12,000 applicants to study medicine in Austria for only 1,900 seats!
About 12,400 people participated on Friday in the entrance exam for studying medicine in Austria, competing for 1,900 study places distributed among the medical faculties in Wien (Vienna), Innsbruck, Graz, and the medical faculty at the University of Linz. Although 15,668 people registered for the unified exam, which lasts about eight hours, only about 80% of them actually attended.
The admission test known as "MedAT" focuses on basic scientific knowledge in subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, in addition to skills in thinking, memory, and reasoning. It also assesses reading comprehension skills and social and emotional interaction.
95% of the seats in human medicine are allocated to citizens of EU countries, and 75% to those holding an Austrian high school diploma, while these percentages do not apply to the dentistry specialization. "Anita Reeder," Vice President of the Medical University in Wien, warned against relying on expensive preparatory courses, noting that data shows no difference in success between those who relied on free materials, paid materials, or a mix of both. Professor of Psychology "Martin Arendasi" from the University of Graz confirmed that applicants' performance is not affected by the type of preparation they chose.
However, "Selina Finnewriter", the president of the student union in Austria, criticized this, emphasizing that those who can afford private preparation or tutoring have a clear advantage, calling for an expansion of capacity to ensure social justice. "Ärztekammer Oberösterreich" (Upper Austrian Medical Chamber) also criticized the admission system, considering that it excludes many who possess empathy and an innate inclination towards the medical profession. In terms of numbers, Wien recorded the highest demand with 7,729 applications, an increase of 330 from last year, against only 772 seats available. It is followed by Linz with 2,084 applications for 320 seats, then Innsbruck with 3,238 applications for 420 seats, and Graz with 2,617 applications for 388 seats.
This year, it is notable that the number of applications from EU countries, especially Germany, has decreased, while the percentage of applicants from Austria has increased, particularly in Innsbruck, where the number of Austrians has surpassed the number of applicants from abroad for the first time. For the second year, up to 85 seats have been allocated across Austria for those who commit to working in public institutions after graduation, such as health funds or the Ministry of Defense. In Vienna alone, 34 of these seats have been allocated, and there has been a greater demand than last year, with the number of applicants reaching 400 compared to 280 in 2024. These applicants receive lower requirements in the test in exchange for their professional commitment later. Last year, not all of these special seats were filled due to some candidates not achieving the required points or exceeding the threshold for a regular seat, at which point the seats were filled by those with the highest test scores.