We collected some questions we get asked often as well as offers of the university for you here. You can view the included information by clicking on the corresponding topic, then your question.

Where can I find psychological support?

During the course of their studies, many students struggle with mental health problems. Regardless of whether this is for study-related or personal reasons, the University of Vienna and the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH) offer support to help anyone that is struggling. The ÖH has several services to support you in case of difficulties. You can find the helpline, where you can get advice anonymously over the phone, as well as further information on the ÖH Helpline website. You can also contact the Psychological Student Counselling Service (Psychologische Studierendenberatung), which, like the ÖH counselling centres, is responsible for helping with various problems. Here, too, everything is treated confidentially; you can find more detailed information on the website of the Psychological Student Counselling Service.

Where can I get help, advice and guidance?

Recognition of courses and exams website of the SSC. If you have specific questions ("Can I get course X recognized for course Y"), you can ask the corresponding (vice-) Director of studies.

You can find some information on the

Admission admission website. If you have any specific questions, you can ask via the admission office contact form.

Information on the admission procedure is available on the

Legal matters Bipol website. They might also be able to help you with other legal matters regarding your life as a student, for example bad landlords.

The Austrian Students’ Union’s Department of Education and Politics (german: Referat für Bildung und Politik, Bipol) can support you in matters of study law, e.g. if you have concerns about an examination or assessment that has not gone correctly. You can then contact the Bipol team, who will advise you on how to proceed. In more difficult cases, the Bipol can also help you to contact the relevant departments at the university. You can find more information on the

Social and financial topics Sozref website.

The Austrian Students’ Union’s Department for social affairs (german: Referat für Soziales, Sozref) is there to help with social and financial matters, e.g. with scholarships, insurance, tuition fees and studying while working and/or caring for a child. They also have various brochures on those topics. You can find more information on the

Topics for international students and those looking to study abroad as well as issues with racism website of the Office for international Affairs.

The Austrian Students’ Union’s Office for international Affairs (german: Referat für internationale Angelegenheiten) is there for incoming students. They have lots of information about housing, study conditions, necessary permits and more. You can find more information on the

The Austrian Student’s Union’s Office for International students and Antiracism Work (german: Referat für internationale Studierende und antirassistische Arbeit) has information regarding admission requirements and everything you might need as an international student looking to study in Vienna as well as other counseling options. They can inform about German or pre-study courses, scholarships, health insurance or student visas. You can find more information on the website of the Office for International students and Antiracism work. This Office is also the right place to go regarding racism.

You can find some information regarding student mobility on the website of the international office as well as on the SSC website, including contacts for questions specific to the Erasmus programme in mathematics. One of those contacts’ webpage , Prof. Bruins website on Erasmus, may also be the source for you.

Matters regarding accessibility and studying with barriers website of the Office for Accessibility.

The Austrian Students’ Union’s Office for Accessibility (german: Referat für Barrierefreiheit) is there to support neurodivergent, disabled, chronically and mentally ill students. They offer counselling and work to get rid of barriers at our university. You can find more information on the

You can also find more information on the website for accessible studying of the University of Vienna.

LGBTQIA* and/or FLINTA* topics as well as issues with sexism, homophobia, biphobia or transphobia website of the Office for Queer Affairs.

The Austrian Students’ Union’s Office for Queer Affairs (german: Referat für queere Angelegenheiten, Queerref) can advise you on queer topics and also works to create more acceptance and support. You can find more information on the

The Austrian Students’ Union’s Feminist Office focuses on supporting students affected by sexism while being FLINTA*-inclusive. You can find more information on the website of the Feminist Office.

Both of these Offices work together to look after the funding pot for queer feminist young scientists.

What if I don't know exactly where to go? contact us and we can forward you to the appropriate source.

Not a problem! We can help with that. Just

Names and terms - What does "XY" mean?

What is a Curriculum? SSC website under the entry for your degree programme.

The Curriculum defines the strucure of your degree programme and contains descriptions of all the courses you have to complete, usually alongside a recommended study path. You can find it on the

Was is the students' union fee? u:space under "Financial matters". If you do not pay the fee on time (by 31 October in the winter semester and by 31 March in the summer semester), you will be exmatriculated and therefore excluded from your studies. You are only able to resume your studies one semester later.

The students’ union fee is a certain amount of money you have to transfer to the university before each semester. You can find the exact amount, the deadline and instructions on how to transfer the money on

What does "validating your u:card" mean?

After you have paid the students’ union fee (and any other fees if need be), you can validate your u:card. The “admitted until” section will then be updated and you are able to prove that you are studying for another semester. You can find the terminals for validating your u:card in the faculty building on the ground floor next to the staircase (one on the left and one on the right).

What are ECTS points?

ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer System, a system used throughout Europe to measure the workload of courses. One ECTS point should correspond to 25 hours of work. You receive a certain number of ECTS points for completed courses, which show you approximately how much time you need to plan for them.

What is a StEOP?

The Introductory and orientation period (german: Studieneingangs- und Orientierungsphase, StEOP) consists of several courses that should be taken at the beginning of the degree programme. In the Bachelor of Science, the StEOP consists of one examination and one exercise. The Master of Science does not have a StEOP. The StEOP differs from the rest of the degree programme in that completion of the StEOP is a prerequisite for all subsequent courses. Students who have not completed the StEOP cannot register for other courses. The exceptions to this are “Analysis 1” and “Linear Algebra 1” as well as “Mathematical Programming”. You can register for these without having completed the StEOP, because they start immediately after the StEOP.

What is a SPL?

The Study programme directorate (german: Studienprogrammleitung, SPL) is the body responsible for the recognition of grades and/or previous courses. There is a study programme director and two deputy study programme directors. These three people share the responsibilities for the BSc, the MSc and the teacher training programme (BEd and MEd). If you would like to have a course credited to your degree programme, you should first write an email to the person that is responsible for your programme and clarify whether the credit can be transferred as planned.

What is the SSC? website of the SSC Mathematics.

The StudyServiceCenter Mathematics, SSC Mathematics for short, is the central point of contact for questions regarding the organisation of studies and study law regarding the mathematics study programmes. They are also the contact point for questions about course registrations and recognition. Here is the link to the

What is a "Prüfungseinsicht" (exam review)?

After an examination, you have the right to view your exam. If you think that your assessment was unfair, you can look at your corrected exam together with the teacher. Many teachers will give you a better grade at the exam review, so it often pays to go there.

What is the Bipol and what do they do? Bipol website.

The Austrian Students’ Union’s Department of Education and Politics (german: Referat für Bildung und Politik, Bipol) can support you in matters of study law, e.g. if you have concerns about an examination or assessment that has not gone correctly. You can then contact the Bipol team, who will advise you on how to proceed. In more difficult cases, the Bipol can also help you to contact the relevant departments at the university. You can find more information on the

Questions regarding your studies, courses and exams

I missed the course registration deadline - what now? ssc.mathematik@univie.ac.at you can explain your situation and ask for a late registration. Use your u:account email address for this email and include your matriculation number, the course number and the semester in which you want to take the course, then your request can usually be processed more quickly.

If you have missed the registration deadline for a course that you would like to attend, you still have the option of writing to the StudyServiceCenter (SSC). In an email to

Can I retake exams I already passed?

Yes, you can also retake the exams you passed. But be careful, you have to do it within a year of your first attempt and the newer grade counts. Also, the retry counts into your 4 attempts.

What happens if I fail an exam?

You have 4 attempts at writing (and passing) an exam. If you failed your exam, you can just try again on the next examination date.

What is a "Prüfungseinsicht" (exam review)?

After an examination, you have the right to view your exam. If you think that your assessment was unfair, you can look at your corrected exam together with the teacher. Many teachers will give you a better grade at the exam review, so it often pays to go there.

I have not successfully completed a course - can I still attend other courses in the next semester?

Yes, in almost all cases you can. The only requirement for the courses is the positive completion of the StEOP. Exceptions to this are Linear Algebra 1, Analysis 1 and Mathematical Programming in the BSc, as these courses also take place in the first semester, directly after the StEOP, and therefore do not need successful completion of the StEOP. From the second semester onwards, however, all examinations and excercises/seminars/etc. can be taken at any time as long as you passed the StEOP.

How can i have credits recognised? SSC website on recognitions and general information on the University of Vienna's website on recognitions. For credits in other degree programmes, information can usually be found on the website of the corresponding SSC. For (free) legal advice regarding recognition, the Bipol of the Austrian Students' Union at the University of Vienna (ÖH Uni Wien) is a good place to go.

It is possible to have credits earned outside of your degree programme at the University of Vienna recognised for that degree programme. This includes, for example, academic achievements or internships. Please note that credits earned before the start of your studies must be recognised within the first year of your studies (first two semesters)! You can find more detailed information on credit transfer for mathematics degree programmes on the

I want to change my degree programme - what now? University of Vienna's website on changing study programmes and more information on family allowance for students on the state's website about family allowance.

If you would rather do a different degree programme than the one you have chosen, this is not really a problem. The University of Vienna allows you to change degree programmes as often as you like and also to do several programmes at the same time. However, problems can arise with the family allowance (Familienbeihilfe) if you change programmes several times. If you recieve Familienbeihilfe, you may change degree programmes no more than two times. The change must also take place before the third semester, otherwise the Familienbeihilfe will be cancelled for the number of additional semesters studied. You can find more detailed information on changing your degree programme on the

I want to study more than one thing at the same time - is that possible? University of Vienna's website on additional studies. The SSC can help you if you are unsure or have questions about credit transfers.

