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:General FAQs 

General FAQs

Degrees offered  
  • PhD Computational X
  • PhD Digital Transformation in Learning 
  • Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Computing 
  • Designing Interactions
  • Digital Earth, Society, and Networks 
  • Digital Humanities, Health, and Life Sciences
  • Future Industries   
  •  Bachelor’s degrees are currently in development. 
  •  Certificate, continuing education, and professional programs are slated to be added in the future. 
  • To be the first to learn about new course offerings, join our mailing list! 
Which academic title will I earn after I complete my degree?
  • PhD in Computational X or Digital Transformation in Learning = PhD
  • Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Computing = MSc 
Do you accept applicants with a non-tech background? 
  • Yes! We welcome applicants from a variety of backgrounds. If you’re curious, motivated by hands-on learning, and ready to connect ideas across a variety of fields, IT:U is the place for you, regardless of what you’ve studied in the past.
  • When applying at the master’s level, applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree (equivalent to minimum 180 ECTS).  
  • When applying at the PhD level, applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree (equivalent to a minimum total of 300 ECTS).  
  • IT:U’s motto is “Come as you are.” We value and promote diversity in our team. Everyone is encouraged to realize their full potential, realize ideas and seize opportunities. Regardless of age, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or origin, we welcome applications from all people equally. 
I’m interested in distance/remote learning options
  • At this time, IT:U’s degree programs are held on-site in Linz. 
  • Due to IT:U’s project-based learning and Learn Labs concept, it is necessary to be on-site for certain courses.
  • Individual courses may be held online or in a hybrid model at the discretion of individual professors, but it is currently not possible to complete degree programs remotely.
I’m interested in studying part-time 
  • At this time, IT:U only offers full-time degree programs. 
Tuition and fees 
  • At IT:U, we are proud to offer a tuition-free education for all students, regardless of country of origin.
  • Tuition fees totaling €600/semester may be incurred after the recommended duration of the degree program plus two tolerance semesters. 
  • All students are obligated to pay the “OeH Beitrag” (Austrian Student Union Fee) each semester. This fee is €25,20. 
Scholarships and funding 
  • Our scholarship programs are currently under development. More information will be shared as it becomes available. 
  • PhD positions are paid on a full-time (40 hr/week) basis.
  • PhDs receive a salary of € 3.714,80 (gross, 14x/year)
Curriculum
  • The curriculum for the Digital Transformation in Learning PhD program can be found here. 
  • The curriculum for the Computational X PhD program can be found here. 
  • The curriculum for the Interdisciplinary Computing master’s program is still being finalized and will be published on the website once it has been approved. A general overview of the program can be found on the program page. More information about IT:U’s project-based learning concept and our LearnLabs can be found here.  

Application FAQs 

How to apply 
  • Login to the relevant application portal 
  • Prepare required documents (see “Required documents”) 
  • Complete application 
  • Submit application 
  • Please ensure that you have fully completed the application and uploaded all required documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 
  • Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews. 
  • Please note that unsolicited applications received by email or post will not be considered. Only applications received via the application portal will be considered. 
I missed the deadline. Can I still apply? 
  • Unfortunately, we cannot accept late applications. However, we would invite you to apply during the next application cycle! 
Required documents – Master’s
  • CV (in English only)
  • Proof of ID (passport/national ID card and Austrian or other EU residency card, if applicable)
  • Academic certificates (Bachelor’s; in original language and English or German translation/legalized, if applicable)
  • Academic transcripts (Bachelor’s; in original language and English or German translation/legalized, if applicable)
  • Motivational letter (in English only, max. 1 page/approx. 500 words
  • PROMPT
  • Please tell us why you are motivated to study at IT:U, and which of the four specializations (Designing Interactions; Digital Earth, Society, and Networks; Digital Humanities, Health, and Life Sciences; Future Industries) you are interested in pursuing. Suprise us! If there’s anything else you think we should know about your background, identity, interests, or talents, you can include it here.
  • Link to digital media (in English only)
  • REQUIREMENTS
  • Must be 3-4 minutes in length. Submissions under 3 minutes or over 4 minutes will not be considered further.
  • Video or audio – must include an audio element (you speaking, text to voice, or AI generated voice over).
  • Tell us
  • A bit about who you are – your background and your future goals
  • What do you imagine to be the most interesting, challenging, and/or rewarding part of this program?
  • What is an industrial, societal, and/or global challenge that you are passionate about, and how will this program help you address this challenge?
  • Submit your video by uploading it to one of the following hosting sites and providing the link in the box below.
  • YouTube – public or “unlisted”
  • Google Drive – make sure to change the share settings from “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link”
  • WeChat – Post a video to your channel
  • RedNote – Post a video to your account
  • DropBox – make sure the share settings are set to “Anyone with this link can view”
  • If none of these options are accessible to you, please contact .
  • Note: If you do not provide a viewable link, your application will be marked as incomplete and will not be considered further.
  • IT:U aims to have a diverse body of students and works to actively support non-traditional and marginalized students. If there are any circumstances that may prevent you from the submission of the required digital media, contact us via and we will work together to find a solution for your case.
  • C1 level English
  • IT:U requires students to have minimum C1 level English as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Please scroll down to the Language certificates section for more information on how other language assessments compare to the CEFR. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview to assess English proficiency and fit with IT:U.
Required documents – PhD
  • Contact information of two references (professors, collaborators, managers, etc. We do not require letters of recommendation.)  
  • CV (in English) 
  • proof of ID (passport/national ID card and Austrian/EU residency card, if applicable) 
  • academic certificates (Bachelor’s and Master’s; in original language and English or German translation/legalized, if applicable) 
  • academic transcripts (Bachelor’s and Master’s; in original language and English or German translation/legalized, if applicable) 
  • max. 2 page motivational letter (in English, 2 pages/approx. 1000 words) 
  • English proficiency proof  
  • A certificate is recommended, but not required. CEFR C1 or equivalent English is required; shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview to assess English level and fit with IT:U. 
Do my documents need to be legalized for the application? 

