Initiative of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna for students from Ukraine
As a direct response to Russia’s large-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, the University of Applied Arts Vienna provided study places for the 2022/23 academic year for Ukrainian students to continue their studies who had last studied at an art university in Ukraine.
Bernhard Kernegger, Vice Rector for Teaching: “After the outbreak of the war against Ukraine, Angewandte created 50 additional study places on a one-off basis, for which refugee students from Ukraine with suitable upright studies could apply. These students are now fully-fledged students of Angewandte and are also no longer supervised separately. After an intensive initial phase, where Angewandte was still advising on residency issues, among other things, these students have now become part of Angewandte, just like all other international students.”
Ruth Anderwald and Leonhard Grond, professorship team of the PhD in Art program at the University of Applied Arts: “For us it is important that artists get help from art institutions and colleagues, so that they get access to what sustains them, be it financially, socially, emotionally or artistically.”
Currently, according to Katharina Gschwandner, assistant in the Vice Rector’s Office, no repetition of the additional admission of new students for this year’s academic year is planned; whether the new Rector Petra Schaper Rinkel, who will be in office from October 1, wants to set initiatives in this direction is not yet certain.
(Information status: end of September 2023)
Tuition fee waiver for Ukrainian students
As third-country nationals, students from Ukraine normally have to pay 726,72 EUR per semester, double the regular tuition fee. However, for all Ukrainian students at the 22 public universities and the 14 teacher training colleges in Austria, the exemption from tuition fees that was already granted in 2022/23 will continue to apply in the winter semester of the academic year 2023/24, as the website of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) informs. Federal Minister Martin Polaschek: “For more than a year there has been war in Ukraine, which has caused unspeakable suffering for the Ukrainian population. This also affects Ukrainian students in Austria, whom we will continue to relieve financially because of the war.”
Initiative of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna for students from Ukraine
The Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna also supports Ukrainian artists fleeing the war. To date, 11 Ukrainians have studied at the Academy. They are exempt from tuition fees, can receive free psychological support, emergency financial support, a second-year scholarship of 6,000 EUR, and other preferences that other students have. Special residencies were awarded and the Ernst-Mach scholarship was advertised. (A Ukrainian scientist was also awarded this in 2022 so that she could come to Vienna with her daughter).
The Academy also supports artists who do not study at the Academy. For example, the A European Artists Solidarity Programme (ASoP) scholarship was launched this year in cooperation with the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is aimed at artists, including those still in training, from countries in transition east of the European Union whose artistic development is threatened by the political upheavals of our time. The declared aim of the project is to bring excellent artists to equally excellent institutions in Austria. Each scholarship holder is assigned a mentor. Through the sponsorship, the scholarship holders can be offered personal and targeted mentoring. The artist selected by the jury receives 13,000 EUR, including living expenses, honorarium and materials.
Photo: Anastasia Vasylchenko
Anastasia Vasylchenko, Kunst Universität Linz
My name is Nastya and I study at the Kunstuniversität Linz. I came here by accident. My friend recommended this university to me at the time when I was thinking about studying in Austria.
Soon the application process began. I passed the exams like everyone else. The professor I was applying to asked me to help with the documents of the students in my department. Everyone was very friendly.
In general, I like studying abroad much more because there are more technical opportunities here. Since I am directly involved in ceramics, a workshop that can provide professors, kilns and access to materials was important to me. In general, my university is very well equipped.
It seems to me that the main difference from Ukrainian universities is that students who come to the university already have their own style, view of art and their own point of view. And the professor’s task primarily consists of pushing, guiding, and suggesting. There are no games within the framework of “We’ll pull you by the ears and tell you how to live right”. The attitude is rather: “If you want to learn, we will help you.”
Every year, the university awards scholarships for interesting projects as part of a competition where everyone can apply.
It seems to me that studying in Austria gives you a good base and an opportunity to become an artist.
The only disadvantage is the “must-have” knowledge of German at the B1 level after the first year of study.