Dean of Studies

Konrad Strutz

Liddy Scheffknecht (Deputy)

Office hours of the Dean of Studies during the semester:

Tuesday 11:00–13:00 and Thursday 11:00–13:00

by appointment via email

Office of the Dean of Studies: Oskar-Kokoschka-Platz 2, Ferstel Wing, ground floor

Questions regarding the recognition of examinations, advance rulings for exchange programmes and leaves of absence may be directed to Kurt Wallner (anerkennungen@uni-ak.ac.at). In addition, Kurt Wallner is available in person for consultations during the following office hours:

Tuesday: 10:00–12:00 and 14:30–17:00

Wednesday: 10:00–16:00

Thursday: 10:00–12:00 and 14:30–17:00

All information on recognition (“credit transfer”) can be found further below in the section Recognition of Examinations.

Leaves of absence from studies require a statement of reasons. Possible grounds for a leave of absence are defined by § 67 para. 1 UG 2002 and by the statutes of the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Please use the form Application for Leave of Absence in the right-hand column and attach confirmation of the grounds for the leave of absence. During a leave of absence, it is not possible to attend courses, submit work for assessment or take examinations.

Applications for leave of absence may be submitted in paper form (no original documents) or by email (beurlaubungen@uni-ak.ac.at and studiendekan@uni-ak.ac.at).

Please note: In the case of inter-university degree programmes – e.g. teacher education – a leave of absence must be applied for at both universities.

Information regarding the Recognition of Exams

Recognition of Examinations, Other Coursework, Activities and Qualifications

For applications for the recognition (“credit transfer”) of examinations, please use the form “Application for the Recognition of Examinations, Other Coursework, Activities and Qualifications” in the right-hand column. Applications may be submitted in paper form (no original documents) or via email (anerkennungen@uni-ak.ac.at and studiendekan@uni-ak.ac.at).

Procedure – Recognition

1. Download the form.

2. Complete and sign it in full.

3. Attach certificates / transcript and course descriptions.

4. Submit it by email (or alternatively in paper form during office hours).

5. Receipt confirmation / request for additional documents, if necessary.

6. The official notice / decision is issued electronically / by email.

Applications for the recognition of examinations are considered complete if they include at least:

- a fully and properly completed application form, including a (digital) signature, with all required entries, including completed courses and the examination subjects in the curriculum for which recognition is requested;

- valid proof (collective or individual certificate, or Transcript of Records) of all examinations to be recognized;

- content information, descriptions or sources relating to the respective courses, or proof of relevant professional experience;

- and, where applicable, a previously issued advance ruling.

Accepted formats are digitally signed forms as well as scans with a signature in TIF, JPG, PNG or PDF format. Please do not send download links or ZIP archives.

Incomplete applications for recognition cannot be processed.

Applications are processed in the order in which they are received and processing may, in some cases, take longer. Expedited procedures or preferential handling are not possible, as nearly all applications are submitted as urgent. The processing period provided for under UG § 78 para. 4 is two months, although this period is usually undercut.

Once recognition has been granted, it can no longer be reassigned. This means that the respective ECTS credits remain permanently allocated, through the recognition, to a specific examination subject in the curriculum analysis.

No fees are charged for submitting an application for recognition.

As a rule, the application can be submitted without appearing in person.

Applications for recognition are decided by official notice. The legal remedies provided for by law are available against such decisions.

The official decision is transmitted electronically by email.

Universities Act 2002:
Recognition of prior learning

§ 78.

Recognition of positively assessed examinations and other academic achievements completed by regular students at other recognized Austrian postsecondary educational institutions, vocational higher schools, higher institutions for teacher or educator training, recognized domestic university-level courses, or accredited private universities, as well as at recognized foreign postsecondary educational institutions, shall be granted by the competent body responsible for study matters through a formal decision, provided that these are equivalent to the examinations and academic achievements required by the curriculum.
Equivalence exists when the knowledge and skills acquired essentially correspond to those prescribed by the curriculum. A comparison of learning outcomes shall form the basis of the examination of equivalence. When assessing equivalence, the content, scope, and requirements of the achievement are to be considered.
If equivalence is given in principle, but individual supplements are missing for full equivalence, recognition shall be granted in the form that the completion of certain additional examinations is required in order to achieve full equivalence.
An application for recognition must be decided by formal decree within two months of the complete submission of the documents.

Last update: April 6th, 2026

(granting recognition to a foreign academic degree)

Nostrification – explanatory notes regarding the application form

Universities Act 2002 § 90:

The submission of an application for the recognition of a foreign academic degree as equivalent to a domestic regular degree (nostrification) requires proof that the nostrification is absolutely necessary for the applicant to practise a profession or to continue their education in Austria. Further details shall be determined in the statutes.
The application must be submitted at a university or a university of teacher education (Pädagogische Hochschule) at which the corresponding domestic degree program is offered. It is not permissible to submit the same nostrification application simultaneously or, after withdrawal, at another university or university of teacher education.
The nostrification must be decided by the body responsible for academic affairs by formal decree. The decree must specify which domestic degree the foreign degree corresponds to, and which domestic academic degree the applicant is entitled to hold instead of the foreign degree by virtue of the nostrification. The nostrification must be noted on the certificate submitted as proof of the foreign degree. Deviating from § 73 AVG, decisions on nostrification applications must be issued no later than three months after receipt of the complete documents.
If equivalence is generally given but only partial requirements are lacking for full equivalence, the body responsible for academic affairs must require the applicant by formal decree to pass the necessary examinations and/or prepare an academic work within a reasonable period in order to establish full equivalence. To fulfil the supplement, the applicant shall be admitted as a non-regular (extraordinary) student.
The nostrification must be revoked by decree, in particular if it was obtained through forged certificates.
The fee for nostrification of a foreign academic degree is €150. The fee must be paid in advance. It is forfeited if the application is rejected or withdrawn.

Statute, II. Part, Study Law § 12:

Application for Nostrification:

   In the application for nostrification the applicant is to name the domestic course of studies, and the intended domestic academic degree, that is comparable to the foreign studies. The following documentation is to be enclosed to the application:
o   passport,
o   evidence that the recognized foreign post-secondary education institution is of comparable quality to a recognized domestic post-secondary education institution if this is not beyond doubt for the Dean of Studies,
o   evidence regarding the studies completed at the recognized foreign post-secondary education institution if these are not already known to the Dean of Studies,
o   the particular certificate that was issued as evidence of the academic degree, or if such degree was not to be awarded, issued as evidence of the duly completed studies.
   In case of certificates in a foreign language, the applicant is to submit authorized translations. Pursuant to para. 1 Z 4 the certificate is to be presented in the original.
   The Dean of Studies is entitled to waive the obligation to submit certain documents if they are satisfied that it would be impossible or excessively difficult to present these within a reasonable period of time, and if the documents submitted provide a sufficient basis for a decision.
   Taking into consideration which curriculum was valid at the time of applying, it is to be verified that the foreign course of studies was set up to result in an overall education equal to the one of the domestic course of studies named in the application. It is permissible to use a sample test to achieve more detailed knowledge about the contents of the foreign study course.
   If equal value exists in principle and only individual supplements are missing to achieve full equivalence, the Dean of Studies is to issue an official notice to admit the applicant to the course of studies as a non-degree student, with the instruction to take exams and produce either a scientific paper or artistic diploma thesis in order to achieve equivalence within a reasonable period that is to be stipulated in the official notice.
   The regulations regarding recognition to exams, scientific papers, and artistic diploma theses are not to be applied.

The Dean of Studies handles the following tasks:

Authorizing the taking of exams for studies at a university other than the university of admission (§ 63 para. 9 Z 2 Universities Act)
Authorizing applications for leave of absence from studies (§ 67 para. 1 Univ. Act)
Nullifying an officially notified exam result when enrolment to the exam was achieved by fraudulent means (§ 73 para. 1 Univ. Act)
Issuing certificates for degrees obtained (§ 74 para. 3 Univ. Act)
Calling on professionally qualified examiners for admission exams and supplementary tests (§ 75 para. 1 Univ. Act)
If required, calling on persons with a comparable authorization to teach at other recognized domestic or foreign education institutions for tutoring activities and assessing diploma theses, master theses, and dissertations (statute section "Study Law" § 10 para. 2)
If required, calling on professionally qualified examiners to act as head of a course for course exams (statute section "Organizational Law / Board Examinations“ § 7 para.1)
Appointing board members for examination committees (statute section "Organizational Law / Board Examinations“ § 7)
Stipulating the more detailed terms regarding the organizational aspects of carrying out exams (statute section "Study Law" § 8 para. 3)
Issuing the recognition to positively assessed exams for regular students of other approved domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institutions, or a higher vocational college, or a college of education, or studies at recognized educational institutions requiring general university entrance qualifications, or a course at university level – under the proviso that the exams in question are of equal value to the exams of the curriculum (§ 78 para. 1 Univ. Act)
Issuing the recognition to positively assessed exams of a non-degree student that were taken at an educational institution pursuant to § 78 para. 1 Univ. Act, provided the exams are of equal value to the compulsory exams in the curriculum of the university course (§ 78 para. 9 Univ. Act)
Issuing an official notice to revoke negatively assessed exams in case of serious flaws in their execution (§ 79 para. 1 Univ. Act)
Ensuring the safe-keeping of assessment documents not handed out to the student, for a duration of at least 6 months from the date of the assessment announcement (§ 79 para. 3 Univ. Act)
Authorizing the application to exclude from use certain scientific and artistic works submitted to the university library pursuant to § 86 para. 1 Univ. Act for a period of 5 years max. from the time of submission (§ 86 para. 4 Univ. Act)
Issuing notifications regarding the awarding of academic degrees to graduates of the regular study programmes (§ 87 para. 1 Univ. Act)
Issuing notifications regarding the awarding of academic degrees to graduates of university courses (§ 87 para. 2 Univ. Act)
Issuing official notices regarding the nullifying of award notifications of domestic academic degrees (§ 89 Univ. Act)
Issuing the recognition to a foreign graduation as completion of a domestic regular study (Nostrification, § 90 para. 3 Univ. Act)
Issuing an official notice to revoke the nostrification of completed studies, particularly when these were obtained by way of false certificates (§ 90 para.5 Univ. Act)