Focus India is TU Austria's initiative to deepen cooperation with Indian universities, and TU Graz is striving to create flexible, student-friendly pathways to our campus. If you’re studying at an Indian university, there are a couple of options to come to TU Graz.
Located in the heart of Europe, Graz is a vibrant student city and an ideal base for exploring Austria and its neighboring countries.
International Office - Welcome Center
Marlene FHEODOROFF
Phone: +43 316 873 6426
overseas.incoming@tugraz.at
Process for hosting students via the Focus India Initiative
Quick eligibility guide
I study at an Indian partner university of TU Graz and I want to
- spend one or two semesters at TU Graz for taking courses: Exchange semester
- complete a study-related internship/research stay at TU Graz: Study-related internship or research visit
I study at any Indian university and want to:
- complete a full degree programme at TU Graz: English-taught Master's degree programmes
- complete an internship/research stay at TU Graz: Employment path
- participate in a short-term programme offered by TU Graz: Summer and winter programmes
* Semester exchange is currently possible with these institutions
Exchange semester
If your home university has a student exchange agreement with TU Graz, you can study at TU Graz for one or two semesters and take courses towards your degree. As a first step, please contact the International Office of your home university. Your home university can nominate you as an exchange student to TU Graz within the OverSEAs programme.
Exchange semester possible for students from:
Students in the OverSEAs Programme through the Focus India initiative receive a monthly scholarship during their exchange semester at TU Graz:
- €400 per month for the study‑relevant period (orientation & lecture periods), up to five months
Study-related internship or research visit
If your home university is a partner university of TU Graz you can come to TU Graz for a study-related internship or research stay within the OverSEAs Internship/Research programme.
- Stays starting in the winter semester: 15 September
- Stays starting in the summer semester: 15 February
Step 1 to 5 (see below) need to be completed by this deadline.
- Participation in the OverSEAs Internship/Research programme and activities within this programme are considered “study-relevant research visits” without financial compensation.
- That means you will not receive financial compensation unless the host institute supervisor offers a scholarship or employment.
- The International Office – Welcome Center of TU Graz is unable to offer scholarships for internships. It is up to the host institutes and supervisors to decide whether finances are available.
Contact the International Office of your home university and ask them to contact the responsible exchange coordinator at TU Graz via overseas.incoming@tugraz.at
- On the TU Graz website you will find an overview of all institutes with links to the respective institute pages and descriptions of the main research areas. This allows you to specifically identify those institutes that are thematically relevant to your project, and you will often also find suggestions for topics for Bachelor's or Master's theses – a good orientation aid in your search for a suitable institute.
- Once you have found an institute, send a short application by e-mail to the head of the institute. Describe your planned internship/research area as well as your previous research experience and attach your CV.
- Please note that the International Office – Welcome Center is unfortunately unable to support you in your search for a supervisor.
- Send an email with a CV and Letter of Motivation to your potential supervisor.
- Ask them whether it would be possible for them to host you for a study-related research visit. Include all essential information such as your preferred duration, etc.
- Put overseas.incoming@tugraz.at in copy to the email.
- The supervisor must confirm via email that they agree to host you at TU Graz.
Please note: It is fine to send a follow up email after 1-2 weeks if you have not heard back. However in case there is no reaction after the follow up email this might mean that the professor is not interested. Please try with another supervisor/professor.
If your supervisor agrees to host you, contact overseas.incoming@tugraz.at.
Provide us with the email confirmation of the supervisor (if we did not receive in Cc) and with the following data, so we can set up an account for you in our system Mobility-Online:
- Surname
- First name
- E-mail address
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Home University
After you have sent us your data, we will set up an account for you and you will receive an email with further instructions about the application process to register you as a student at TU Graz.
Follow the instructions and complete your application by
- 15 September for stays in the winter semester
- 15 February for stays in the summer semester
Once all application documents, including the supervisor’s signed Letter of Invitation, are uploaded to Mobility-Online, the application will be reviewed by the International Office – Welcome Center. If all required documents are complete, a Letter of Acceptance will be issued. Please note that the Letter of Acceptance is available in digital form only.
- Letter of Acceptance
The Letter of Acceptance is the official document that contains the duration of your stay and other programme relevant information. With this document, you can apply for a visa or residence permit at the relevant Austrian representative authority. - Pre-arrival Package
You can download a pre-arrival package from Mobility-Online that provides further information about accommodation, the required visa/residence permit and other useful information that will help you to prepare for your internship/research stay in Graz.
TU Graz will then facilitate the registration as an exchange student. You will receive further information by email on how to pay the Student Union Fee (ÖH-Beitrag) of approx. €25 in order to complete the enrolment process.
Benefits of the registration as a student:
- Accident and liability insurance that covers all accidents and damages that occur during your activities as a student (covered by the Student Union Fee). More info here.
- TUGRAZonline account to get access to the intranet and to special online data of the institute
- Possibility to take courses at TU Graz
- Various reductions for students
- Opportunity to participate in events and activities of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
Once you have successfully been accepted to OverSEAs Internship/Resarch Programme, please follow the steps described in the Pre-Arrival Guide, which is available in Mobility-Online (for download).
- If you start in September or February, please attend the Welcome Events.
- If you start at another time, please arrange an appointment for a Welcome Meeting with your Exchange Coordinator at TU Graz.
Please also read the frequently asked questions to prepare your stay and to learn what to expect.
Process for hosting students via the Focus India Initiative
Internship/Research: Employment path
No matter if TU Graz has a cooperation with your university or not, you can still come to TU Graz for an internship/research stay if you find a hosting institute/professor that can offer you employment for the entire duration of your stay.
It is advisable to directly contact the professor/institute via email, including your CV and your letter of motivation/description of your desired research topics.
Once you have a job offer from an institute, you can receive administrative support from the Welcome Center:
Process for hosting students via the Focus India Initiative
Finances and insurance
If you are coming to TU Graz for an OverSEAs exchange semester or through the OverSEAs internship/research programme, you will find further information on insurance and finances in this section.
The cost of living depends on the housing situation and whether students eat out a lot or cook at home, like most Austrian students do. To be on the safe side, students should put aside € 800–€ 1000 a month for rent, food and personal expenses (e.g. health insurance, mobile phone,...).
Information on funding and financial support
If you take part in the OverSEAs exchange semester or the OverSEAs Internship/Research Programme, you will be registered as a student at TU Graz and pay the Student Union Fee (ÖH-Beitrag). Therefore, you will be covered by the Accident and Liability Insurance of the Austrian Student Union (ÖH) for university-related activities.
Please note: The Accident and Liability Insurance of the Student Union is not a health insurance and therefore does not replace a health insurance under any circumstances!
- For stays under 6 months: Travel Health Insurance covering all risks
- For stays longer than 6 months: Austrian National health Insurance (ÖGK) compulsory
Please note: Students coming via the employment path are automatically covered by insurance through their employment contract. Different insurance regulations apply for this path. Further information: Employment path
