Higher-level secondary technical and vocational colleges (Berufsbildende höhere Schulen)

In addition to providing in-depth general education, over a period of five years berufsbildende höhere Schulen (BHS) give students an advanced vocational train-ing, culminating in a Reife- or Diplomprüfung (matriculation or diploma exam). This entitles them to admission to university, higher technical colleges and post-secondary colleges. Universities and higher technical colleges are required by law to give students credit for specialized knowledge acquired by BHS graduates.

Once they have worked in their field for three years, graduates of most höhere technische and höhere Land- and forstwirtschaftliche Lehranstalten (higher-level secondary industrial, agricultural and forestry colleges) may apply to the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour or the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management for authorization to use the professional title of "lngenieur".

• Admission
• Entitlements
• The most important higher-level secondary technical and vocational colleges

Admission

Students wishing to be admitted to berufsbildende höhere Schulen (higher-level secondary technical and vocational colleges) must have completed fourth grade at Hauptschule (general secondary school), fourth or a higher grade at allgemeinbildende höhere Schule (academic secondary school) or ninth grade at a polytechnic school (not including Latin, descriptive geometry and core required subjects). Students from the fourth grade of a Hauptschule (general secondary school) must also pass an entrance test in German, English or mathematics if they were in the lowest achievement group in any of these subjects or were graded as "adequate" in the second achievement group; students who achieved "satisfactory" in the second achievement group may be admitted if they have a conference resolution.

Admission tests must be taken for higher-level secondary technical and vocational colleges with an artistic bias and schools for kindergarten and social pedagogy.

  

Entitlements

Completion of occupational training courses also entitles students to admission to the various trades (and to independent practice of regulated trades) as stipulated by the Trades Act (see also qualifications from medium-level secondary technical and vocational colleges). In each case, the regulations on occupational qualifications specify any examinations that must be taken and the duration of specialised vocational activities that must be completed.

At the European level, directive 2005/36/EG provides for admission to a regulated occupation in another member state requiring successful completion of a college or university curriculum of (up to) four years for entry into that occupation.

  

The most important higher-level secondary technical and vocational colleges

• Höhere technische und gewerbliche Lehranstalten (higher-level secondary industrial and trade colleges): training in industrial, trades and arts occupations. Main subject areas: construction engineering, interior design and woodworking, electrical engineering, electronics, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, materials engineering, media technology and management, information technology, chemistry, chemical engineering, food technology, electronic data processing and organization, industrial engineering, factory management, art and design: college-specific specializations.
• Höhere Lehranstalt für Mode, für künstlerische Gestaltung, für Produktmanagement und Präsentation, Modedesign und Produktgestaltung (higher-level secondary college for fashion, artistic design, product management and presentation, fashion design and product design): training as a qualified specialist in the fashion industry and the garment industry. Main subject areas include: fashion design, fashion marketing, clothing technology, fashiongraphic design
• Höhere Lehranstalt für Tourismus (higher-level secondary college for tourism): training of qualified specialists for the tourism industry. Main subject areas include a third modern language, hotel management, tourism management, hotel and event management, tourism and recreation management, college-specific specializations
• Handelsakademie (higher-level secondary commercial college): training for senior positions in all branches of business and administration. Main subject areas include: international business and marketing, controlling and accounting, entrepreneurship and management, multimedia and web design, network management, software development, digital business, transport management; controlling and accounting, international business with foreign language(s) and culture, entrepreneurship and management; information management and information technology, logistics management and forwarding industry, autonomous curricula of core subjects / industries.
• Höhere Lehranstalt fur wirtschaftliche Berufe (higher-level secondary college for occupations in the food and beverage industry): training of qualified specialists in the food and beverage industry and tourism. Main subject areas/industries include: international communication in business, cultural tourism, nutrition and business management, foreign languages, media technology, environmental economics; cultural and congress management, communications und media design, social administration: college-specific specializations.
• Höhere Lehranstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft (higherlevel secondary college for agriculture and forestry): training for qualified specialists in agriculture, forestry and food industry. Main subject areas: Agriculture and food industry, horticulture, wine and fruit growing, forestry, agricultural engineering, food technology. Main subject areas include: Project and regional management, environmental engineering, business management, agricultural quality management, nutritional ecology, agricultural marketing, agricultural management, operations and production management.
• Bildungsanstalt für Kindergartenpädagogik (kindergarten teacher-training college) Training for kindergarten teachers eligible for additional training as non-teaching supervisory staff at child day care centres and in-depth training in early education.
• Bildungsanstalten for Sozialpädagogik (teacher-training colleges for social education) Training for non-teaching supervisory staff or social education worker (at day care centres for children and young people and out-of-school youth work centres).

Further information is also available on the Internet at www.berufsbildendeschulen.at

Geändert am 29.10.2010