Although much smaller than London or Paris, Vienna is still hard to beat as a top European study destination.

Austria’s capital city offers a combination of high quality of living with interesting cultural activities, affordable tuition fees, and great student accommodation. 

Student.com will take a lot of the stress out of finding your ideal student accommodation in Vienna. 

With lots of student housing properties listed, you will be spoilt for choice. Our accommodation options in Vienna are in great locations and are comfortable and well-equipped with modern amenities. 

For further information give us a call or contact us on live chat, we are always willing and ready to assist you.

Get to know Vienna, the capital city of Austria

The land where luminaries like Mozart, Freud, Klimt, and Wittgenstein once walked, Vienna is the capital and the largest city of Austria, as well one of the country’s nine states. 

Austria’s most populous city (1.9 million people) is cosmopolitan and multicultural. The city has a long history as an international leader in the arts. With such a strong musical legacy it has earned the title of the ‘City of Music.’ 

The city was the largest German-speaking city in the world up until the beginning of the 20th century. Today, only the capital of Germany, Berlin, is a larger German-speaking city than Vienna. 

Music and dreams

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven are just two of the world’s greatest composers that lived in Vienna. It’s also renowned for having played a pivotal role as a leading European music centre, through the early part of the 20th century.

Being the home of the world's first psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, Vienna is also considered the ‘City of Dreams.’ The city has also produced other innovative thinkers such as Ludwig Wittgenstein. 

Great history makes for beautiful buildings

Vienna's ancestral roots from early Celtic and Roman settlements transforming into a medieval and baroque city lends for its beautiful architecture. 

It’s rich in architectural gems such as Baroque palaces and gardens, and The Ringstrasse (Vienna Ring Road), which is lined with grand buildings, monuments, and parks.

Vienna is one of Europe's most historic capitals. It’s blending of old and new adds to the city’s awesome beauty. From the Baroque buildings and historic bridges to contemporary architecture, Vienna has a great blend of tradition and modernity. 

Enjoy great food in Vienna

The city’s hearty and diverse food takes a bit from other European countries. Its scrumptious desserts and warming stews draw influence from Italian, French, and other popular European cuisines. 

So, if you’re European, you’re bound to find local food that caters to your tastes in Vienna. You’ll find some of the best at Europe’s best flea markets, or ‘Flohmarkt’ as it’s called in Vienna.

Student living in Vienna

One of the things that stands out the most for students studying in Vienna is its high quality of life. 

It has topped Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey rankings for ten consecutive years (2009–2019) and has held down the number one spot on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s world's most liveable cities rankings in 2018 and 2019. 

The city was also classified as the most prosperous city in the world in 2012/2013 by the UN-Habitat. 

One of the main indicators of prosperity is a manageable cost of living and Vienna is relatively cheap compared to many other European cities. 

Cost of living for students in Vienna

Studying in Vienna lends a study abroad experience that won’t break the bank. It received a top 50 score for affordability in QS Best Student Cities rankings offering some of the lowest tuition fees around for international students.

With a valid student ID, there are several discounts on offer in theatres, museums and other cultural institutions for students who are under 27 years of age.

The semester card makes transportation around the city more affordable. It’s valid for five months and grants unlimited access to the city’s U-Bahn, trams, buses, and trains. The semester card costs €150, but if your main residence is in Vienna, you’ll only have to pay €75. The Austrian railway, ÖBB, also offers a substantial 50 percent discount on train fares for students.

Several of Vienna’s museums and cultural sites such as the Sigmund Freud Museum, offer free entry or discounted rates for students. 

An International Student Identity Card will grant you further discounts on transportation and admissions like cheaper entry to the house of famed composer Johann Strauss, the Johann Strauss Wohnung.

Student leisure 

Vienna offers a wide range of leisure options for students to enjoy away from the walls of their unis. From cinemas, theatres, concert halls, opera houses, museums, castles and the world’s oldest Ferris Wheel (the Wiener Riesenrad) to famous coffeehouses, trendy cafes, and nightclubs, there’s always somewhere to go or something to do. 

Hangout spots

The WUK, one of Europe’s largest socio-cultural centres that hosts a packed calendar of events from dance, theatre, exhibitions and concerts to regular club nights, is one of the most popular student hangout spots in Vienna. 

Another favourite among students is the bourgeois and bohemian 7th District near the centre of the city with its many trendy cafes including the alluring Café Europa. 

In warm weather, the open square of MuseumsQuartier, which is surrounded by art museums like the Leopold Museum and Mumok, is converted into an open-air bar where many students gather to relax and socialise over beers.

Travelling in and around Vienna

If for whatever reason you get bored with Vienna, or just feel like having a change of scenery and want to explore further afield, the city’s excellent public transport system of underground lines, bus services, trams, and a city train network makes it quite convenient to do so. 

You can hop over to nearby cities like Salzburg, Graz or Prague in Czech Republic and enjoy one of those popular student day or weekend trips. 

The rest of Europe is also at your doorstep. Vienna lies on the edge of Western Europe and the start of Eastern Europe so it’s in an ideal location for jetting around the continent. Cities like Munich, Krakow, Budapest, and Ljubljana are all easily accessible by train. 

If you’d rather stay closer to home and move around Vienna on your own, with 50 bike stations, well-maintained bike lanes, and an easy-to-use bike-sharing program (Citybike Wien), it’s quite feasible to explore the city on two wheels.

University options in Vienna

With a number of its universities ranking among the world's best, high-quality tertiary education is another great reason to study in Vienna. 

The capital city is home to Austria's two highest-ranked universities - the University of Vienna (154th in the world) and the Vienna University of Technology (192nd in the world).

University of Vienna

The University of Vienna (Universität Wien) is the largest in Austria, the oldest (founded in 1365) in the German-speaking world, and the highest-ranked Austrian university in the world in the QS World University Rankings. 

With around 94,000 students enrolled, it’s one of the largest universities in Europe. Though most of its programs are in German, it offers a sizeable number of master’s degrees in English. 

With 21 Nobel Prize winners associated with the university, including 2004’s recipient of the Literature Prize, Elfriede Jelinek, it has prestige. 

Its faculties are spread across more than 60 locations throughout Vienna. 

Vienna University of Technology

Established in 1815, the Vienna University of Technology (Technische Universität Wien) is one of the most prestigious technical institutions in Europe. The university is strong in the fields of engineering and natural sciences and enrols around 28,000 students. 

Frequently asked questions about student housing in Vienna

How do I apply for student apartments on Student.com?

Student.com makes it easy for students to book cheap student accommodation in Vienna. 

After using our intuitive search and mapping features to compare and locate the variety of student housing we list, go to the property page and click ‘Enquire’ or ‘Book Now.’

Thereafter, one of our booking consultants will be in touch with you to inform you of the next steps and answer any further questions you may have. A contract will be sent for you to sign once you’re chosen your property and are ready to book.

Will I have to stay in a student dormitory, or do you offer private rooms as well?

You won’t have to stay in a dormitory because we offer three different types of student housing in Vienna.

Shared Room - you’ll share a bedroom with at least one roommate. Other living areas will be shared with other tenants from other rooms.

Private Room – you’ll get a private bedroom and, in some properties, a private bathroom as well. Additional living spaces will be shared with tenants from other rooms.

If you love complete privacy you can book the Entire Place. You’ll get a fully self-contained studio apartment with your own living facilities, including a bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchenette for cooking meals. You don’t need to share with anyone, so this option is great if you love your own peace and quiet.

Can you arrange a viewing for me?

If you’re more comfortable with seeing a place before you book it, one of our booking consultants will arrange a viewing for you. Just contact us and will get it sorted. 

What bills are included in my rent?

Typically, your rent is all you pay, as all bills are usually included. This might not be the case with all properties though, so make sure you check if this is the case in the property you’re interested in.

Do I need to pay a deposit?

Yes, with most properties you’ll have to pay a deposit before you move in in order to secure your booking.