked in August 2026. Third-country tuition is substantially higher: the page lists EUR 6,900 per semester for business and health programmes and EUR 9,500 for science and technology programmes, plus the union dues. However, the university labels the underlying non-EU fee status as 2024 and reserves the right to change it, so non-EU applicants should obtain confirmation for their intended 2026/27 intake. A EUR 300 registration fee applies to non-EU applicants; if admitted, it is deducted from tuition. IMC estimates general living, food and utility expenses in Krems at approximately EUR 850–1,000 per month. Its current examples place a single room in a student residence at EUR 450–490 monthly, a double room at EUR 335–370, and a room in a shared apartment at EUR 450–550. Books and handouts are estimated at EUR 200–500 in the first year, with lower costs in later years. These are planning estimates rather than guaranteed prices or housing offers. Career preparation is embedded through applied coursework and compulsory internships in the degree programmes where specified. Business and Career Services offers internship support, CV and application feedback, interview coaching, career planning, a job portal and connections with employers. It also provides guidance for prospective founders through start-up services. Outcomes will vary by field, language ability, professional recognition and work-authorisation status, and the available official sources do not establish a reliable institution-wide starting salary. International students considering Austrian employment should separately verify current residence and labour-market rules.