Submit an application at any time. If approved, you will be admitted to the university for the semester in which admission was approved. Please note that the procedure may take a considerable amount of time and you can only start your studies at the beginning of the standard, scheduled semester.

The admissions application must be submitted to the university you plan to attend. If you wish to earn a degree at the  JKU, address the admissions application to the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and submit the application in person at the JKU's Admissions Office or electronically (individuellestudien(at)jku.at).

The application must include:

• the application form, opens a file, completed and signed
• the curriculum, including the qualification profile
• if the degree program is to be completed at more than one university, please submit the allocation of subjects from the universities involved and the corresponding curricula
• a list of successfully passed examinations taken at other post-secondary educational institutions (include certificates of academic achievement, transcripts).

Following a referral to the corresponding study committee(s), the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs will render a decision regarding admission to the independent degree program. The proposed curriculum will be reviewed with regard to the following points in particular:

• if the learning outcomes for the individual curriculum could also be attained as part of an existing academic degree program, taking existing customized options into account;
• if the individual, customized curriculum is equivalent to currently existing subject-related studies (learning outcomes, workload, level of education, structure and the composition of subjects and modules, etc.);
• whether or not the qualification profile in question demonstrates new educational innovation, and if the combination of the subjects and modules is scientifically valid and can convey the educational content, skills and expertise defined in the qualification profile.

A curriculum outlines, defines, and regulates the qualification profile, course content, the degree program's structure, and the examination rules. You must devise a curriculum to describe your independent degree program.

A qualification profile defines the degree program's goals and objectives as well as the expected skill set, abilities and level of education (learning outcomes) that will be acquired after completing the degree program. The qualification profile also contains a statement regarding the graduate's professional qualifications. The curriculum also specifies the name of the degree program, the examination rules & regulations, and the title of the academic degree that is to be awarded upon successful completion of the independent study program.

Based on the qualification profile, the educational content must be determined and, in accordance with the educational content, the modules or subjects must be selected in accordance with the course catalog to ensure the courses convey the corresponding course content. It is important to ensure the degree program contains a coherent structure; simply stringing classes, subjects, and modules together is insufficient.

When selecting the subjects and modules, pay attention to the workload of these subjects or modules; they must meet the legal requirements (180 ECTS credits for Bachelor's degree programs: 120 ECTS credits for Master's degree programs).

When preparing a curriculum for an independent degree program, legal foundations in accordance with § 55 of the University Act (UG) 2002, as well as the Statute on Academic Law (ST-StR) must be taken into account.

When preparing a curriculum for an independent degree program, legal foundations in accordance with § 55 of the 2002 Austrian Universities Act, opens an external URL in a new window, and the statute for academic law (ST-StR) must be taken into account.

Please note that there is no sample template for independent degree programs. The numerous curricula at the JKU serve as a template to create a customized curriculum. The course catalog, opens an external URL in a new window contains the texts and program structures for all curricula at the JKU.

Once you have submitted an application for admission to an independent degree program, the application will be formally reviewed. If there are any form-related shortcomings, the application will be placed on hold for correction/improvement.

Please note that any shortcomings in the content of your application will not be put on hold so it can be improved upon; it may instead result in the application being denied. There is no available academic advising in regard to the content of your curriculum, either before or after you submit your application.

The corresponding Study Commission responsible for the subject area will review and assess the content of the curriculum you have put together. The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs will render a decision to approve or deny admission to the JKU based on the independent degree program you have put together.