Frequently asked questions

• Aging Services Management | Bachelor’s degree
• Business Administration and Psychology | Bachelor’s degree
• Business Administration and Psychology | Master’s degree
• Business Informatics | Bachelor’s degree
• Information technology | Master’s degree
• Digital Health management | Master's degree

More information on the individual distance learning programme...

The number of places varies depending on the degree programme:

• Aging Services Management | Bachelor: 35 study places
• Business Administration and Psychology | Bachelor: 65 study places
• Business Administration and Psychology | Master: 45 study places
• Business Informatics | Bachelor: 90 study places
• Information technology | Master: 55 study places
• Digital Health management | Master: 20 study places

Distance learning consists of 3 on-campus sessions (2 days each, Friday and Saturday) and two self-defined distance learning phases. The on-campus sessions take place in Wiener Neustadt. During the distance learning phases, you will work independently or in small groups via the Online Campus. With our Online Campus, you can access courses and learning materials any time, anywhere. There are also forums, video conferences and online consultation hours for personal exchanges with lecturers and fellow students.

To be honest: Studying – even in a distance learning format – is no walk in the park. But more than three-quarters of our students manage it alongside full-time jobs. You should expect to dedicate an average of 15–25 hours per week to your studies.

The good news is that studying with us won’t break the bank. We are a "normal" federally funded study program, and the cost per semester is only €363.36, plus an Austrian Student Union (ÖH) fee of about €25. This amounts to roughly €2 per day over the course of a year. Study materials are provided free of charge, though purchasing the occasional book might be helpful. If you don’t already have a laptop or computer or internet access, you’ll need to arrange for that before starting the program. While that’s an additional expense, chances are you already have these essentials.

To study at the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH, you need the following working materials:

• PC or Notebook
• Current internet browser (Chromium e.g. Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge)
• Stable internet connection
• Webcam
• Microphone
• Possibility to scan (Smartphone with operating system Android/iOS or scanner)
• Optional Printer

The workload corresponds to that of a full-time program (approximately 750 hours per semester). This means a significant weekly time commitment for students, especially alongside employment. However, students and alumni emphasize that deadlines and schedules for learning tasks and assessments are communicated very early in the semester and described in detail. This allows for adequate planning and makes completing the program part-time very manageable despite the high workload.

No, for us, "distance learning" means much more than just reading something aloud, and there are very few online lectures. We meet twice a semester on-site in Wiener Neustadt, where faculty and students exchange ideas in the lecture hall. During the semester, there may also be online meetings, but these are more like Q&A sessions rather than lectures. The rest of the time, you work independently and on your own schedule with the course material. This includes reading materials and smaller or larger assignments that help you (and your instructors) determine whether you've understood everything.

Attendance is generally mandatory for all courses (introductory lectures, exams, workshops) during the attendance phases, unless otherwise specified. This also applies accordingly to online events that take place during an attendance phase.

No, whether an attendance weekend takes place on-site or online depends on the content and will be announced in a timely manner.

Degree programmes always commence in the autumn semester (September). The exact date varies depending on the degree programme. Entry at other times is not anticipated due to the predefined curriculum and the consecutive curriculum.

Since the program is offered exclusively on a part-time basis, employment is desired at the latest by the start of the program. If you are currently job-seeking or not employed, a confirmation from the AMS (Austrian Public Employment Service) is also sufficient.

You will find the current dates under the individual degree programmes and the event overview.

Registration is generally not required. To participate online, however, you will need an Internet connection and a headset. Please always pay attention to the notes for the individual events.

Yes, if you have a relevant professional qualification (plus additional examinations). Further details on the subject of studying without a general university entranee qualification...

Most of the documents for the courses are provided free of charge in the form of e-books or printouts.

Yes, this requires detailed proof of relevant activities. The work placement referred to in the curriculum can then be waived upon application.

In general, yes, if course certificates (from recognised post-secondary educational institutions) correspond exactly in content and scope to the relevant course descriptions for the curriculum.

The programme director will decide whether to recognise previously achieved qualifications. AFTER positive acceptance, an application for crediting individual courses of the current semester can be submitted at the beginning of each semester.

Where can I get more information about the Bachelor's degree programme or where can I ask questions?

You can find information about the Bachelor's degree programme in

the info package - programme folder, programme dates, curriculum.
the online information evening - information evening dates can be found in our calendar of events, or you can watch the recording of our information evening on 03.12.2024.  
Personal contact: If you have any questions, please contact the degree programme assistant Eva Plasch, e-mail: eva.plasch(at)fernfh.ac.at, telephone: +43 664 88908401.

What is the next step once I have applied? 

As soon as we have received all the documents, you will receive the access data for the ASBA admission procedure course. The admission procedure includes an online aptitude test and an admission interview via MS Teams. The learning materials (PDF, online and audiobook) for the aptitude test are available in the course room. To give you a good insight into the online campus and the course rooms, we have organised the preparation course for the admission procedure in a similar way to our courses in the degree programme. 

• How much work can I expect to do per week for the programme?

​​​​​​​The workload corresponds to that of a full-time degree programme (approx. 750 hours per semester). This means a not inconsiderable amount of time per week for students, especially alongside a professional activity. However, students and alumni report that the periods and deadlines for learning tasks and performance assessments are communicated and described in detail very early in the semester, which makes it easy to work on the course content in an appropriate amount of time and that the degree programme is very feasible despite the high workload.

What are my chances of being accepted?

