Individual degree programmes

What do you have to keep in mind?

An individual degree programme is not a stringing together of courses that you have already completed.

The new degree programme

• must be innovative. 
• must be equivalent to a subject-relevant degree programme.
• must not be offered as a regular degree programme at another university or university of applied sciences in the EU/EEA area.
• may also be applied for in an interuniversity way (at recognised universities in Austria).

If you want to apply for an individual bachelor programme, you need to have a secondary-school leaving certificate. For an individual master programme you need a higher education degree certificate of an eligible degree programme (= in the same discipline) from a recognised post-secondary educational institution with at least 180 ECTS. 

How does the individual degree programme have to be structured?

The structure of individual degree programmes must be equivalent to regular degree programmes. You have to create the curriculum yourself. Chose from the existing range of courses offered at the University of Vienna. The curriculum has to fulfil the following criteria: 

• It contains introductory and advanced courses and/or modules. Modules, that are only offered in degree programmes with entrance exam or selection procedure cannot be used for the curriculum.
• Courses with mandatory attendance (courses with continuous assessment, "prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung") are required. The ratio with courses without mandatory attendance is balanced. 
• The programme does not contain any elective subjects.
• The proofs of academic achievement (examinations, seminar essay, etc.) must be comparable to those required in existing subject-relevant degree programmes. 
• Individual bachelor programme:
  • It must have an extent of at least 180 ECTS (regular duration: six semester).
  • You must write a bachelor thesis as part of a course. 
• Individual master programme: 
  • It must have an extent of at least 120 ECTS (regular duration: four semester). 
  • You must write a master thesis according to the relevant legal requirements and regulations of the statutes.  

Formal requirements for the curriculum

The curriculum must correspond to the formal guidelines for creating curricula (only available in German) at the University of Vienna. Therefore, it has to contain the following: 

• the designation of the degree programme 
• the extent of the degree programme in ECTS-points
• the qualification profile (description of qualifications that are attained in the course of the degree programme)
• the potential professional career uses
• the duration of the degree programme
• the examination subjects and 
• the modules with descriptions
• the extent of the courses as well as their title and type
• the aspired academic degree

State which curricula you used to create your curriculum (including the exact designation of the University Gazette "Mitteilungsblatt"). 

 Required documents

• valid passport or personal ID card (front and back) as JPEG or PNG file
• curriculum vitae (CV)
• letter of motivation including the following:
  • Why do you aspire to study an individual degree programme?
  • How should the courses be combined?
  • Where is the innovative aspect of the degree programme?
  • Why can the contents not be covered by the existing programmes offered at the University of Vienna?
  • Where is the subject-relevant relation to the previous degree programme (only for applications to an individual master programme)?
  • In which area would you like to complete the master thesis and who would be an eligible expert in the field to be your supervisor (only for applications to an individual master programme)?
• self-created curriculum
• application form:
  You can request the application form via e-mail
• if applicable a proof of German language proficiency at level A2 or higher
• where applicable transcripts of records/diploma supplement/diploma certificates in their original form (if you have already studied)
  • with the legalisation required according to the issuing country
  • with a translation by a court-certified translator (if not issued in English or German)

Additionally for application to an individual bachelor programme:

• all pages (!) of your original secondary-school leaving certificate
  • with the required legalisation according to the issuing country
  • plus sworn translation (if not issued in German or English)
  • merged into one PDF file
• where applicable a proof of additional exams

Additionally for application to an individual master programme:

• Higher education degree certificate and transcripts/diploma supplement
  • with the required legalisation according to the issuing country 
  • with a sworn translation (if not issued in German or English)
  • merged into one PDF-file
• where applicable proof of English language proficiency/knowledge of other languages according to the curriculum

Application for approval

Step 1: create a u:account

Create your u:account in u:space and complete the registration for the service "Studies". Make sure to remember your login data. You will need your u:account during your studies.

Step 2: Contact the Admission Office

Afterwards, contact the Admission Office. State which individual degree programme you want to apply for. Explain, how you made this decision.

You will receive the application form and further information about the submission of your application via e-mail. 

Step 3: Submit your application 

Submit your complete application via e-mail at the Admission Office. This is possible year-round. Missing documents delay the processing of your application! Only submit the application when you have all required documents. 

Granting of the application

The granting will take several months, as the application has to be reviewed by multiple authorities: 

First, the Admission Office reviews if the application is formally complete and if the general university entrance qualification is given. If all requirements are fulfilled, the application will be forwarded to the director of studies, where the main field of the individual degree programme is allocated. The director of studies reviews the application as regards the contents. 

If the application has any formal or content-related flaws, you will receive an amendment request. 

If the application fulfils the formal and content-related criteria, it is submitted to the Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs. She will make the final decision if the application is granted or rejected. 

Admission to the individual degree programme

If the application was approved, you will receive an admission letter. From the time of the approval the curriculum of the individual degree programme is in effect and therefore binding. It will be approved for the stipulated degree programme duration plus two tolerance semesters. 

You have to start the degree programme in the semester it was approved in. An admission cannot be granted retroactively. The admission to the degree programme is only possible within the admission period of the respective semester. You will receive information regarding your further steps with your admission letter. 

 Legal basis

• Decree of the Rectorate regarding the approval of and admission to individual degree programmes

 Further information

• Directorates of Studies
• Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs