Austria has a student population of 360,000, having grown by 8% between 2010 and 2012. Although 23% of the student population are international, many of them are from bordering countries.

German students form a particularly high proportion of the international student population (37%) while those from outside Europe only make up 4% of the total student population. Tuition in Austria is free for domestic and EU students, and around £1,200 for international students making it attractive to both students from the EU and abroad.

Student accommodation is rarely provided by the universities directly; students have the choice of finding accommodation through student housing companies or in the private rental market. Student housing companies provide accommodation in dormitories, flat-shares and student apartments.

Student housing company OeAD specifically provides accommodation for international and visiting students and provide around 6,000 places across Austria. The second largest provider of student housing in Austria is the Austrian Student Aid Foundation (trading as ‘homes4students’) who manage 16 dormitories across Austria accommodating around 2,000 students.

Private accommodation for students is common with a shared flat being the preferred accommodation type for many students. The proportion of students in Austria living with parents is low by European standards, at just 21% according to Eurostudent data.

Rents across the Austrian cities we have analysed average €69 per week, ranging from €65 in Innsbruck to €74 in Vienna. The student housing provision rate averages 16%, the highest is 27% in Linz.

Austria enjoys a large share of Europe’s Top 400 universities, and a high proportion of international students. With relatively high rental costs, there are opportunities in this market.

Taken from
Spotlight: European Student Housing