Graz University of Technology
Technische Universität Graz
Austria's oldest university of technology, charging non-EU bachelor's students about €1,450 a year in tuition.
- Students
- 13,529
- International
- 29%
- of students
- Tuition
- €1,453
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1811
About TU Graz
Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) was founded in 1811 by Archduke John of Austria as the Joanneum and is the oldest university of technology in Austria. It has 13,529 students, about 29% of them international from more than 110 countries, spread across three campuses in Graz: Alte Technik, Neue Technik and Inffeldgasse. Teaching and research are organised in seven faculties, from Architecture and Civil Engineering to Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, and in five Fields of Expertise such as Advanced Materials Science and Information, Communication and Computing.
TU Graz offers 20 bachelor's programmes, all taught in German, and 38 master's programmes, 24 of them in English. Six bachelor's programmes, including Chemistry, Physics and Molecular Biology, are run jointly with the University of Graz under the NAWI Graz partnership. Most bachelor's programmes have no entrance test: if your school-leaving certificate qualifies you for university and you meet the German requirement, you are admitted. Architecture, Molecular Biology and Acoustics, Music, and Information Engineering use an admission procedure.
The university is strongly tied to industry: it reports 125 spin-offs and start-ups since 2015, 16 Christian Doppler laboratories and 18 student competition teams. It suits students who want a rigorous, low-cost engineering or science degree in Central Europe and are prepared to study in German at bachelor's level, or who plan to come for an English-taught master's.
Why students choose TU Graz
Non-EU students pay €726.72 per semester in tuition and EU students pay none within the standard study period, plus a €26.20 student union fee each semester.
Computer Science at TU Graz sits in the 176-200 band of the THE 2026 subject rankings, and the bachelor's lets you specialise in AI, machine learning, computer vision or security.
18 student competition teams, from the TU Graz RoboCup and BCI racing teams to game development, give hands-on project experience alongside lectures.
The TU Graz High Potentials programme awards bachelor's scholarships of up to €8,800 to talented students from Austria and abroad.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry
Selectivity
TU Graz publishes no acceptance rate. Most bachelor's programmes are open to anyone with a recognised university entrance qualification and the required German. Architecture caps places (330 for 2026/27) and uses a motivation letter and entrance test; Molecular Biology and Acoustics, Music, and Information Engineering also have an admission procedure.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign school-leaving certificate | Must be equivalent to the Austrian Matura and give access to the same field of study; submit the certificate, last year's grade report and any national university entrance exam result required in your country |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Full Diploma with at least 24 points; mathematics and one foreign language among the subjects, three subjects at HL; an IB Certificate is not accepted |
| German | C1 (CEFR) is required for full admission to German-taught programmes (e.g. DSH, TestDaF with TDN 4 in all parts, Goethe, ÖSD or telc C1; certificate no more than two years old). The minimum to apply is A2: with A2 or higher you get a provisional admission conditional on the University Preparation Programme Graz's Supplementary Examination in German and study there as a non-degree student until you prove C1. Applications below A2 are rejected. |
| English (some bachelor's) | C1 English for Computer Science, Software Engineering and Management, Information and Computer Engineering and Chemical and Process Engineering; otherwise a supplementary English exam before the programme starts |
| English language | Bachelor's programmes are taught in German, so German C1 is the key requirement. English at C1 is additionally required for Computer Science, Software Engineering and Management, Information and Computer Engineering and Chemical and Process Engineering (IB English B counts). |
Deadlines
- International applications, summer semester Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months1 December to 15 January
Summer semester application window listed by TU Graz for bachelor's programmes.
- International applications, winter semester Non-binding In ~10 months1 May to 15 August
Application window for bachelor's programmes without an admission procedure; the application must arrive complete and by post.
- Architecture admission procedure Non-binding15 July (registration opened 1 March for 2026/27)
For 2026/27: registration 1 March to 15 July 2026, motivation letter upload 22 July to 10 August, entrance test 24 August 2026. 2027/28 dates not yet published.
TU Graz lists standing application windows (winter semester 1 May to 15 August; summer semester 1 December to 15 January) rather than dated ones. Programmes with an admission procedure run once a year with earlier deadlines; the 2027/28 dates had not been published when checked.
How to apply
International applicants send a completed Application for Admission form with the original or certified documents (school-leaving certificate, grade report, any national entrance exam result, German certificate, passport copy, CV) by post to the TU Graz Registrar's Office. Applicants from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan first need a competence check at VFS Global. After the Rector's letter of admission, you enrol in person during the admission period.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school leaving certificate equivalent to the Austrian Matura that would give access to the same subject in your home country.
- German at C1 level for German-taught programmes, proven by a recognised certificate no more than two years old.
- For Architecture, a motivation letter explaining what you expect from studying architecture and what it does for society, plus an entrance test.
- A complete application: TU Graz considers only applications with all required documents.
Tips for applying to TU Graz
- 1 Apply early: processing can take weeks to months, and applications arriving after the deadline are moved to a later semester.
- 2 If your German is not yet C1, you can still apply with at least A2 and plan for time in the University Preparation Programme Graz before degree study; below A2 the application is rejected.
- 3 For Computer Science and the other software programmes, have C1 English evidence ready or you will have to pass a supplementary English exam first.
