Austria 2015/16 - academic year

Beginning of the academic year

Type of programme: Universities:
1 October 2015

Type  of  programme:  Fachhochschulen  (Universities  of  applied  science):
Institutions  are  autonomous.  Starts  generally between 1 September and 10 October.

Teaching activity and holidays of the academic year

Type of programme: Universities

The academic year consists of the winter semester, the summer semester and the periods during which no courses are held. (The so-called 'lecture-free' time is comparable to the summer holidays of schools.)
Christmas (2 weeks), semester holidays (February), Easter (2 weeks); summer holidays (July to September); no more detailed information available. All holiday periods are set by the university's senate.

Type of programme: Fachhochschulen (Universities of applied science):

All periods of teaching activity and holidays are fixed by the institutions. Usually teaching activities last 15-20 weeks (mostly 15 weeks for full-time programmes, 18-20 weeks mainly for part-time programmes). Usually there are: Christmas holidays (around 2 weeks), Easter holidays (1-2 weeks) and the periods between the semesters.

Examinations of the academic year

Type of programme: Universities

No centrally set dates but most of examinations are carried out in January, March, June and October.

Type of programme: Fachhochschulen

Institutions are free to fix examination dates.

End of the academic year

Type of programme: Universities
30 September 2015

Type of programme: Fachhochschulen

Institutions are autonomous. The academic year usually ends at the date the new one begins.