Paris Lodron University of Salzburg
Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg
Founded in 1622 and spread across Salzburg's UNESCO-listed old town, with low fees even for non-EU students.
- Students
- 18,000
- Tuition
- €1,453
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1622
- QS World Ranking
- #572
- 2027 edition
About PLUS
The University of Salzburg was founded as a Benedictine university in 1622 by Prince-Archbishop Paris Lodron, closed under Bavarian rule in 1810 and re-established in 1962. Today it has around 18,000 students from 130 countries and about 3,000 staff, making it the largest educational institution in Salzburg. It has no single campus: buildings are spread across the city, from the historic old town around the Kollegienkirche and Kapitelgasse to the modern Unipark Nonntal below the fortress and the Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences further south.
PLUS offers over 90 degree programmes plus teacher training in 25 subjects, organised into six faculties: Catholic Theology; Arts and Humanities; Digital and Analytical Sciences; Law, Business and Economics; Natural and Life Sciences; and Social Sciences. All bachelor's degrees are taught in German, and several master's programmes, such as the Copernicus Master in Digital Earth and European Union Studies, are open to English speakers. Research focus areas include the Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (CTBI), the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and the Salzburg Centre of European Union Studies.
Austria has no numerus clausus, so most bachelor's programmes admit anyone with a recognised school-leaving certificate and German at B2, although Psychology, Sport and Exercise Science and teacher training have entrance tests. Fees are low: EU students pay only the students' union fee, and non-EU students pay €726.72 per semester. It suits students who want a mid-sized university in a beautiful, walkable city close to the Alps.
Why students choose PLUS
Low costs: EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition during the standard study period plus two semesters, and non-EU students pay €726.72 per semester plus the students' union fee.
Studying inside a UNESCO World Heritage city, with lecture halls a few steps from the old town and the mountains and lakes a few kilometres away.
A broad bachelor's menu of more than 30 programmes, including newer degrees such as Artificial Intelligence, Digitalisation – Innovation – Society and Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Membership of CIVIS, a European university alliance of 17 institutions across Europe and Africa, which opens up exchange options.
Admissions
Summer semester 2027 / winter semester 2027/28 entry
Selectivity
There is no numerus clausus in Austria: most bachelor's programmes admit every applicant with a recognised school-leaving certificate and the required German. Psychology (entrance test), Sport and Exercise Science (athletic test) and teacher training (selection process) are the main exceptions.
Typical entry requirements
| Austrian Matura, German Abitur or other EU/EEA school-leaving certificate | Direct admission; the German Fachhochschulreife is not accepted, and a subject-restricted Fachgebundene Hochschulreife only allows the listed subjects |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma or European Baccalaureate | Accepted as a general admission qualification |
| Non-EU school-leaving certificate | Must be equivalent to the Matura in duration and quality; documents must be legalised (Apostille or full diplomatic legalisation) and translated into German by a sworn translator unless in English |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 95 All bachelor's programmes are taught in German and need German at B2 (e.g. ÖSD B2, Goethe B2, telc B2, DSD II, DSH-1 or TestDaF with TDN 3 in all parts). Without B2 you can be admitted with at least A2 and take the supplementary German exam through the VPLUS preparatory course. The English scores shown (C1: IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 95) apply to English-taught master's programmes. |
Deadlines
- Winter semester 2026/27 (past) Non-binding Passed10 August 2026 (non-EU) / 5 September 2026 (bachelor's admission period)
Past deadlines for the current cycle, shown as a guide; winter 2027/28 dates had not been published as of September 2026.
- Non-EU/EEA applicants: summer semester 2027 Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months10 January 2027
All required documents must be submitted by this date.
- Bachelor's and Diploma admission period: summer semester 2027 Non-binding In ~4 months5 February 2027
Extended to 31 March 2027 in exceptional cases, e.g. programmes with entrance exams or late visas.
Winter semester 2027/28 deadlines were not yet published. For winter 2026/27 non-EU applicants had to submit complete applications by 10 August 2026 and the bachelor's admission period ended on 5 September 2026, so expect similar dates in 2027 and check the university's deadlines page.
How to apply
Submit the online application form with high-quality scans of all documents, then enrol in person by appointment. Non-EU applicants must send a complete application with legalised and translated documents by the non-EU deadline; admitted students who still need German are entitled to a place on the VPLUS preparatory course, which is also required for the student residence permit.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving certificate equivalent to the Austrian Matura in duration and quality.
- Proof of German at B2 for German-taught programmes, or admission via the VPLUS preparatory course.
- Correctly legalised and translated documents: incomplete applications take longer to process.
- For some programmes, extra requirements such as Biology hours at school, Latin or Greek, or a passed entrance or aptitude test.
Tips for applying to PLUS
- 1 Apply early: the university warns that processing international applications can take a few months, and non-EU deadlines come about a month before the general admission period ends.
- 2 Check whether your documents need an Apostille or full diplomatic legalisation; the order of legalisation cannot be changed.
