FHV – Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences

About FHV – Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences

FHV is an Austrian university of applied sciences whose legal organization dates to 1997. Its institutional history began with the Technikum Vorarlberg association in 1989, followed by the introduction of applied-sciences degree provision in the 1990s and the award of university-of-applied-sciences status in 1999. The institution is operated as a nonprofit limited-liability company, and the Province of Vorarlberg is its sole shareholder. This structure combines public ownership with the professionally oriented mandate of Austria’s university-of-applied-sciences sector. The university is based at Campus V in Dornbirn. Its current institutional figures report more than 20 degree programs, approximately 1,700 students, around 380 employees, over 100 international partner universities, and more than 80 partner companies. Nearly half of its students are enrolled part time. These figures indicate a compact institution with substantial provision for students combining employment and higher education. FHV’s profile centers on engineering and technology, business, design, social work, and health. Teaching is designed around applied problems and links with business, industry, public services, and civil society. Research also has a visible institutional role: FHV reports seven research centers and groups and work in areas including energy, business informatics, human-centered technologies, and robust decision-making. Prospective students should nevertheless evaluate the specific program rather than relying on institution-wide descriptions, because delivery format, professional-practice requirements, language mix, and admission prerequisites differ by degree.

Applications are submitted through FHV’s online portal. Bachelor’s applicants generally need an Austrian higher-education entrance qualification, an accepted foreign equivalent, or a relevant professional qualification accompanied by required additional examinations. Master’s applicants need a relevant bachelor’s degree or an equivalent level-six qualification, normally representing at least six semesters and 180 ECTS. Program directors assess subject relevance and may impose supplementary academic requirements where an otherwise broadly equivalent master’s entry qualification has gaps. The application file includes a motivation letter, CV, portrait photograph, identity document, academic records, and recognized language evidence. Foreign documents must be translated into German or English and may require certification or legalization. The current rules require English at CEFR B2 for all programs and German at B2 for all but the designated English-language master’s program. Applicants should use the official lists of accepted evidence rather than assuming any language test will qualify. For the 2026/27 academic year, applications opened on 15 November 2025. The guaranteed admissions-process deadline was 31 May 2026, while applications for remaining places could continue through 31 August 2026. The deadline for most applicants from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland was 1 March 2026. Where demand exceeds capacity, the current official process assigns 40% of the assessment to application documents, educational background, and professional experience and 60% to a structured individual interview. Program-specific exceptions and requirements must be checked before applying.

FHV awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees in four broad academic groupings: engineering and technology, business, design, and social work and health. The current study finder includes programs in areas such as computer science, electronics and information technology, mechatronics, engineering and management, international business administration, InterMedia, social work, health care and nursing, business informatics, sustainable energy systems, and design and creative leadership. Applicants should consult the live study finder because offerings can be introduced, revised, or phased out. Study formats include full-time, part-time, and dual provision. Many bachelor’s programs are structured as six semesters and 180 ECTS, while listed master’s programs commonly run for four semesters and 120 ECTS. Part-time teaching typically uses Friday afternoons, Saturdays, or block sessions. FHV advises that employed part-time students may need to reduce their workload, while dual programs alternate academic learning with structured practice in a partner company. Internships and professional placements are program-specific rather than universal, but they are prominent in applied fields such as nursing, social work, engineering, and design. FHV also maintains research centers and groups connected to regional and international projects. This can give students access to applied subject matter in areas such as energy systems, digital transformation, and human-centered technologies, although participation opportunities depend on the program and project. Most degree programs are taught in German with some English. The official admissions page states that all programs require English at CEFR B2 and that German B2 is required except for the English-language master’s program identified there; applicants should confirm the precise teaching and assessment languages on their chosen program page.

Key Highlights

• Publicly owned by the Province of Vorarlberg and operated as a nonprofit limited-liability company
• University-of-applied-sciences status held since 1999
• Approximately 1,700 students and more than 20 degree programs in the current academic year
• Campus located in Dornbirn, Austria

Student Life & Environment

Student life is centered on Campus V in Dornbirn rather than a residential campus system. The campus provides lecture and collaboration spaces, technical, creative, and IT laboratories, a library, a cafeteria, and Café Campus. The Austrian Student Union representation at FHV organizes activities that the university describes as including sports courses, cultural events, workshops, and networking opportunities. Students can also access individual-support services covering equal treatment, disability, family-related matters, diversity, and psychosocial challenges; the identified psychosocial counseling service is free for FHV students. Housing requires advance planning. FHV warns that demand in and around Dornbirn is high and directs degree-seeking students toward residence halls, shared flats, and private apartments. Kolpinghaus is within walking distance of campus, while the new OeAD Guesthouse monu was scheduled to be ready beside the campus for September 2026. Students may also broaden their search to neighboring municipalities using the regional public-transport network. Housing arrangements differ for exchange and degree-seeking students. FHV guarantees five months of accommodation to nominated exchange students who complete the process by the applicable deadlines, but it does not make the same guarantee for regular degree students. Prospective students should therefore confirm availability and final prices directly with housing providers before committing to study.

Location & Surroundings

FHV’s campus is at Hochschulstraße 1 in Dornbirn, in Austria’s western state of Vorarlberg. Dornbirn is the state’s largest city and lies in the Rhine Valley between Lake Constance and the Alps. This setting suits students interested in a smaller regional city with access to mountain and lake recreation, while the surrounding area also has a significant industrial and business base that aligns with FHV’s applied orientation. Campus V brings teaching rooms, laboratories, the library, food services, and student-support functions together in one location. Housing is distributed rather than confined to an institution-owned residential campus. Options identified by FHV include the nearby OeAD Guesthouse monu, Kolpinghaus in central Dornbirn, other residences in Dornbirn and Hohenems, shared flats, and private rentals. FHV recommends including neighboring municipalities in a housing search because Vorarlberg has a developed public-transport network. Students arriving from abroad should separately plan immigration formalities, insurance, and accommodation. The university provides practical guidance, but applicants should verify journey times and housing availability for the specific address they are considering.

Costs & Career Outcomes

FHV’s official fee page states that it currently charges no tuition to students, including visiting students. This is a waiver rather than a permanent guarantee: the institution reserves the right to introduce legally permitted tuition charges. Every enrolled student must pay the Austrian Student Union contribution each semester; for winter semester 2026/27, the published amount is €26.20. Prospective students should recheck the fee page before enrollment because both the waiver and the union contribution can change. FHV does not publish one comprehensive budget for all degree students on the sources reviewed. Housing prices vary by residence, room type, and rental market, and demand around Dornbirn is described as high. Students should budget separately for accommodation, food, transport, insurance, learning materials, and immigration-related expenses. Exchange-student housing prices and guarantees should not be assumed to apply to full-degree students. Career preparation is embedded chiefly through applied projects, professional placements, and study formats connected to employment. Part-time programs are designed for students who continue working, while dual programs alternate theory with practice in a partner company. The institution also reports more than 80 partner companies, but this should not be interpreted as a placement guarantee. No verified institution-wide graduate salary, employment-rate, or employer-outcome figures were found in the selected current sources, so applicants should ask the relevant program office about internships, regulated-profession eligibility, and recent graduate pathways in their field.