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The organisation of the academic year 2025 /2026 in Austria for (public) universities is as follows:
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Beginning of the academic year |
1 October |
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Period(s) when there are teaching activities |
The academic year consists of the winter semester (October 1 - February 28 or 29), and the summer semester (March 1 - September 30), including lecture-free periods (periods without teaching activities). |
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Period(s) of examination |
There are no legally defined periods of examination within the academic year (see e.g. § 76 (3) UG 2002 [University Act]), examinations can also be held during lecture-free periods (see e.g. § 58 (8) UG and § 66 (2) UG). |
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End of the academic year |
30 September |
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Breaks between the teaching activities excluding the examination period. if significant |
The Senate may enact further/detailed regulations concerning the beginning and the end of the lecture-free periods. |
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The organisation of the academic year 2025 /2026 in Austria for universities of applied sciences is as follows:
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Beginning of the academic year |
Institutions are autonomous. The academic year starts generally between 1 September and 10 October. |
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Period(s) when there are teaching activities |
The academic year consists of two semesters. The length of the semesters is fixed by institutions autonomously and may vary from degree programme to degree programme even within the same institution. The University of Applied Sciences Act does not regulate the duration of 'semesters'. All periods of teaching activities are fixed individually and autonomously by the institutions. Usually teaching activities last 15-20 weeks (usually 15 weeks for full-time programmes, 18-20 weeks for degree-programmes especially designed for working professionals). |
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Period(s) of examination |
Institutions are free to fix examination dates. |
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End of the academic year |
Institutions are autonomous. The academic year usually ends at the date the new one begins. |
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Breaks between the teaching activities excluding the examination period. if significant |
All lecture-free periods are fixed individually and autonomously by the institutions. |
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The organisation of the academic year 2025 /2026 in Austria for private higher education institutions is as follows:
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Beginning of the academic year |
The beginning of the academic year is regulated individually and autonomously at each institution. |
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Period(s) when there are teaching activities |
Periods of teaching activities are regulated individually and autonomously at each institution. |
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Period(s) of examination |
Periods of examination are regulated individually and autonomously at each institution. |
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End of the academic year |
The end of the academic year is regulated individually and autonomously at each institution. |
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Breaks between the teaching activities excluding the examination period. if significant |
Breaks between the teaching activities are regulated individually and autonomously at each institution. |
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The organisation of the academic year 2025 /2026 in Austria for university colleges of teacher education is as follows:
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Beginning of the academic year |
1 October |
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Period(s) when there are teaching activities |
The academic year consists of the winter semester (October 1 - February 28 or 29), and the summer semester (March 1 - September 30), including lecture-free periods (periods without teaching activities). |
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Period(s) of examination |
The Study Commissions may enact further/detailed regulations concerning the beginning and the end of the ‘lecture-free time’. (see § 36 Hochschulgesetz 2005 idgF); exam dates have to be set at least at three different dates each semester. |
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End of the academic year |
30 September |
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Breaks between the teaching activities excluding the examination period. if significant |
The Study Commissions may enact further/detailed regulations concerning the beginning and the end of the lecture-free periods. |
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