Recognition and Evaluation of Foreign Degrees

The federal law on the simplification of procedures for the recognition and evaluation of foreign education and training degrees (Anerkennungs- und Bewertungsgesetz, BGBl. I Nr. 55/2016, short AuBG) requires Statistics Austria to publish a yearly statistic on those procedures beginning with the reporting period 2016/17.

Since the first reporting period 2016/17 28 125 people gained (at least one) recognition or evaluation of their foreign education or training degree(s). Almost Two-thirds of them (16 904) were female, reflecting the yearly proportion of women gaining (at least one) recognition or evaluation of their foreign degree. With 54% the majority of people gained a recognition or evaluation on an academic level. On average 37.1% of granted recognitions or evaluations fell into the field “health and welfare”.

In the reporting period 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020 9 587 applications for recognition or evaluation were submitted with the responsible authorities. (One person can hand in multiple applications for different degrees and therefore be counted multiple times regarding the applications count). The majority of applications were handed in at federal ministries with a share of 75.6%.  6 922 applications were successfully completed and 679 were unsuccessfully completed. The addition of successful and unsuccessful applications does not reflect the total of handed in applications. This is due to a number of reasons. Applications do not have to be finished in the same reporting period. If compensation exams are necessary to successfully complete the process of recognition, in some cases applicants can take several years to finish them. Also applicants are allowed to withdraw their application or they may decide to not further pursue recognition.

6 791 people gained (at least one) recognition or evaluation of their foreign education or training degree(s) in the period from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020. Thereof were 2 489 male and 4 302 female. With 38.8% the biggest share fell into the ISCED-Field “health and welfare”, followed by “engineering, manufacturing and construction” with 16.1% and 12.9% for “business, administration and law”. More than half of the persons (55.6%) gained a recognition or evaluation on an academic level.

In the reporting period 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2019 10 377 applications for recognition or evaluation were submitted. 7 440 people gained (at least one) recognition or evaluation of their foreign education or training degree(s). Thereof were 2 898 male and 4 542 female. With 39.2% the biggest share fell into the field “health and welfare”.

In the reporting period 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018 9 405 applications for recognition or evaluation were submitted. 7 034 people gained (at least one) recognition or evaluation of their foreign education or training degree(s). Thereof were 2 930 male and 4 104 female. With 37.3% the biggest share fell into the field “health and welfare”.

In the reporting period 1 October 2016 to 30 September  2017 9 597 applications for recognition or evaluation were submitted. 6 615 people gained (at least one) recognition or evaluation of their foreign education or training degree(s). Thereof were 2 901 male and 3 714 female. With 33.8% the biggest share fell into the field “health and welfare”.

Please consult our German website for tables containing further information.

Times series Recognition and Evaluation of Foreign Degrees

Time series persons by level, reporting period and sex
Time series persons by ISCED field, reporting period and sex
Time series persons by level, country of education (grouped) and reporting period
Time series persons by recognition or evaluation, ISCED field and reporting period

Recognition and Evaluation of Foreign Degrees (1.10.2019 to 30.09.2020)

Applications for recognitions and evaluations by responsible authorities 2019/20
Persons by level, federal province and sex 2019/20

Recognition and Evaluation of Foreign Degrees (1.10.2018 to 30.09.2019)

Applications for recognitions and evaluations by responsible authorities 2018/19
Persons by level, federal province and sex 2018/19


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