Technische Universität Graz - Schulich & Science Only

Areas of Study: TU Graz has a variety of Engineering & Science programs including Astrophysics, Biochemistry and Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, Cellular Biology, Chemical Physics, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Earth Science, Electrical and Informational Engineering, Geodesy, Geology, Geophysics, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Natural Sciences, Physics, and Plant Biology. For a full list please see: Bachelor Programs or Masters Programs (TU Graz offers 14 Masters programs taught entirely in English)

You can search for courses taught in English at: www.tugraz.at/go/search-courses Exchange students at TU Graz are allowed to take both Bachelor’s and Master’s courses without any restrictions.

Additionally, students may be able to take 50% or less of their courses at the University of Graz (about a 13 min walk away) through their intra-Graz academic network. 

Course requirements:
In Europe, full-time course load is typically 30 ECTS (European credits), and exchange students at TU Graz are typically expected to take 18-30 credits per semester. 6 ECTS = 3 UCalgary units (1 half-course). 
The amount of credits each course is worth corresponds to the workload/contact hours, and can vary from 1-30 ECTS per course, so please be mindful of this in your selection. 

Students  are strongly encouraged to contact their academic advisor for any other specific transfer credit information.

Student Tips: "In general, the academic environment is more formal. Eating during lectures is a faux-pas, and questions are generally saved to the end of the lecture. To conclude a lecture, instead of applause, it is common place to tap the table as if you are knocking on a door. Class sizes [were also] significantly smaller (5-10 people)."

The academic year is divided into two semesters:

• "Winter" semester: October to late January/early February
• "Summer" semester: late February/early March to early July

Please Note: Austrian visa applications may require advance travel to the Ottawa embassy to submit documentation and take biometrics as needed - please speak with your faculty exchange advisor as soon as possible about whether this will be required for you. 

Semester-long exchange students holding a Canadian or U.S. passport may alternatively be able to submit their application for "Visa D" during their stay in Austria at:

• Austrian Consulate General Munich in Germany
• Austrian Embassy Bratislava in Slovakia
• Austrian Embassy Ljubljana in Slovenia

This procedure follows Austrian national regulation - if you intend to apply for a Visa D, the first entry point into the Schengen area (Continental Europe) must be Austria.

Graz offers various accommodation options for exchange students including student housing and flat shares. For more information, visit the "Where will I live?" section of the Preparation page. Monthly accommodation costs range from €315 to €505 per month.

The earlier you start looking for accommodation, the more options you will have. Also be sure to make your payments in time, otherwise you cannot be guaranteed a place organized by TU Graz's International Relations and Mobility office.

There are a variety of options here:

• OeAD WohnraumverwaltungsGmbH provides in-depth descriptions of different student housing in Graz. You can register for a room directly on the website.
• The Austrian Student Union has a list of all student housing in Austria. In case you don’t know, the City of Graz is in the County of Styria (Steiermark).
• There are also external accommodation sites, which can be viewed on the "Where will I live?" section. 

Student Tips: "With respect to climate: one day the temperature high was about -1 C, and the city issued an extreme cold warning. With respect to transit: it is a small city, and possible to get around on foot or by bicycle."

This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in Schulich School of Engineering and Faculty of Science at UCalgary, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 (B-) or permission of the exchange advisor.

For courses in English, no German skills are necessary, however if you wish to take courses in German you must have completed at least two 300-level courses in German (4 semesters of German or equivalent language skills). A language level of at least B2, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR), is also acceptable. Certification of language proficiency may be required. (see "Additional Information/FAQs" for pre-semester course details).

Do I have to speak German?

If you are taking courses in English, no prior knowledge of German is required for this exchange. If you wish to take courses in German, please review the eligibility section for more information. 

What options are available for improving my German at TU Graz?

Before every semester Graz offers intensive German language courses at different levels. The courses cost €260 for exchange students. Students also have the opportunity to do German language courses during the semester for a cost of €60 per course. 

What resources are available to new students?

TU Graz offers helpful orientation sessions before each semester explaining some of the formalities of your exchange, the Austrian university system, and tips for living and studying in Graz - it is mandatory to attend as important information and registration processes take place at this time. There is also an Intercultural Orientation session.  

What supports or services are available at TU Graz?

TU Graz offers support for students and staff with temporary or permanent accessibility needs, and provides support for accessible learning as well as for those with chronic conditions. For information on accessibility of campuses across Europe, ESN has created Inclusivity Mobile which allows you to check the accessibility of universities and cities across Europe. For city-specific services and places in Europe, the Jaccede interactive platform (website and/or smartphone app - both Android and iOS) also provides a searchable user-built database to identify important accessibility information of public places and locations.

What's special about Graz?

Museums, armouries, and botanical gardens; annual music and art festivals; a vibrant cabaret scene. It's understandable that Graz was named the European Capital of Culture in 2003. The city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in part because of its well-preserved medieval city centre. Additionally, Graz's setting near the Alps has made it an active stop on the European train network. For instance, from here it's only an hour to Maribor, Slovenia, or four hours to Venice, Italy.

For more information on food and dining in Graz, visit the "Life in Graz" page listing on Restaurants. 

Please also view our student testimonial about TU Graz. 

Student Tips: "Very extensive sports courses in a huge range of activities (skiing, diving, climbing) were all available at a very low cost to students. Lots of orientation activities were [also] planned. Additionally, the mayor hosted a reception for all incoming foreign students. Casual, bi-weekly meetups took place in a local pub."

TU Graz has a new online research program for Fall 2020. They are accepting applications for research in computer science, civil engineering, geosciences, electrical engineering and information engineering. Please choose at least three topics of research you are interested so the coordinators can work on the matching proccess. 

Please see the online research flyer for more information.