It is an eternal wait, complains Nico F.. The Mature He had already completed his training last year, but he was not yet able to apply for university. The five summer months were bridged, the army had to be completed from October. From January onwards, he began preparing for the University of Applied Sciences entrance exams,The tests started in March, followed by weeks of waiting for acceptance or rejection. Then more exams, this time oral, and another six weeks of waiting for results.
Nico F. is not alone in facing the escalating delays. DELIVERY MAN hears of numerous similar stories and despairs. For example from Elena P.: “I know the feeling of being ‘hanging in the air’ because I have been in several Admission procedure “In order not to lose any time, she kept other options open. Without plans B and C and D, it would not work, she says. But how do these Waiting times?
Limited capacity
Joachim Fritz Punter, Medat-Responsible for the Medical University of Viennaexplains: “We can only accept a certain number of applicants. It is a selection of the best.” And this selection, the admission procedures, take time. The capacities of the universities, i.e. support by teaching staff or premises, are limited, says WU-Vice Rector for Teaching and Students, Margarethe Rammerstorfer: “This year there are 10,000 applicants for our three bachelor’s programs. However, fewer than 4,000 will be accepted.” The big entrance exam for medical studies took place just yesterday. 12,000 candidates are vying for 1,900 places.
The situation is similar with the Universities of Applied Sciences which are also “funded by university places”, it says in a official statement of the FH Technikum Vienna. Lots of applicants, not nearly as many places. The logical consequence is entrance tests – the organisation and evaluation of which, however, is time-consuming.
According to Margarethe Rammerstorfer, these tests ensure that students do not only recognize their suitability after they have started their studies, thus saving them time. And: “The applicants get a deeper insight into the course content and can better judge whether the chosen course meets their own expectations,” says Evelyn Süss-StepancikVice Rector for Teaching and International Affairs, FH Campus Vienna.
Preparing for the Entrance exams often takes months. Some people prepare for the MedAT, for example, for a whole year. Because, with the high demand, the examination requirements also increase, explains Michael Ungerentrance exam expert and founder of the information platform “aufnahmepruefung.at”. “In a long-term comparison, the number of courses that require an entrance exam has grown significantly. Up until the 1980s, it was only artistic studies and sports science that required an aptitude test. In the 2000s and 2010s, more and more university courses gradually became subject to access restrictions.”
The Test contents. “Nowadays, in almost all fields of study, there is a considerable amount of material to learn and a cognitive performance test to pass. So a kind of intelligence test and text comprehension test.”
Long evaluation time
The Evaluation of these tests. The MedUni, for example, takes four weeks for the MedAT. “What takes longer is the quality assurance. We check whether all the forms have been signed or whether markings have been overlooked or added by mistake. To do this, we scan the forms a second, if not a third time,” says Punter.
“Sometimes we also get in touch with the test developers and question authors if supposedly incorrect answer options have been chosen particularly often, in order to check whether the answer is actually wrong. Only then do we publish the results.” At the FH Campus Vienna, too, an admissions process can take several weeks, for example for the physiotherapy course: “This period of time is necessary to ensure a careful and fair assessment of all examination results,” says Evelyn Süss-Stepancik.
These necessary waiting times are Examination dateselection, as the experts explain. Joachim Fritz Punter says: “The MedAT is traditionally held shortly after the Matura. We always look for the earliest date, otherwise it would be difficult to Permit and organization is tight. Especially when students have to move. Arranging accommodation in three weeks would be a lot.”
At WU, the deadlines for the admission procedures, for example for the three bachelor’s programs, are set so that interested students can take part in all three procedures: “We have different admission procedures depending on the bachelor’s degree. The international program, for example, takes place earlier because applicants need to know earlier whether they will get a place in order to apply for a visa,” says Margarethe Rammerstorfer.
The Bachelor’s degree in Health and Nursing at the FH Campus Vienna starts twice a year. In both the summer and winter semesters. This means that Application twice a year, says Süss-Stepancik.
- Family allowance: Unfortunately, failing entrance exams not only leads to disappointment, but also possible financial losses in social benefits and insurance. There is good news for family allowance: “After completing school, family allowance will automatically continue to be paid to adult children for four months” – and this regardless of whether they then complete vocational training, according to the Ministry of Family Affairs. If you graduate in June 2024, for example, family allowance will be paid until October 2024. If you complete vocational training (e.g. a degree course) or do voluntary work (e.g. a voluntary social year), you are entitled to family allowance up to the child’s 24th birthday if you meet the requirements. Although the Federal Army and community service interrupt the entitlement to family allowance, the age limit is extended until the child turns 25.
- Insurance: The situation is similar with co-insurance. This applies until the student turns 27, “as long as they are in school or vocational training that requires the majority of their working capacity and they receive family allowance,” according to the AK Vienna. If they do not receive family allowance, they must pursue their studies “seriously and purposefully.” This means that they must achieve 16 ECTS credits or eight semester hours per week per year. Immediately after turning 18 or after completing school or vocational training, co-insurance remains possible for 24 months. So if you are not accepted into a university, you will continue to be co-insured with your parents – as long as you are unemployed. However, you must inform your health insurance provider about this.
Plan A, B, C
But how do young people deal with so much idle time and downtime? “Many Graduates have a plan A, B and C,” says Michael Unger. And that makes sense. “At the universities of applied sciences, there is a real entrance test tourism because each university has its own procedure and you can therefore take the exam in several cities to have several chances” – and thus do not have to wait months for the second attempt.
One reason why Elena P. is interested in several Study places applied: “Even when I registered for my desired course of study, I had a plan B. You are advised to assume that it won’t work out,” says Elena P.
(Not binding
Driving on multiple tracks is made possible by the digitalization the application process is simplified, such as official statement from the FH Technikum WienBecause tests often take place online. “In addition, applicants tend to take more time to decide on a place to study,” it says. So-called “No Shows“ of new students who have already been admitted and then do not show up in the autumn used to be isolated cases, but are now becoming more frequent.
The reason for this is also that applicants have to apply to several universities in order to ultimately get a place anywhere. The FH Technikum Wien sees it from the other side: “Young people today have a large, often almost incomprehensible choice in the education sector, and are hesitant to make a binding decision on a particular course of study.”
Sooner or later: To Wait Deadlines, exam results and the start of university are inevitable. Both Elena P. and Nico F. are still anxiously holding on to their Email mailboxes Look out for acceptances or rejections – with Plan B (and C) to back you up.