Graz University of Technology

About Graz University of Technology

TU Graz traces its institutional history to the Joanneum, founded by Archduke Johann in 1811. Today it is an independent legal entity under Austrian public law rather than a department or branch of another university. The official English name is Graz University of Technology, while TU Graz is its established short form. The university reported 13,529 regular students and 1,851 beginners in winter semester 2025/26. International students made up 28.7% of the student body. Teaching and research are distributed across seven faculties, 96 institutes, and three campus locations in Graz. This is a specialized technical and scientific institution, although its coverage is broad within that mission: architecture, civil engineering, computing, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics, physics, geodesy, chemistry, process engineering, and biotechnology are all represented. Collaboration is structurally important. Through NAWI Graz, TU Graz and the University of Graz jointly conduct programmes and research in fields including chemistry, earth sciences, mathematics, and life-science technology. TU Graz also works with universities, research organizations, and companies through shared teaching, research projects, and infrastructure. Its five cross-faculty Fields of Expertise are Advanced Materials Science; Human and Biotechnology; Information, Communication and Computing; Mobility and Production; and Sustainable Systems. For prospective students, the central trade-off is language. The graduate portfolio is substantially internationalized, while bachelor’s applicants should expect German-language requirements and must check the individual programme page. The university’s current scale and 2026/27 admissions information show that it remains fully operational.

Admission depends on degree level, prior qualifications, programme language, citizenship, and whether a programme has a separate selection procedure. Bachelor’s applicants generally need a recognized university-entrance qualification. Master’s applicants must meet the academic and language requirements stated for the particular programme, while doctoral applicants must satisfy the relevant doctoral curriculum. Some programmes use mandatory admission procedures; Architecture, for example, had a separate 2026/27 process, so applicants should not assume that general university deadlines cover every course. Applicants holding foreign school-leaving certificates or international higher-education qualifications must normally apply for a specific programme and supply the required documents. TU Graz states that documents must be in German or English and may require certification or translation. Applicants from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan must also complete the university’s specified VFS Global competence check. The university’s current international application windows list 1 May–15 August for bachelor’s entry in the winter semester and 1 December–15 January for summer entry. For master’s programmes, EU/EEA applicants have windows of 1 May–15 October and 1 December–15 March; third-country and stateless applicants use 1 May–15 August and 1 December–15 January. Programme-specific procedures can set earlier deadlines. German-taught degrees require C1 German for full admission. TU Graz advises applying early because international files may take weeks or months to process. Admission decisions should therefore precede firm visa, travel, or housing commitments.

TU Graz offers education at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Its published portfolio for 2026 lists 20 bachelor’s programmes, 37 master’s programmes, and doctoral study through 14 Doctoral Schools. Six bachelor’s and 16 master’s programmes are associated with the NAWI Graz cooperation with the University of Graz. The university also lists teacher education and continuing-education offerings, which applicants should distinguish from its standard degree programmes. The bachelor’s portfolio includes subjects such as Architecture, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Process Engineering, Civil Engineering Sciences and Construction Management, Computer Science, Digital Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Geodesy, Information and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Software Engineering and Management. Some natural-science programmes are jointly delivered through NAWI Graz. Programme names, curricula, language, and entry conditions should be checked individually because requirements are not uniform. English availability is strongest beyond the undergraduate level. TU Graz reports that 23 of its 37 master’s programmes are taught in English and that all 14 Doctoral Schools use English. German-taught degrees require C1 German for full admission; applicants who have at least A2 may, under the university’s stated process, be admitted as non-degree students while preparing to demonstrate C1. Four bachelor’s programmes—Computer Science, Software Engineering and Management, Information and Computer Engineering, and Chemical and Process Engineering—also require C1 English. Research is organized across five Fields of Expertise covering advanced materials, biotechnology, computing and communications, mobility and production, and sustainable systems. This structure encourages work across faculty boundaries while retaining a clear engineering and natural-science orientation.

Key Highlights

• Founded in 1811 and constituted as an independent legal entity under public law
• 13,529 regular students as of 31 December 2025
• 28.7% of students were international as of 31 December 2025
• Teaching and research span seven faculties, 96 institutes, and three Graz campuses

Student Life & Environment

TU Graz does not present itself as a single enclosed residential campus. Students move among Campus Alte Technik, Campus Neue Technik, and Campus Inffeldgasse, all located near central Graz and reachable by bicycle or public transport. The university notes that students in many programmes attend courses at two or all three locations, so daily travel between sites is a normal part of study. Housing is generally arranged independently rather than assigned through a guaranteed university residence system. TU Graz directs students to dormitories, shared flats, private apartments, and an accommodation-platform list. Prospective students should therefore compare contracts, commute times, deposits, and availability early instead of assuming that admission includes housing. Student teams offer a practical extracurricular route into technical projects, competitions, industry contacts, and peer networks. Students may also take language training and free-choice subjects focused on transferable skills. Graz’s wider university population creates opportunities beyond TU Graz itself, while green spaces and nearby countryside support outdoor activities. International full-degree students can use the Welcome Center for guidance on residence matters, insurance, housing, city registration, and integration. For September 2026, TU Graz also advertises International Welcome Days and a buddy programme for students entering English-language master’s programmes. Exchange students receive separate assistance through exchange coordinators.

Location & Surroundings

TU Graz is based in Graz, the capital of Styria and Austria’s second-largest city. The university describes Graz as a city of roughly 300,000 residents with more than 50,000 students across its higher-education institutions. This gives students a substantial university-city environment without placing the campuses outside the urban center. Its three campus locations—Alte Technik, Neue Technik, and Inffeldgasse—sit near the city center. Walking, cycling, buses, and trams are the main practical transport options, and the university states that a car is generally unnecessary. Eligible students up to age 26 can purchase a semester public-transport ticket valid across Styria; applicants should verify current prices and eligibility before budgeting. The city combines a UNESCO-listed historic center with a significant amount of urban green space. Nearby countryside and organized activities through local groups provide access to hiking, climbing, mountain biking, and winter sports. For international travel, students should account for Graz’s smaller regional scale: rail connections are useful, but some long-distance journeys may require transfers through larger transport hubs.

Costs & Career Outcomes

TU Graz’s official fee page, accessed in August 2026, lists an Austrian Student Union fee of €26.20 per semester for all degree students. Austrian, EU/EEA, Swiss, and several other eligible categories are generally exempt from tuition during the standard programme duration plus two additional semesters. Students who exceed that period are charged €363.36 per semester. Non-EU nationals who do not qualify for an exemption are generally charged €726.72 per semester. Residence status and country-specific waivers can change the result, so applicants should obtain an individual fee assessment rather than budgeting from nationality alone. Living expenses are separate. TU Graz’s international-student FAQ cites the 2025 Student Social Survey and indicates average expenditure of roughly €1,300 per month, with about €497 attributed to accommodation. These are survey-based reference figures, not a university bill or housing guarantee, and personal costs can differ considerably. Students arrange accommodation through residences, shared flats, or the private market. Career support is practical but does not guarantee employment. The Careers Information Service connects students and graduates with vacancies, internships, employer profiles, newsletters, and career-profile tools. TU Graz also points students toward the annual TECONOMY career fair, entrepreneurship support through Science Park Graz, and student teams that can provide applied project experience. No verified salary or graduate-employment rate was found in the selected current sources, so prospective students should evaluate career prospects by programme and consider German-language expectations in the Austrian labor market.