The University of Innsbruck has its origin in a Jesuit grammar school founded in Innsbruck in 1562 by Peter Canisius and financed by the salt mines of Hall in Tirol. Emperor Leopold I re-chartered it as a university on 15 October 1669, with four faculties. In 1782 it was reduced to a lyceum, and Emperor Franz I re-established it as a university in 1826. Its official name, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, honours both founders.
In March 1941, during the Nazi era, it was renamed Deutsche Alpenuniversität, and it reopened in 1945 as the University of Innsbruck. The Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture was created in 1969, the Faculty of Humanities and Social and Economic Sciences in 1976, and the School of Education in 2012. In 2004 the Faculty of Medicine became a separate university.
The university is an urban institution, with buildings spread across Innsbruck and no single campus. In May 2022 it had 28,106 students. More than 4,000 students start a new degree programme each year, and about the same number graduate. It counted 3,966 faculty members, including about 300 professors, and 1,607 administrative staff.
It has 16 faculties and schools. They include Architecture, Biology, Catholic Theology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Economics and Statistics, Education, Technical Sciences, Geography and Atmospheric Sciences, two faculties of Humanities, Law, Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, Psychology and Sports Science, the School of Political Sciences and Sociology, the School of Management and the School of Education.
Anton Zeilinger received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2022, and Victor Franz Hess in 1936. Hans Fischer received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1930, Adolf Windaus in 1928 and Fritz Pregl in 1923. Alexander van der Bellen, President of Austria, Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency, and the journalist Armin Wolf are among the people linked to the university. Christoph Probst, a medical student and member of the White Rose resistance, studied there. Tuition for most students from the European Union is low. Check the current tariff. Teaching is mainly in German.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Sixteen faculties and schools across the city, and exchange agreements with universities worldwide.
Research:
Quantum physics, mathematics, computer science, chemistry and pharmacy, biology, geography and atmospheric sciences, engineering, humanities, law and economics.
Famous Alumnis:
Anton Zeilinger, Victor Franz Hess, Alexander van der Bellen, Josef Aschbacher, Christoph Probst
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
5573
Current students***:
28106
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Alpine setting, historic university with a Nobel laureate in physics, broad faculties, compact city with mountain access.
Cons
Buildings spread across the city, courses mostly in German, tourist-season housing costs.
Best For
Students who want a historic Alpine university with strong physics, mathematics and sciences.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
On content, University of Vienna and this university are close, as both teach chemistry, statistics and physics; it is far larger, with about 85,243 students against roughly 28,106 here, and is also a public institution.
For students who like the chemistry, physics and mathematics focus of this university but want another option nearby, TU Wien fits well: it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
The comparison with Medical University of Vienna is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on statistics and life sciences, and it is far smaller, with about 8,000 students against roughly 28,106 here, and is also a public institution.
Also strong in life sciences, Medical University of Graz makes a sensible second look at home; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Looking internationally, University of Valencia in Spain is where chemistry, statistics and physics get a comparable treatment; it covers finance and microbiology and genetics as well, and is larger, enrolling about 55,000 students against roughly 28,106 here.
University of Barcelona, in Spain, takes a similar route through chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers finance and microbiology and genetics as well.
For chemistry, statistics and physics outside the home country, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf in Germany is a natural reference; it covers finance and microbiology and genetics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 36,569 students against roughly 28,106 here.
Masaryk University in the Czech Republic pursues a similar profile in chemistry, statistics and physics, and it covers software engineering as well, and is slightly larger, at about 35,115 students against roughly 28,106 here.
In Italy, University of Turin teaches much the same core subjects, chemistry, statistics and physics, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers finance and agriculture as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Innsbruck?
In Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria, with buildings spread across the city.
When was it founded as a university?
On 15 October 1669, by Emperor Leopold I, from a Jesuit school of 1562.
Why is it called Leopold-Franzens-Universität?
The name honours Emperor Leopold I and Emperor Franz I, who re-established it in 1826.
When did the Faculty of Medicine become a separate university?
In 2004.
How many students does it have?
28,106 in May 2022.
How many faculties and schools are there?
Sixteen.
Which physics laureates are linked to it?
Anton Zeilinger in 2022 and Victor Franz Hess in 1936.
Which chemistry laureates are linked to it?
Hans Fischer in 1930, Adolf Windaus in 1928 and Fritz Pregl in 1923.
Which leaders studied there?
Alexander van der Bellen, President of Austria, among others.
What does it cost?
Tuition for most students from the European Union is low. Check the current tariff.
Biology, Chemistry, Innovation, Physics, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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