  • PDF scans of the originals are sufficient for the application. Legalization is a requisite of enrollment, but it is not strictly required for application.  
  • If you were to be accepted, we would require legalized copies by the start of your intake semester in order to formally enroll you, as is required by Austrian law.  
  • We recommend that applicants begin the legalization process as soon as possible, as it can sometimes be a lengthy process. Legalization requirements vary by country. Please consult our Country Guide – Legalization for further information. 
  • Please note: If your documents have been previously legalized for a different EU country or a country with a bilateral educational mobility agreement with Austria, we can accept them without requiring further legalization in Austria. For example, if your documents require full diplomatic legalization, and they were legalized by the German embassy in order for you to study in Germany, we can accept your documents without requiring additional legalization by the Austrian embassy. 
Do my documents need to be translated?
  • If your documents were issued in English or German, or if your document was issued in multiple languages, wherein one of the languages is English or German, your documents do not need to be translated. 
  • In all other cases, IT:U requires translated copies as part of your application. If you do not have a certified/official translation available at the time of application, we accept unofficial translations, such as machine translations. Please note that a certified translation will be required as a condition of admission.  
My bachelor’s or master’s is still in progress at the time of application. Can I still apply?
  •  Yes, if your degree is in progress and will be completed with the degree certificate and final transcripts issued by September (for Winter Semester start) or February (for Summer Semester start), we would encourage you to apply. 
  • You may upload your most recent transcripts and/or bachelor’s diploma in the relevant boxes as placeholders. 
References 
  • PhD applicants should provide the contact information of 2 references. 
  • References could include, but are not limited to, master’s thesis supervisors, professors, and collaborators.  
  • Have you been out of the academic world for a while and you’re worried you have no current academic references? We will also gladly accept references from managers, colleagues, and professional collaborators. 
  • Please note that letters of recommendation are not required.
  • References are not required for master’s applicants.  
Language certificates 
  • IT:U’s working language is English and courses are taught in English. 
  • C1 level English (or equivalent) is required for admission. 
  • Please consult the table below for widely recognized English exams and how their scores compare to C1.
EXAM/FRAMEWORKMINIMUM SCORE
CEFR C1 
UNICERTIII 
PEARSON PTE ACADEMIC76
CAMBRIDGE180
LANGUAGECERT75
TRINITY COLLEGE LONDON INTEGRATED SKILLS IN ENGLISH (ISE) PAPERISE III 
TRINITY COLLEGE LONDON INTEGRATED SKILLS IN ENGLISH (ISE) DIGITAL105
IELTS7.0
TOEFL ESSENTIALS10
TOEFL IBT95
TOEIC (LISTENING & READING)945
TOEIC (SPEAKING & WRITING)360
OTHER– Native English speaker 
– Bachelor’s/Master’s degree taught in English 
– Certificate issued by a university language
center at a university in the EU, EEA or Switzerland 
– An IB diploma awarded in accordance with the rules of the “International Baccalaureate Organization” with English as either Language A with a minimum grade of 6 OR Language B with a minimum grade of 7.
– Passing grade in English on the school-leaving certificate (such as a “Matura” or “Abitur”) issued by an educational institution recognized in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland 
  • Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview, which will assess English proficiency and fit with IT:U.
  • We do not require proof of German proficiency. 
When will I hear back about my application? 
  • The Program Committee aims to be as timely as possible when processing applications. However, we ask for your patience and understanding as we process applications. All applicants will be notified of their status once the Program Committee has completed their review. 
What is the application timeline? 
  • Application opens 
  • Applications are reviewed by the Student Administration Team on a rolling basis to assess application eligibility  
  • Applications are passed on to the Program Committee 
  • Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview 
  • Applicants will be notified of their status 
  • Programs will start in October (Winter Semester) or March (Summer Semester) 
How will my application be evaluated?
Admissions Procedure
Entrance examinations 
  • In general, an entrance examination is not required. 
  • In exceptional circumstances, as reviewed by the President on an individual, case-by-case basis, an entrance examination could be required. 
I have already completed some master’s or PhD courses and would like to have my credits transferred/recognized at IT:U. 

Student Support 

Visa support 
I have questions about life in Linz 

Formal requirements for academic certificates and transcripts: