Austria is one of Europe's most compelling destinations for international students, researchers and skilled professionals. A small nation of 9.2 million people at the heart of Central Europe, it combines world-ranked universities, extraordinarily low tuition fees, a multilingual and multicultural society, and cities that are consistently rated among the world's most liveable. More than 387,993 students studied at Austrian higher education institutions in the 2023/24 academic year, with international students making up approximately 30% of the total — a proportion that reaches 49% at Austria's renowned art universities.