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Medical studies: fewer applications, more places

Students at the Medical University of Vienna

(Bild: APA/ROBERT JAEGER)

15,158 people, slightly fewer than last year, have registered for this year's entrance exam for medical studies on Friday (July 5). A total of 1900 places are available at the medical universities of Vienna, Innsbruck and Graz and at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Linz. This is 50 more than last year. For the first time, there are a large number of so-called "dedicated" study places for tasks in the public interest, up to 85 in total.

The record number of applications was recorded in 2021: At that time, around 17,800 applied for a place. The following year it was 15,800 and then 15,400 in the previous year. Experience shows that around 80 percent of those who apply actually take the eight-hour written exam.

Decline in applicants in Vienna and Linz
The declines in applications were registered in Vienna and Linz - in the federal capital, just under 7,400 people registered for the entrance test this year (2023: 7,500), in the Upper Austrian capital around 2,000 (2023: 2,100). In Innsbruck (3200) and Graz (2600), the numbers remained practically constant. Conversely, the number of study places has increased by 50 compared to the previous year due to an expansion plan. A total of 772 places are available in Vienna (2023: 760), 420 in Innsbruck (2023: 410), 388 in Graz (2023: 370) and 320 in Linz (2023: 310). By 2028, the number of places will be further increased in two-year stages to a total of 2,000.

Candidates in the entrance test for medical studies in Graz

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

75 percent reserved for applicants with an Austrian Matura
In purely mathematical terms, there are around ten applicants for every study place in Vienna this year, around eight in Innsbruck, around seven in Graz and around six in Linz. However, at least 95 percent of places in human medicine are reserved for EU citizens and 75 percent of places are reserved for applicants with an Austrian school-leaving certificate. In contrast, there is no such quota for dentistry.

The entrance test primarily tests knowledge from subjects relevant to medicine (especially biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics) and cognitive skills (including memory, recognizing implications). Ten percent of the test result depends on the text comprehension part of the test, a further ten percent on the recognizing emotions and social decision-making part. A school-leaving certificate is not yet a prerequisite for taking the test - the school-leaving certificate only has to be presented as part of the admission process.

Up to 85 places reserved for authorities
This year, up to 85 of the 1900 places for tasks in the public interest have been reserved for the federal provinces, the Austrian Health Insurance Fund, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense. Anyone wishing to apply had to take part in the regular application process and commit to providing a certain level of service to the respective institution for a certain period of time, for example as a health insurance, hospital, military or official doctor.

A lower score on the test is sufficient for this. Applicants do not necessarily have to be among the best candidates at the respective university, but "only" have to achieve a performance of 75 percent of the result of all applicants who applied (and be among the best applicants within the respective contingent of dedicated study places). This system already existed in the past - but only the Austrian Armed Forces made use of it (with ten places). Now significantly more institutions are using it.