- 4 Look at the TU Graz High Potentials bachelor's scholarship, whose next application period runs from 5 May to 7 July 2027.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Tuition is heavily subsidised: EU students pay only the student union fee, and non-EU students pay €726.72 per semester. The TU Graz High Potentials programme, funded with partner companies, gives bachelor's students up to €8,800 and master's students up to €17,600 over up to two years; some non-EU students with certain residence permits can be exempt from the non-EU fee.
- Up to €8,800 over up to two years
- TU Graz High Potentials (bachelor's)
- 5 May to 7 July 2027 (for winter semester 2027 starters)
- Bachelor's scholarship application period
- Around 200
- Students supported by High Potentials so far
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
Computer Science (BSc)
Six-semester, 180 ECTS programme with specialisations in AI, machine learning, computer vision and security; many courses are offered in English.
Architecture (BSc)
Capped at 330 places a year with a motivation letter and entrance test; QS ranks the subject area 101-150 worldwide.
Software Engineering and Management (BSc)
Combines software development with management, and requires C1 English as well as German.
Digital Engineering (BSc)
Taught jointly by three faculties across electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science.
Mechanical Engineering and Business Economics (BSc)
A combined engineering and business degree from the faculty that also runs mechanical engineering.
NAWI Graz science degrees (Chemistry, Physics, Molecular Biology)
Run jointly with the University of Graz, so students use the facilities and staff of both universities.
Research
- Five Fields of Expertise and research centres in areas such as machine learning, green hydrogen and fuel technologies, railway systems and sustainable construction.
- 78 ongoing EU Horizon Europe and Digital Europe projects in 2025, including 8 ERC grants, and 16 Christian Doppler laboratories.
- TU Graz takes part in all five Austrian K2 competence centres under the COMET programme.
- 125 spin-offs and start-ups founded between 2015 and 2025, employing about 1,300 people.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Architecture
- Faculty of Civil Engineering
- Faculty of Electrical and Information Engineering
- Faculty of Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Economic Sciences
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Geodesy
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Chemical and Process Engineering, Biotechnology
Student life
TU Graz is spread over three campuses in the city rather than one enclosed site, with the historic main building on the Alte Technik campus close to the centre. Graz has eight institutions of higher education and about 60,000 students, so student life is shared across the city. A big part of TU Graz culture is its 18 student competition teams, which work on projects such as robotics, brain-computer interface racing and game development. About 29% of students are international, and the university runs an International House and Welcome Center for newcomers.
- 18 student competition teams, including TU Graz RoboCup, the Mirage 91 BCI racing team and TU Graz Field Robotics.
- Three campuses in Graz: Alte Technik, Neue Technik and Inffeldgasse.
- Part of Unite!, a European University Alliance of technical universities.
- Around 29% international students from more than 110 countries.
Housing. TU Graz does not guarantee housing; most students live in dormitories, shared flats or single apartments, and a student blog on the TU Graz site puts dorm prices at 200 to 500 euros a month including utilities.
Location
Graz is Austria's second-largest city, with about 300,000 people, a UNESCO World Heritage old town and UNESCO City of Design status. More than half of the urban area is green space, and the city has many farmers' markets. With eight higher education institutions and about 60,000 students, it is very much a student city, and housing is relatively affordable by Austrian standards.
Nearest airport: Graz Airport (GRZ)
Notable alumni
- NT Nikola TeslaInventor and electrical engineer; studied at the Imperial-Royal Technical College in Graz from 1875 but did not graduate
- KV Karl von TerzaghiCivil engineer and founder of soil mechanics; studied mechanical engineering in Graz
- HL Hans ListEngine researcher and founder of AVL List; doctorate in engineering from the Technical University in Graz
- LK Lisa KalteneggerAstronomer studying exoplanets; master's in physics and engineering from TU Graz
- GD Günther DomenigArchitect known for Austrian brutalist and deconstructivist buildings; studied architecture at TU Graz
- RA Raimund AbrahamArchitect of visionary projects in Europe and the US; studied at TU Graz from 1952 to 1958
- FS Friedrich SchmiedlRocket designer and pioneer of rocket mail; studied civil engineering in Graz
Frequently asked questions
Can I study a bachelor's degree in English at TU Graz?
No. All 20 bachelor's programmes are taught in German, although some, such as Computer Science, include many courses in English. English-taught study is available at master's level, where 24 of 38 programmes are in English.
How much is tuition at TU Graz for international students?
Non-EU students pay €726.72 per semester (about €1,453 a year) plus a €26.20 student union fee each semester. EU students pay only the union fee within the standard study period plus two semesters.
What German level do I need for TU Graz?
C1 (CEFR) for full admission to German-taught programmes, for example DSH, TestDaF with TDN 4 in all four parts, Goethe, ÖSD or telc C1. You can apply with at least A2: you then receive a provisional admission, enrol as a non-degree student in the University Preparation Programme Graz and must pass its German exam at C1 level before starting the degree.
When is the TU Graz application deadline for international students?
For bachelor's programmes starting in the winter semester, the application window runs from 1 May to 15 August; for the summer semester, 1 December to 15 January. Architecture and other programmes with an admission procedure have earlier deadlines.
Is it hard to get into TU Graz?
Most bachelor's programmes have no entrance exam and admit everyone with a recognised school-leaving certificate and the required German. Architecture is capped at 330 places and uses a motivation letter and entrance test.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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