At the start of the 2022/2023 Winter Semester, an amendment to the Austrian University Act will go into effect, resulting in important changes regarding the laws governing university studies. We have summarized the most important changes for you to make sure you are prepared in good time.
 

Minimum Number of Academic Credits

Beginning in the 2022/2023 Winter Semester and afterwards, new students enrolling in a new Bachelor's or Diploma degree program are required to earn a total of 16 ECTS credits within four semesters of the program. Click here for detailed information.

Eliminating the Grace Period Results in Shortened Deadlines to Declare Continuing Studies

Beginning in the 2022/2023 Winter Semester, you must declare a continuation of your studies and pay the required fees (the Austrian Student Union fee and, if applicable, tuition fees) by no later than October 31 for the Winter Semester and by no later than March 31 for the Summer Semester. If you miss the deadline, you will be disenrolled from the university.

Given the new deadlines, please note that you can only graduate during the 2022 Summer Semester (or a later Summer Semester) once you have successfully passed all of the required academic coursework by October 31. If you would like to graduate during the Winter Semester, you must successfully complete all of the required coursework by March 31. Click here to learn more.

There are also new deadlines for admission to Bachelor's, Diploma degree, and Master's programs. Click here for detailed information about the admission deadlines.

The Studies Introduction and Orientation Phase

Requirements as outlined in the Studies Introduction & Orientation Phase (StEOP) remain unchanged in that you will be disenrolled if you fail to pass a StEOP examination as required in your degree program, even after the last time you are permitted to take the examination. In the past, you could be re-admitted to the degree program again at the JKU after a two-semester suspension period, however beginning in the 2022/2023 Winter Semester, you can no longer be readmitted to this academic degree program. This means that you cannot re-enroll in that particular academic degree program and start that particular program from the beginning. Click here for detailed information about StEOP requirements.

Leave of Absence, also during the semester for specified reasons

You may apply to take a leave of absence from your studies - even during the semester - in the event of any unforeseen and/or unavoidable reasons, such as illness, pregnancy, care responsibilities, or temporary impairment associated with a disability. Your academic performance up to the time you take a leave of absence will remain documented and confirmed. Click here to learn more about taking a leave of absence from your studies.

Changes in Academic Credit Transfer

If you have successfully completed academic work prior to being admitted to a degree program at the JKU and would like to transfer academic credit to count toward your studies at the JKU, you will be required to apply for credit transfer by the end of the second semester of your studies. If you miss this deadline, academic credit earned prior to your studies can no longer be transferred to count toward your current degree program at the JKU.

If you apply for credit transfer, a comparison in regard to learning outcomes will be made between the courses you took and the courses required as part of your current degree program (for which you have applied for the credits to be transferred). Should there be no significant difference in regard to the learning outcome(s), the transfer of academic credit will be approved.

Click here to learn more about academic credit transfer.

Better Legal Recourse Regarding Examinations

If you have failed an examination you feel contained severe deficiencies and/or shortcomings, you now have a four-week period (instead of a two-week period as before) to file an ‘examination grievance’ and have the examination voided on account of severe deficiencies.

If you fail a retake of the last exam in your program, you now have an opportunity to retake that particular exam again.