Medium-level secondary technical and vocational colleges (Berufsbildende mittlere Schulen)

Students attend berufsbildende mittlere Schulen (BMS) for one to four years. Students at such colleges with a one- or two-year curriculum receive partial vocational training, whilst those at colleges with a three- or four-year curriculum receive full vocational training.

• Admission
• Entitlements
• The most important types of medium-level secondary technical and vocational colleges

Admission

To be accepted, students must have completed eighth grade at Volksschule (primary school), Hauptschule (general secondary school), or allgemeinbildende höhere Schule (academic secondary school) (not including Latin, descriptive geometry and core required subjects).

To gain admission to a berufsbildende mittlere Schule (mediumlevel secondary technical and vocational college) with a three-year curriculum or longer, students from the fourth grade of a Hauptschule (general secondary school) must also pass an entrance examination in German, English or mathematics if they were in the lowest achievement group in the relevant subject. This entrance examination is not required if the student has successfully completed a polytechnic school. Students wishing to enter a secondary technical or vocational college focusing on arts or sports must pass an aptitude test.

  

Entitlements

The Trades Act and supplementary regulations determine the general and specific requirements that must be met in order to practise a regulated trade independently (trades and controlled crafts) