Notification of foreign degree programmes

Foreign educational institutions may offer degree programmes in Austria on the basis of section 27 of the Act on Quality Assurance in Higher Education (HS-QSG) if they have previously successfully completed a registration procedure with AQ Austria.

To do so, foreign educational institutions (higher education institutions) must be officially recognised as post-secondary institutions within the meaning of the University Act (UG) in their country of origin or domicile. Their study programmes must be comparable to Austrian study programmes and academic degrees.

After a successful registration procedure, the educational institutions and their degree programs are entered in a public directory. Only then may they commence teaching in Austria.

Requirements for notification of foreign studies

  • § 27a HS-QSG: Educational institutions from EU and EEA countries must submit certain documents prior to commencing study programmes, which prove their recognition in their country of origin or domicile and the quality of the study programmes to be registered.
  • § 27b HS-QSG: Educational institutions from third countries must undergo an external evaluation and submit the necessary documents for this purpose.

Once the procedure has been successfully completed, the foreign educational institution and its study programmes are listed in the directory of AQ Austria.

Recognition issues and the verification of equivalence

Please note that AQ Austria is not responsible for recognition issues or verification of equivalence. If you need any clarification regarding recognition or equivalence, please contact:

OeAD-GmbH – Agency for Education and Internationalisation,
NARIC AUSTRIA | Credential Evaluation
Email: enic-naric@oead.at
Website: https://oead.at/de/studieren-forschen-lehren/nach-oesterreich-kommen/anerkennung-von-hochschulqualifikationen

The notification of foreign degree programmes and their inclusion in the directory does not imply any determination of equivalence with Austrian degree programmes and corresponding Austrian academic degrees. The degree programmes and academic degrees are considered exclusively as such in the country of origin or location of the foreign educational institution.

Note on violations of the notification requirements

Study programmes that are not comparable to Austrian study programmes may not be offered in Austria. Similarly, educational institutions that are not recognised as post-secondary institutions in their country of origin or domicile may not offer study programmes in Austria.

The Board of AQ Austria reserves the right to report violations of the notification requirements to the competent district administrative authority so that it can investigate possible criminal liability. In addition, such cases will also be forwarded to the Office of the Austrian Student Ombudsman.

Contact

Further Information