The survey has been conducted regularly in Austria since the 1970s. The most recent survey was carried out during the summer semester of 2025 by IHS on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research (BMFWF). The findings of this national survey are integrated into and analyzed within the framework of the EUROSTUDENT project, allowing for international comparisons across numerous countries.
Diverse Living and Study Conditions
Students constitute a highly heterogeneous group. Approximately one-fifth of students are over the age of 30; this demographic is more likely to have parents without a academic background and more frequently enters higher education via non-traditional pathways or after a period of delay.
Furthermore, just over a quarter of students completed their schooling abroad, categorizing them as international students. Among domestic first-year students, 54 percent are "first-generation students," meaning that their parents did not attend higher education. However, a comparison with the educational attainment of the general population indicates that the likelihood of pursuing a degree remains heavily dependent on parental educational background.
A focus of the report is the financial status of the student population. The proportion of students reporting financial difficulties has decreased to an average of 25% (down from 29% in 2023). While this is a positive trend, older students remain particularly affected, and the figure remains above pre-pandemic and pre-inflationary levels. Furthermore, between 2015 and 2025, housing costs rose by approximately 50%. On average, housing now accounts for 38% of a student’s total budget. Students with lower overall budgets are disproportionately affected, as they must allocate a significantly higher percentage of their available funds to housing.
The full report is now available for download via the IHS Repository (IRIHS).