- 3 If you plan to study Biology or Applied Environmental and Geosciences, gather proof of at least 4 weekly hours of Biology from grade 9 onwards, or you will have to sit an extra exam.
- 4 Register early for the Psychology entrance test or the Sport and Exercise Science athletic test, which you must pass before admission.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
EU/EEA/Swiss students pay no tuition during the designated study period plus two tolerance semesters, then €363.36 per semester. Some third-country nationals can apply for equivalency with EU citizens and then pay the EU rate, and temporary fee waivers are granted under defined conditions.
- €726.72 tuition + €26.20 ÖH fee = €752.92
- Non-EU fee per semester
- €363.36 + €26.20 ÖH fee = €389.56 per semester
- EU/EEA fee after the tuition-free period
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter semester October to February, summer semester March to September)
Artificial Intelligence (BSc)
A six-semester German-taught bachelor's from the Faculty of Digital and Analytical Sciences.
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (BA)
An interdisciplinary six-semester PPE bachelor's combining philosophy, political science and economics.
Law and Business (LLB.oec.)
A bachelor's combining law and economics, with a four-semester Law and Business master's to follow.
Psychology (BSc)
Admission by entrance test, linked to research at the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience.
Copernicus Master in Digital Earth (MSc)
An English-taught Erasmus Mundus MSc (4 semesters) covering spatial sciences, geovisualisation, GeoAI and Earth observation data analytics.
European Union Studies (MA)
English-taught interdisciplinary master's on EU politics, economics and law, run by the Salzburg Centre of European Union Studies (SCEUS) with study trips and double-degree options.
Research
- The Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology (CTBI) is the largest of the university's three Excellence Clusters for Research.
- The Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience (CCNS) is run jointly with the University Hospital Salzburg.
- The Salzburg Centre of European Union Studies (SCEUS) is an interdisciplinary research and teaching centre.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Catholic Theology
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Faculty of Digital and Analytical Sciences
- Faculty of Law, Business and Economics
- Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Student life
PLUS is woven into Salzburg itself: students move between the old university around the Kollegienkirche, the faculty buildings on Kapitelgasse, the Unipark Nonntal below the fortress and the natural sciences faculty in the south of the city. All six faculties provide free common areas where students can study and eat their own food. First-year students start with Welcome Weeks in September to get to know the university and the city, and the CIVIS alliance and exchange network make it easy to spend a semester abroad.
- Welcome Weeks for first-year students start in late September.
- Consumption-free common areas in all six faculties.
- Unipark Nonntal, opened in 2011, houses languages and cultural and social sciences with its own library and Audimax.
- CIVIS brings together 17 universities with more than 470,000 students.
Location
Salzburg is a compact city in western Austria whose historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. University buildings are spread through the city, and the university says the old town is a few steps from the lecture halls while the mountains and lakes are only a few kilometres away.
Nearest airport: Salzburg Airport (SZG)
Notable alumni
- BF Benita Ferrero-WaldnerAustrian foreign minister and European Commissioner for External Relations; doctorate in law from Salzburg (1970)
- GB Gabi BurgstallerGovernor of the state of Salzburg 2004-2013; studied law at Salzburg
- KE Karoline EdtstadlerGovernor of the state of Salzburg since 2025 and former Austrian minister for the EU and the constitution; law graduate (Mag. 2004)
- II Ivan IllichPhilosopher and social critic (Deschooling Society); doctorate in history at Salzburg (1951)
- WE Wolfgang EderFormer CEO of voestalpine and chairman of Infineon's supervisory board; Dr. iur. from Salzburg (1976)
- AF Alexandra Föderl-SchmidJournalist, former editor-in-chief of Der Standard and deputy editor-in-chief of Süddeutsche Zeitung; doctorate in communication studies
- KG Karl-Markus GaußEssayist and writer; degree in German philology and history
- LM Leopold MozartComposer and father of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; enrolled at the Benedictine university in 1737 to study philosophy and law
Frequently asked questions
How much does the University of Salzburg cost for international students?
Non-EU/EEA students pay €726.72 tuition plus a €26.20 students' union fee per semester (€752.92 in total). EU/EEA and Swiss students pay only the union fee during the standard study period plus two semesters.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at the University of Salzburg?
No. The language of instruction for all bachelor's programmes is German, and you need German at B2. Some master's programmes can be studied in English.
What are the application deadlines at the University of Salzburg?
For summer semester 2027, non-EU applicants must submit complete applications by 10 January 2027 and the bachelor's admission period ends on 5 February 2027. For winter 2026/27 the dates were 10 August and 5 September 2026.
Is there a numerus clausus at the University of Salzburg?
No, Austria has no numerus clausus. Most bachelor's programmes are open to all qualified applicants, but Psychology, Sport and Exercise Science and teacher training have entrance tests.
What if my German is not yet at B2?
With at least A2 German you can apply and, once admitted, join the VPLUS preparatory course and take the supplementary German exam. The course is also needed for the student residence permit.
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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