Architecture and Planning, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Sciences, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Mathematics and Geoinformation, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Physics
TU Wien, the Vienna University of Technology, was founded on 6 November 1815 by Emperor Francis I of Austria as the k.k. Polytechnisches Institut. Johann Joseph von Prechtl was its first rector, and the university library dates from the same year. The institute became a Technische Hochschule in 1872. In 1975 it took its present name, Technische Universität Wien. Its motto is Technik für Menschen, technology for people.
The university is organised in eight faculties: Architecture and Planning, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Sciences, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Mathematics and Geoinformation, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and Physics. This range puts most of the engineering and natural science disciplines under one roof. Computer science is among the best known profiles of the house, next to the classical engineering fields. Architecture and planning keep a place of their own, a reminder of the polytechnic tradition.
The student body counts 26,654 people according to the 2021 figure, and the main text of the public record speaks of about 28,100, with women making up 29 percent. The staff numbers about 5,000 people, of whom some 3,800 are academics. The administrative staff counted 1,271 in 2020. The university sits at the Karlsplatz in the centre of Vienna, with the cultural and economic life of the Austrian capital at its door.
The list of people linked to TU Wien is long. Christian Andreas Doppler, who gave his name to the Doppler effect, belongs to it. Viktor Kaplan invented the turbine that carries his name. Paul Eisler is known for the printed circuit, and Heinz Zemanek was a pioneer of computing. Ingeborg Hochmair developed the first microelectronic multi-channel cochlear implant. The physicist Ferenc Krausz received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023. Ferdinand Piëch, long the chairman of the supervisory board of the Volkswagen Group, and the geophysicist and civil engineer Milutin Milanković are also on the list.
For a student, the profile is clear. The degrees follow the bachelor, master and doctorate structure, and the faculties cover most of what a technical education needs, from structures and machines to software and materials. Applicants should check the language and the entry conditions of each programme on the official pages before applying. Fees depend on the status of the student. Check the current tariff. The university presents itself as a place where technology serves people, and its record in teaching and research gives that claim weight.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Eight faculties covering engineering and natural sciences, in the centre of Vienna close to the Karlsplatz.
Research:
Computer science, engineering, architecture and planning, chemistry, physics, mathematics and geoinformation.
Famous Alumnis:
Christian Doppler, Viktor Kaplan, Paul Eisler, Heinz Zemanek, Ingeborg Hochmair, Ferenc Krausz, Ferdinand Piëch, Milutin Milanković
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
5000
Current students***:
26654
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Austria’s leading technical university, eight faculties, central Vienna location, strong computer science, a Nobel laureate in physics linked to it.
Cons
Large student body, competitive technical programmes, cost of living in Vienna, German needed for some programmes.
Best For
Students who want a broad engineering and computer science education in a major European capital.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Among national alternatives, University of Innsbruck stands out for its focus on chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it covers statistics and ecology and sustainability as well, and has almost the same size, at about 28,106 students.
Think of University of Vienna when chemistry, physics and mathematics is the priority: it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers finance and microbiology and genetics as well.
Another national school that puts wien, vienna and european at the centre is Medical University of Vienna, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers bioinformatics and microbiology and genetics as well.
A good alternative in the same country is Medical University of Graz, which likewise covers want; it covers bioinformatics and microbiology and genetics as well, and is far smaller, with about 5,110 students against roughly 26,654 here.
Where this institution leans on chemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck does the same, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers bioinformatics and microbiology and genetics as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Guangzhou University, in China, takes a similar route through civil engineering, chemistry and mathematics; it is slightly larger, at about 34,000 students against roughly 26,654 here, and is also a public institution.
Students considering a move abroad can look at University of Belgrade in Serbia, where civil engineering, chemistry and physics also form the core, and it covers life sciences as well, and is far larger, with about 94,425 students against roughly 26,654 here.
The closest overseas parallel on civil engineering, chemistry and physics is University of Tehran, located in Iran; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Looking internationally, Dresden University of Technology in Germany is where civil engineering, chemistry and physics get a comparable treatment; it covers materials and life sciences as well, and has almost the same size, at about 29,000 students.
King Saud University in Saudi Arabia is the nearest foreign match on civil engineering, chemistry and physics; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers agriculture and life sciences 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 TU Wien?
At Karlsplatz 13, in the centre of Vienna, Austria.
When was it founded?
On 6 November 1815, by Emperor Francis I of Austria.
What was its first name?
k.k. Polytechnisches Institut.
Since when is it called Technische Universität Wien?
Since 1975. It was a Technische Hochschule from 1872.
How many faculties are there?
Eight.
What is its motto?
Technik für Menschen, technology for people.
How many students does it have?
26,654 according to the 2021 figure.
Who invented the Kaplan turbine?
Viktor Kaplan, who is linked to the university.
Which Nobel laureate is linked to it?
Ferenc Krausz, Nobel Prize in Physics 2023.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on the status of the student. Check the current tariff.
Architecture, Engineering, 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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