In Salzburg and Vienna

There have never been more senior students

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(Bild: thinkstockphotos.de)

There are more senior students at universities than ever before: in the winter semester 2023/24, a new high was reached with more than 5,200 senior citizens enrolled at public universities, or 1.8 percent of all students, according to the Education Ministry's statistical yearbook. This means that more women over 55 and men over 60 are studying than before the introduction of tuition fees in 2001, when the number had halved to 2,300.

As in the past, by far the most senior students are enrolled at the University of Vienna (1,900), followed by the University of Salzburg (just under 1,000). The universities of Graz, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt each have just over 400 senior students enrolled. The fewest senior students can be found at the medical and arts universities, where there are, however, strict admission procedures.

The vast majority of senior students are female: in 2023/24, the proportion of women was 62%, which is higher than for all students (54%). However, the proportion of international students among senior students is significantly lower (13% compared to 34%).

Special courses for older students
In addition to traditional degree courses, for which you have to prove that you have a school-leaving certificate or a university entrance qualification, some universities and universities of applied sciences also offer special courses for older students. The thematic focus, scope and costs vary, and there are usually no entry requirements. The fifth "SeniorInnen UNI" at the IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences, for example, which started in March, is a four-semester course with a focus on "volunteering", with modules on health, IT and personal development, among others. The course costs 400 euros per semester.

The courses on offer at the universities are more open in terms of content: in Klagenfurt, for example, a "Liberal Studies for Seniors" course was set up in 2007 together with the Carinthian University of Applied Sciences and the Carinthian University of Teacher Education, where students can choose from selected courses in subjects such as history, philosophy, geography, business administration and mathematics for 100 euros per semester. At the University 55-PLUS in Salzburg, for a participation fee of 250 euros, students can access over 400 courses in all fields of study or 30 courses specially designed for the target group - from lectures and (computer) courses to seminars and excursions.

Post-professional studies and additional training
The University of Vienna offers the "Studium Generale", a post-professional course of study which - provided you have a school-leaving certificate or several years of professional experience - can also lead to a degree. Students can choose modules from disciplines ranging from archaeology and botany to theology and contemporary history. The one-semester modules, for which there is only a certificate of attendance, cost 700 euros. The four-semester "Academic Graduate" course costs 7,800 euros. You can add a "Master's upgrade" to this for 4,800 euros and continue your education to become a "Master of Arts (Continuing Education)" in two semesters. However, in addition to completing the course, you must also have successfully completed a bachelor's, bachelor's, master's, diploma, PhD or doctoral degree with at least 180 ECTS (equivalent to three years of full-time study).