Zwei Studierende stehen im Stiegenhaus des Teaching Centers

Application & Admission

Open to a select group of students from all over the world, this program combines academic excellence with practical and political relevance. The program is aimed at students with a diverse array of backgrounds who have a deep concern for the challenges arising from rapid environmental change, population dynamics, poverty and exclusion, and who are keen to find ways to enhance environmental sustainability and human well-being.

Admission Deadlines

ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS (third-country nationals)
We strongly advise third-country nationals to apply at the 1st priority deadline, which ends in October. Austrian visa procedures are complex and demanding. The visa process should therefore be started as early as possible.  Please note that the WU cannot assist students in obtaining their visas.

Admission Requirements

In order to apply for the MSc in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy you must fulfill the minimum requirements for application and prove your aptitude for the program. Should any of the required proofs of aptitude be missing, your application will be rejected.

Minimum requirements for application

1. Relevant Bachelor's program:

Completion of or enrollment in a relevant degree program at a recognized Austrian or foreign post-secondary institution. Prerequisites for the Master’s Program include:

  • The program must comprise at least 180 ECTS credits (corresponding to three academic years).

  • Economics, worth a minimum of 16 ECTS credits OR

  • Social sciences, worth a minimum of 16 ECTS credits

The Bachelor Programs in Business, Economics and Social Sciences (BAWISO) and Business and Economics (BBE) at Vienna University of Economics and Business fulfill the prerequisites. If you need more information, please use the WU application guide.

Please note: It is not necessary to have completed this program at the time of application as proof of completion of your first-degree program is not required until actual enrolment. Nevertheless, the minimum requirements listed above must be documented within the uploaded documents.


2. Proof of sufficient proficiency in English:

  • English as first language

  • A full English-taught bachelor’s program (at least 3 years) or master’s program (at least 2 years); a confirmation from the university is required to prove that the completed program was taught in English. Please note that only an exchange semester or year in an English speaking country or with courses taught in English is not sufficient.
    To be considered official the document has to be stamped and signed by your university.

  • Full master´s program done in English (at least two years, university confirmation required)

  • One of the following valid certificates (official or unofficial test report):TOEFL iBT 100 or higher, TOEFL IBT Home Edition 100 or higher, IELTS 7.0 or higher (academic, general or online indicator version), TOEIC 800, Cambridge English: CAE (Certificate of Advanced English), CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) or BEC Higher (Business English Certificate Higher), UNIcert III

  • A certificate from a university language department confirming the applicant has achieved level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The certificate has to prove that you took one or more tests to assess your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. These skills should correspond to level C1 or higher according to the CEFR. Course transcripts or confirmations about your overall language skills or certain language courses will NOT be accepted as proof of your language skills. If you are not sure whether your language certificate fulfils these criteria, please submit one of the standardized tests mentioned above.

  • Graduates of WU’s Bachelor´s program in Business and Economics; Bachelor´s program in Business Law and Bachelor´s program in Business, Economics and Social Sciences already fulfill this requirement.

3. Proof of aptitude (Selection criteria):

In addition to the minimum requirements, you need to prove your aptitude for the Master's program. The following documents must be submitted at the time of application:

  1. Academic transcript (or other official document) indicating the final cumulative grade point average

  2. Curriculum vitae in English

  3. Statement of Motivation in English (c. 400-600 words) addressing the following points:

    • Motivation for studying SEEP: Why did you choose to apply for SEEP instead of other (heterodox) economics programmes? What makes SEEP special for you?

    • Relevant academic and practical experience: How does your academic background and your practical (professional and voluntary) experience qualify you for studying SEEP?

    • Future career plans: What do you want to do after completing SEEP? How will SEEP help you achieve these goals?

  4. Two relevant academic essays or other writing samples in English (c. 2,000 words each).  Both samples must be entirely your own original work and include full references for any works cited.  Translations into English of pieces you have written in another language are acceptable as long as you do the translations yourself.  Excerpts of 2,000 words from longer pieces (e.g. undergraduate theses) are also acceptable.

  5. Applicants' communication skills, interpersonal competencies, and international orientation will be tested during the interview, so no extra documents need to be submitted in order to prove aptitude in these areas.

    6.  

Further information:

x

Online Application

All required documents must be uploaded. The Admissions Office then verifies that the applications meet all the formal criteria stipulated in the admissions decree of the program.

x

Selection

Those applicants who fulfill the minimum requirements for acceptance and who also demonstrate high potential for achievement within the program will be invited for a personal interview. All interviews will be conducted via internet teleconferencing, so there is no need to travel to the WU for the interview.  Particular attention will be paid to the applicant's communication skills, social skills, and international orientation during the interview.   

Applicants who are invited for interviews will receive information about the time and date of the interview about a week in advance. 

The best applicants will receive an offer of admission to the program following the interview.  This offer must be accepted within 10 days.

 

 

x

Enrolment

For enrolment, all required documents have to be provided in person at the Study Service Center. Newly admitted students will receive more detailed information about the enrolment procedure a few months before classes begin.

Ap­plic­a­tion Guide

Ready?

Step by step to study­ing at WU: Find all rel­ev­ant in­form­a­tion to ap­ply for the Mas­ter at a glance!

Application Guide

Information On Funding

We recommend consulting the following sites for information on tuition fees, grants, and scholarship opportunities.

WU Tuition Fees / ÖH Dues
WU Grants and Scholarships
Austrian Database for Scholarships and Research Grants
European Funding Guide

Learn more!

Career Prospects