Study in Graz

QS Best Student Cities ranking: 83^rd

Austria’s second-largest city and the capital of the state of Styria, Graz is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Central Europe, boasting an Old Town which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 due to its harmonious blend of old and new architectural styles from different historical periods.

Breath-taking views of the city can be had from the tree-clad Schlossberg (Castle Hill), which dominates the city centre and has fortifications going back to at least the 10^th century. The city falls 12 places this year to rank 83^rd in the world.

Graz has a strong tradition as an education centre, with its population of 26,000 students making up a significant percentage of the city’s overall population, giving it a relaxed student city feel.

Graz has warm, pleasant summers but particularly comes alive at Christmas, with a festive glow of lights and myriad Christmas markets alongside a life-size nativity scene made of ice and a nativity trail through the main landmarks and Advent locations in the city.

Graz is also well known for its excellent food, and it even earned the title ‘City of Culinary Delights’ in 2008. Slightly to the south, you’ll also find the noted wine-making region of Steirische Weinstraße, where you can stop at one of the many rustic restaurants to enjoy authentic local specialties such as the Brettljause, an assortment of cured meats, spreads, cheeses and pickles.

Graz scores very well for affordability, ranking 57th in the world. This is most likely because of the low cost of tuition (which costs an average of US$1,300). Graz also has reasonable living costs, with students needing around $783 per month (according to Numbeo) – although you may need to factor in the cost of eating out often at its excellent restaurants.

The city earned high praise from its current students, who, commenting in our student survey, praised its “atmosphere, how pretty everything is and how the city is just the right size (not too small, so there's tons of things you can do; not too big, so you can easily get around)”.

Internationally ranked universities in Graz

More about Graz

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.