We are the largest Business Informatics Bachelor's degree programme in Austria and have a relatively high number of places. If you really want to do this degree programme, there is a very good chance that we will be able to offer you a place. As a rule, even a place on the waiting list during the admissions process means that you will receive a definite acceptance in good time before the start of the programme due to cancellations from applicants who then change their mind.

• How do I find out whether I fulfil the requirements in the core subjects (Health Sciences/Public Health, Project and Process Management, Informatics, Digital Transformation and eHealth)?

We will check whether you fulfil the requirements in the core subjects when we review your application documents. For this we need a detailed curriculum of your previous studies.

• What can I do if I do not fulfil the requirements in the core subjects?

We offer online courses that you can use to work through the missing prerequisites in the core subjects on your own. These courses are available to you after your application and before you start your degree programme, so that you can start optimally prepared.

Do I already have to have programming skills?
It would be advantageous, but not essential.

I don't have a degree in computer science, business informatics or a similar subject. Can I still apply?
In principle, relevant specialist knowledge is a prerequisite for admission. However, suitability is assessed individually on the basis of the curriculum submitted. In some cases, admission with conditions is also possible. Simply apply so that we can check your requirements in detail!

I have not yet completed my Bachelor's degree. Can I still apply?
Yes, but you must provide proof of your Bachelor's degree by the end of October at the latest.

The application period varies depending on the degree programme; details are available on the relevant degree programme page:

• Aging Services Management | Bachelor’s degree
• Business Administration and Psychology | Bachelor’s degree
• Business Administration and Psychology | Master’s degree
• Business Informatics | Bachelor’s degree
• Information technology  | Master’s degree
• Digital Health management | Master's degree

Applications received after this date can only be considered if there are available places.

The following documents must be uploaded when applying online:

1. Birth certificate
2. Matriculation and final examination certificate from your last school year, or
3. General university entrance qualification certificate, university entrance examination certificate, certificate of vocational intermediate secondary education or apprenticeship certificate
4. Diploma certificate, bachelor degree examination certificate and collective certificate of previous university studies (for application to a master degree programme)
5. Proof of citizenship
6. Curriculum vitae
7. Confirmation of current employment
8. Letter of motivation
9. One digital passport photo (700x900 pixels, file format: JPG, number of colours: 16.7 million (24-bit), file size: 50 to 150 Kbyte)
10. Any name change documents, etc.
11. Other certificates (e.g. university, university of applied sciences)

You must fulfil one of the following requirements for a Bachelor's degree course at FERNFH:

• general university entrance qualification / vocational entrance qualification / university entrance qualification examination 
• relevant professional experience plus additional examination (completed training in an apprenticeship or a three-year vocational secondary school or a three-year diploma programme) - there is a free online preparation course for the additional examinations and the examinations are also free of charge.

You can find detailed information on the requirements here.

Detailed information on the admission requirements for a master’s degree at Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH is available here.

Information on admission to the MA in Business Administration and Psychology
(only available in German)

Information on admission to the MA in Information Technology (only available in German)

The entrance procedure is structured differently in the individual degree programmes. All of them start with your personal online application.

Details on the individual entrance procedures for the degree programmes...

Admission interview times vary depending on the degree programme in question. Information on the degree programme dates is available on the course pages or will be sent out by the degree programmes upon receipt of the application.

No! The ECTS required in accordance with the accredited application may also come from incomplete training courses.
However, the ECTS must have been completed at a recognised national or foreign post-secondary educational institution which is considered to offer general university entrance qualifications and which is recognised as a post-secondary educational institution under the legislation of the country in which it is registered. Training institutes, etc. are not included.

In principle, yes. However, you would then only be accepted conditionally and you would have to submit all the necessary proof at the latest by the time you commence your studies.

At an educational institution which is considered to offer general university entrance qualifications and which is recognised as a post-secondary educational institution under the legislation of the country in which it is registered.
The bmwfw website (information only available in German) provides an up-to-date list of post-secondary educational institutions:
I. Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences
  1. Public Universities
  2. Private Universities
  3. Universities of Applied Sciences
  4. University Colleges of Education
  5. Schools of Theology
  6. Institute of Science and Technology Austria
II. Colleges
  7. Academies for Midwifery
  8. Clinical Technical Academies
  9. Military Academies
  10. School of International Studies
III. Other
  11. Training Institutions for Psychotherapy
  12. Conservatories

No. According to the Human Resources Act §1 (Fed. Law Gazette 360/1990), only people who have completed one of the studies listed there are entitled to use the professional title “Psychologist”. Successful completion of the degree programme “Business Administration and Psychology” does not entitle the student to use the title “Psychologist” or “Business Psychologist”.

At FernFH, you can study on certificate programmes, diploma programmes, one MBA programme and one MSc programme:

• Certificate programmes
  • Evaluation in the Health, Social and Education Sector
  • NPO Management Basic
• Diploma programmes
  • NPO Management Advanced
• Degree programmes
  • International CSR Management | MBA

Executive education programmes at FERNFH involve a few days of on-campus sessions and self-defined distance learning phases. Please see the specific programme page for exact details of how it is structured.

All programme dates, such as when it starts and the dates of on-campus sessions, are displayed on the Academic calendar on the programme page.

You can find all the dates for the on-campus sessions on the specific programme page under “Executive education”.

You can find the specific programme costs on the information pages for the programmes.

You will find the current dates under the event overview on the specific programme page.

Registration is generally not required. To participate online, however, you will need an internet connection and a headset. Please always pay attention to the notes for the individual events.

Detailed information about the admission requirements for programmes at Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH is available here.

The entrance procedures usually follow different structures, but all of them start with your personal online application.

Details of the specific entrance procedures for programmes...