In principle, it is possible to enrol on as many degree programmes at the University of Vienna as you wish. For that, you only need to enrol for the second degree programme you want. You can find admission and detailed information on the

Resources of and places around the university - books, software, study locations, sports, ...

Where do I find books? What is u:search and what is u:access? u:search. After searching, you will see either a link to online access or a list of locations where the book is available for borrowing in the book entry. U:access is a tool of the Vienna University Library that allows you to access licensed electronic resources such as e-books free of charge. Unfortunately, it does not work for every publisher, but if in doubt, just give it a try.

In most cases, you can find books that you need for a course on

Where can i get software? Where can i get a free version of Microsoft 365? University of Vienna's software portal. Other software can be purchased there, too.

The University of Vienna provides a freee Microsoft 365 license for students. This license is available via the

What are computer rooms (PC-Räume) and where can I find them?

During building opening hours you can use the computers in the computer rooms anytime the room is not being used for a course. The computer rooms are located in the basement. To log in, you just need to put in your u:account login data.

Where can I find rooms to study?

At the faculty building there are a few rooms that can be used to study:

• The “Studierzone” (Study zone) on the first floor (Room 01.624)
• The Vektorraum and the conference room in the students’ representatives’ corridor
• The cafeteria
• The reading rooms in the library
• The student space on the ground floor

Seminar rooms and lecture halls can also be used to study, as long as they’re not being used for a course. If the rooms are empty but locked, you can often find people with access cards in the Vektorraum that can be asked nicely to open them for you.

How can I study in the library?

In the library, there are big reading rooms you can use for studying. Before you can do that, you must ask the library employees for a locker key, as no bags may be taken into the library. You can then look for a place to study eather in the reading room on the ground floor or in the large reading room in the basement. However, you have to study there quietly - if you want to work in a group, there are also group study rooms in the library, but these have to be “booked” in advance. To do this, let the employees at the counter know the day before. Sometimes it is possible to book at a shorter notice, but there is no guarantee for that to work.

What else can I do in the library? u:search and pick them up at the relevant location as soon as you recieve an email that they are available. The loan period is usually limited to 14 days, but can be extended as often as you like. You only have to return the item once you revieve an email from the library. Then you should really adhere to the deadlines, otherwise you will incur additional costs!

The library is not only a quiet place to study, students can also borrow specialised literature free of charge. Books can be borrowed from all departmental libraries and the main library, so you are not limited to mathematical literature. You order the books via the library website

What are USI-courses? USI website). There is a registration period for each semester (you can look it up on the website), Es gibt jedes Semester eine Anmeldefrist (auf der Webseite nachlesbar), the spots are usually sold out fast.

The University Sports Institute (USI) offers different sports courses each semester. They are discounted for students. You can look at the different courses on the

Our Resources - counselling, printing, coffee/drinks, ...

Is there a place to go to for advice and counselling? Beratungszeiten page. Most of the time though, you can just drop by the Vektorraum and most likely there will be someone there that is able to answer your questions.

During the semester, we offer counselling a few times a week. You can see the times on the

Can I get coffee around here somewhere? Vektorraum, where you can make yourself some coffee for a small donation anytime the room is open.

Yes, we have a coffee maker in the

What about other drinks? Journaldienst, you can get different kinds of Mate (with caffeine), extra caffeinated cola or various kinds of Wostok (a non-caffeinated) for a small donation (recommendation: 1,30€ for Mate/Cola and 1,50€ for Wostok - that's what we pay for them).

In the

Where can I print something? Journaldienst. If none of us are here, there are u:print printers on the ground floor which you can use with your charged u:card.

For a voluntary donation, we can print and bind your scripts for you in the

What is the "Jobverteiler" (job mailing list)? our job mailing list signup page.

If you are looking for a Job next to your studies we have a job mailing list where we sometimes send job postings that could be interesting for mathematics students. If you want to get those mails too, you can subscribe via

Resources outside the university - public transport, food, ...

How does the public transportation ticket work? Wiener Linien annual pass website.

The Wiener Linien offer a discounted annual pass for everyone under 26, with which you can use all public transport inside Vienna. To buy and use it, you need some form of ID to confirm you are under 26. You can buy the ticket online or at the ticket counter. We recommend buying it online, since you can have the ticket on your smartphone or printed out and are protected against additional costs if you lose it. You can read more about it on the

Where can I find something to eat near the faculty building? page about food options around our building.

You can find more information about that on our