Easing into the start of the semester

“The time of your life begins now!” – but even the best of times must be well organised. Here you find a collection of tips and hints that will make the next semester at the University of Vienna an unforgettable and easy one.

(Updated in February 2024)

Organising the start of the semester

Every semester anew: Pay your tuition/Students’ Union fee

• Pay the tuition/Students’ Union fee rather sooner than later. If you have already paid your fees at another Austrian university, please see the information about the re-enrolment on the degree programme at the University of Vienna.

Planning your semester is essential for a successful semester

• Overview of the most important dates and deadlines in the academic year.
• How do I plan my semester? Organise your semester step by step.
• u:space is the University’s student organisation tool and it helps you organise and plan your studies. This blog post shows you how to make the most out of u:space. [DE only]
• How to avoid planning errors and procrastination: Our Blog helps you to stick to your semester plan.

New at the University of Vienna?

• Have you been properly admitted to the University? Information about the admission procedure.
• The Welcome Guide offers an overview of the most important topics and services for starting your studies.
• The MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) provides suggestions, answers and tips for planning your studies successfully from the very beginning. [DE only]
• Do you want to begin your studies in the summer semester? You can find out if, and *spoiler alert* how on the #univie Blog.

Piquing your curiosity and material for your semester

Are lectures and seminars at your faculty not enough? Are you also genuinely curious? Here you certainly find what you were looking for:

• Each semester the University of Vienna poses its academics a question that is of particular relevance for today’s society. This question will be addressed throughout a series of lectures. Find out more about it here, join the discussion!
• It may be hard to choose from the around 10,000 courses that you can find in the course directory of the University of Vienna. We also offer exciting lectures in the current summer semester, which analyse topics from very different perspectives. An overview of interesting current lecture series about democracy and elections is available here.
• From gamification, the moral actions of robots to the philosophical view of digital change or the effects of climate change on the environment and society? In several digital sessions, the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) of the University of Vienna allow you to acquire basic skills in burning issues of our day. Register and become a pro! [DE only]
• In our research magazine Rudolphina, we present first-hand knowledge: You can look over the shoulders of the researchers from the University of Vienna, either in the laboratory or in a think tank.
• Discover helpful tips for your studies, exciting contributions from other students and much more on the #univie Blog.
• The Language Centre of the University of Vienna offers courses in a total of 38 languages for a wide range of levels and purposes, such as exam preparation or refresher courses.

Services, you should know about

University life is more than just sitting in a lecture hall. The best way to get ready for the new semester:

• The Vienna University Computer Center (ZID) is the IT service provider of the University of Vienna and it supports students and employees with numerous IT services. This article presents the most important IT services for your studies [DE only].

• The Vienna University Library is Austria’s largest library. At the same time, it is also the oldest university library in the German-speaking area, dating from 1365. The Main Library and the 36 special libraries provide valuable information and services.
• The STEOP Mentoring is an additional support offer by the University of Vienna that is specifically targeted at students in the first semester, who are at the stage of the introductory and orientation period (in German: Studieneingangs- und Orientierungsphase, STEOP) and prepare for the related examinations.
• The writing mentoring of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) supports students of the University of Vienna who wish to improve and/or consolidate their academic writing skills. Drop by, it will be worth your while.
• You can also receive support and advice via the Psychological Counselling Services: it is free, confidential, and you can access it anonymously if you wish.

Discover what lies beyond the lecture halls

• Studying at the University of Vienna means being part of a large and diverse community formed by about 90,000 students. The #univie communities offer sport, music, theatre, literature and much more.
• The University Sport Institute (USI) offers a wide range of courses if you wish to find a balance after racking your brain. Registration for the summer semester 2024 starts on February 21, 2024.
• Guided tours of the Main Building are held in German and English and take place throughout the year. Dates and up-to-date information can be found here. You may also explore your new place of study on your own with our app. Information about virtual tours can be found here.

Finally planning your stay abroad this semester?

• Anyone who intends to study one semester or two semesters abroad as part of their degree programme will find the information they need at the University of Vienna’s International Office. On its website, you will find information about application deadlines for ERASMUS+, Non-EU Student Exchange and many other mobility programmes.
• If a whole semester is too long for you, you will feel more at ease at the winter schools: Broaden your knowledge and meet new people from all over the world at the univie: summer schools 2024.
• Take a look at the Erasmus+ study places available for your field of study. Speaking of Circle U – the membership of the University of Vienna to the European University Alliance enables students, researchers and employees to gather international experiences at the partner universities.

Or are you already thinking about the (next) step in your career?

• Uniport – Career Service of the University of Vienna offers everything you need to start your career. Find your dream job at the job exchange and career events, learn application skills in workshops, webinars and consultations and get tips and tricks from the website.

• The alma mentoring of the University of Vienna connects graduates who want to share their experiences with students and graduates who can benefit from this knowledge.

Studying and reconciling all your other duties?

• Students with disabilities can find information about support on the website “Accessible Studying”. If you have questions regarding rights to alternative modes of assessment or individual study support (ISU), please contact the Accessible Studying team. [DE only]
• Students who are also parents can use the services provided by the University of Vienna’s Children’s Office. These services include advice, child-minding, the Flying Nanny or the new parent-child-room.
• The website “Studying safely” provides tips and information and the most important contact points for working and studying successfully together.

Are you planning on graduating this semester? Successes should be celebrated. Find information about your graduation ceremony at your Alma Mater.

• Instagram
• Facebook
• X (Twitter)
• X (Twitter) STEM
• Mastodon
• Bluesky
• YouTube
• YouTube Uni Wien Live

Your contact points

• The best contact points for particular questions during your studies are the StudiesServiceUnit (SSS) or the StudiesServiceCenter (SSC) of the relevant degree programme (e.g. for subject-related information on studies and the range of courses, the registration system, registration and de-registration deadlines, exams, recognition of exams and graduation).
• The Teaching Affairs and Student Services team informs you on their website, information events, their contact form, Servicedesk or by phone.about
  • admission to degree programmes
  • tuition/Students’ Union fee
  • entrance examinations/aptitude tests of Bachelor/diploma programmes
  • Master programmes with selection procedures
  • general matters related to study law
• At the counselling centre of the Austrian National Union of Students at the University of Vienna, you find the answers and/or the right contact details to help you with special queries. And: This is where you get your popular cafeteria sticker (Mensen-Pickerl, giving you a EUR 0.80 discount off every menu in the Mensa) as well as the copying sticker (reduced copy card of the Austrian National Union of Students with 220 copies for EUR 10). [DE only]
• The faculty’s and students’ representatives at the University of Vienna regularly offer advisory sessions for new students at the beginning of the semester on topics such as the selection of courses, curricula or required examinations, etc. [DE only]

Now nothing can stand in your way towards a successful semester.