Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften St. Pölten

About Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften St. Pölten

The institution changed its legal name from Fachhochschule St. Pölten to Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften St. Pölten in November 2025 and now uses USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten as its English brand. This was a rename rather than a closure or merger: current programme, application, and accreditation activity confirms that the university continues to operate. USTP is organised as a limited-liability company, but its ownership is entirely public. Seventy-four percent is held by St. Pölten Universities Holding GmbH, whose sole owner is the City of St. Pölten, and 26 percent is held by the Province of Lower Austria. This supports classification as a public institution despite its corporate legal form. The university reports more than 4,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and continuing-education programmes. Its subject portfolio is concentrated in applied and professionally oriented fields: media, digital technologies, communications, management, informatics and AI, security, rail technology, health, and social sciences. Prospective students should view USTP as a multidisciplinary university of applied sciences rather than a comprehensive research university. Its model emphasizes practical education, applied research, international cooperation, and links with professional fields. Degree seekers can choose among full-time, part-time, and selected dual formats, making the institution potentially suitable both for school-leavers and applicants combining study with employment.

Admission is programme-specific and managed through USTP’s online application system. Bachelor’s applicants generally need either a university entrance qualification or a relevant professional qualification, potentially supplemented by additional examinations. Recognised routes include an Austrian school-leaving certificate, an equivalent foreign certificate, the International or European Baccalaureate, or at least three years of completed study at a recognised post-secondary institution. Master’s entry normally requires a relevant bachelor’s degree or an equivalent accredited post-secondary programme comprising at least 180 ECTS credits and six semesters. Applicants create an online account, select one or more programmes, enter personal and educational information, and upload identity documentation, a CV, certificates, and programme-specific materials. Documents not yet available may sometimes be submitted later when the system permits. After submission, further communication occurs through the application platform. Depending on the programme, selection can include tests, interviews, or other performance-related components. Deadlines are not institution-wide. The official 2026/27 schedule shows different closing dates and admission arrangements by programme, and some winter 2026/27 intakes had already closed by August 2026. Some programmes were still handling later or summer-semester intakes, while applications for winter 2027/28 were expected to open in autumn 2026. Non-EEA applicants can face earlier cutoffs. Applicants should therefore rely on the current programme page rather than a general deadline. Most non-native German speakers need at least B2 German for German-taught study; designated English-taught programmes require English B2.

USTP’s current catalogue contains bachelor’s and master’s degrees alongside separate continuing-education offerings. The degree portfolio covers media, digital technologies, communications, management, informatics and AI, security, rail technology and mobility, health, and social sciences. Students can filter the catalogue by bachelor’s or master’s level, language, and full-time, part-time, or dual format. Applicants should check the page for their specific programme because degree title, schedule, campus, language, intake, curriculum, and admission procedure vary. The institution’s applied orientation is reflected in project work, access to specialist laboratories and studios, campus media, research participation, and programme-linked practical experience. Some courses are structured for employed students, while dual options combine academic study with workplace learning. This is consequential for workload and scheduling: a part-time label does not necessarily mean remote study, so candidates should confirm attendance patterns directly with the programme. German remains the principal teaching language across much of the portfolio, but USTP identifies a limited set of English-taught options. Its general admissions guidance currently names Creative Computing and Creative Media Production at bachelor’s level and Cyber Security and Resilience and Digital Innovation and Research at master’s level among the English-taught programmes. Certain international or specialised tracks are also taught in English. The exact language requirement belongs to the individual programme; students should not assume that the institution-wide database language applies to every degree.

Key Highlights

• Renamed Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften St. Pölten in November 2025 and branded in English as USTP.
• Entirely publicly owned through the City of St. Pölten and the Province of Lower Austria.
• Reports more than 4,000 students across degree and continuing-education provision.
• Applied subject coverage includes digital, media, business, rail, health, and social fields.

Student Life & Environment

Student support is centred on the St. Pölten campus. The Campus and Study Center serves as a first point of contact and handles practical matters such as campus cards, room information, parking permits, equipment, and lost property. Other listed services include the library, psychological support, accessibility assistance, an International Office, ombuds services, career guidance, and gender and diversity support. A parent-child room and accessible facilities are available, while students in some programmes receive extended access to specialist laboratories and studios. Campus Sport provides bookable activities through the university’s sports association. The university also points students toward cafés, cultural events, outdoor recreation, and community activities in St. Pölten. This is an urban campus experience rather than a self-contained residential campus. Housing is arranged independently. USTP provides guidance but does not book rooms or guarantee accommodation. Its international-student information identifies Campus Domus and WIHAST as nearby student residences and also discusses private rentals and commuting from Vienna. As a general orientation rather than a guaranteed rate, the university currently estimates many student rooms in St. Pölten at approximately EUR 350–500 per month, excluding possible deposits and additional charges.

Location & Surroundings

USTP’s principal address is Campus-Platz 1 in St. Pölten, the capital of Lower Austria. The city provides a smaller and generally more compact study environment than Vienna while retaining fast access to the national capital. The university states that the rail journey from St. Pölten to Vienna takes about 25 minutes, making commuting possible, although students should account for fares, station transfers, and programme timetables. Accommodation choices include nearby student residences, private rooms or shared apartments in St. Pölten, and housing in Vienna. Campus Domus is described as roughly a five-minute walk from the university, while WIHAST is approximately 200 metres away. Availability is controlled by the housing providers, not by USTP. Outside study, St. Pölten offers cafés, bars, cultural events, music festivals, art exhibitions, and access to cycling, hiking, and seasonal outdoor activities. Prospective students deciding between St. Pölten and Vienna should compare rent, commuting expense, desired city scale, and how frequently their programme requires campus attendance.

Costs & Career Outcomes

USTP’s official fee page, current when reviewed in August 2026, lists tuition of EUR 363.36 per semester for bachelor’s and master’s degrees, plus an Austrian Students’ Union fee of EUR 26.20 per semester. It also lists one-time or programme-level copy and Campus Card charges: EUR 150 and EUR 30 respectively for bachelor’s students, and EUR 100 and EUR 20 for master’s students. These figures should be checked again before enrolment because the student-union fee and institutional charges can change. A major exception applies to certain third-country nationals holding a student residence permit who do not fall within the listed EEA, Swiss, or otherwise eligible categories. USTP states that these students may be charged EUR 1,500 per semester plus the student-union fee. Living expenses are separate. The university’s housing guidance gives approximately EUR 350–500 per month as an orientation for many rooms in St. Pölten, excluding deposits and possible extra fees; this is not guaranteed accommodation or a complete cost-of-attendance estimate. Career support includes coaching and workshops on applications and employment, CV and LinkedIn reviews, career fairs, a searchable job-and-internship platform, discounted project-management certification opportunities, and start-up support. Some programmes incorporate internships, projects, dual study, or industry engagement, but arrangements differ by degree. USTP does not publish a single verified graduate salary or placement rate on the reviewed pages, so applicants should consult programme-specific career information and ask how practical components are organised.