WU Vienna: Tuition, English Business Programs & Deadlines (2027/28)

WU Vienna charges non-EU degree students €726.72 tuition per semester plus €26.20 ÖH dues. Citizens of least developed countries, including Afghanistan, receive a permanent tuition waiver and pay only the ÖH dues.

That makes WU, a public university focused on business and economics, far cheaper than private business schools. But admission is competitive: master's programs ask for strong quantitative credits, usually a GMAT or GRE, and C1 English. Here is what to expect, with deadlines labelled by academic year.

Why WU is good value

• Public-university fee for a specialised business and economics university.
• Permanent tuition waiver for citizens of least developed countries, Afghanistan included.
• No application fee for English-taught master's; the BBE bachelor's selection costs €50.
• English bachelor's option: the Bachelor in Business and Economics (BBE), with 240 places for 2026/27.
• One application, several programs: you can rank several master's in one application, though you receive only one offer.

Tuition and fees

Admitted master's students must accept their place within 10 days and pay an admission deposit; the amount is not stated on WU's public pages. Budget for GMAT or GRE costs too. See our cost of studying in Austria guide.

English-taught programs

• Bachelor's (3 years): Business and Economics (BBE)
• Master's (2 years): Business Communication, Digital Economy, Economics, International Management / CEMS, Marketing, Quantitative Finance, Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy, Strategy, Innovation and Management Control, Supply Chain Management
• Doctorate: PhD in International Business Taxation (DIBT, 3 years) and PhD in Finance (VGSF, 5 years)

Programs start in October only. Compare with other universities in English-taught programs in Austria.

Admission requirements

Master's

• Degree: a relevant bachelor's of at least 180 ECTS. No minimum grade is stated; selection is competitive and holistic.
• Credits: for example, MSc Marketing asks for at least 30 ECTS in business or economics and 8 ECTS in maths, statistics or quantitative methods, with no bridging courses.
• GMAT or GRE for most programs. MSc Marketing sets no minimum; WU states the average admitted GMAT was 575.
• English C1: IELTS Academic 7.0, TOEFL iBT 100 (5 on the scale used from 21 January 2026), Cambridge CAE/CPE, or Oxford Test of English Advanced 150. CEMS has special rules.
• Documents: bachelor's diploma and transcripts, CV, motivation letter or program documents, passport; interviews in some programs.

Bachelor in Business and Economics (BBE)

BBE uses one selection procedure per year for EU and non-EU applicants alike: online self-assessment plus a two-hour written exam in Vienna (English, business and economics, maths). English B2 is required, for example IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 85. Read more in Austria university admission requirements.

Deadlines

Applying from Afghanistan

Afghan citizens pay no tuition at WU, only the ÖH dues. WU asks for full diplomatic legalisation of Afghan documents, but the Austrian Embassy in Islamabad says it cannot legalise documents issued in Afghanistan since 1 January 2013. Ask WU's admissions team in writing how they handle this before the deadline. See our documents and legalisation guide.

Scholarships and living costs

Beyond the fee waiver, the DIBT PhD offers a limited number of employment contracts of about €2,800 per month. For master's, look at grants.at and our scholarships guide. OeAD estimates average student living costs at about €1,300 per month, with Vienna more expensive. For the residence permit in 2026 you must prove €722.58 per month under 24 or €1,308.39 from 24, for 12 months. See the Austria student visa guide.

Who WU suits best

WU fits applicants with a business, economics or finance bachelor's that includes solid maths and statistics, who can reach C1 English and a competitive GMAT or GRE. If your bachelor's has few quantitative credits, compare the requirements of other English business master's in Austria before applying.

Mistakes to avoid

• Applying without enough quantitative credits: WU's MSc Marketing page says there are no bridging courses, so missing ECTS usually means rejection.
• Booking the English test too late: the C1 certificate is part of the application, and older TOEFL scores follow the pre-21 January 2026 scale.
• Choosing priority III as a non-EU applicant: results arrive by mid-June 2027, which leaves very little time for a residence permit that can take up to 90 days.
• Ignoring the 10-day acceptance window: WU asks admitted students to accept within 10 days and pay the deposit, so have the money ready before results arrive.
• Assuming the BBE exam is online: the main exam is written in person in Vienna.

Honest pros and cons

How to apply step by step

1. 1

   Check credit requirements

   Compare your transcript with each program's business, economics and quantitative ECTS rules.

2. 2

   Take GMAT/GRE and an English test

   Plan for C1 (IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100) and a recent GMAT or GRE score.

3. 3

   Apply online

   Use WU's master's application and rank your preferred programs.

4. 4

   Accept within 10 days

   If admitted, accept and pay the admission deposit on time.

5. 5

   Start the residence permit

   Book your embassy appointment immediately; processing can take up to 90 days.