Austrian Poll: Two-Thirds Favor Expelling Overlong-Term Students

A significant majority of Austrians believe students who take too long to complete their studies should be expelled, according to a recent Market poll. The survey found that 69 percent of respondents hold this view, indicating a public sentiment favoring stricter timelines for higher education.

Furthermore, the poll revealed strong support for differential tuition fees, with 80 percent of those surveyed backing higher charges for students from outside the European Union and European Economic Area. This suggests a public inclination towards making international students contribute more financially to the Austrian university system.

These public opinions emerge as Austrian universities are actively seeking substantial financial support from the federal government. The Austrian Universities Conference is demanding approximately 18 billion euros for the 2028-2030 budget period, a nearly two-billion-euro increase compared to the previous period. However, the government faces its own budgetary constraints, raising questions about how these demands will be met.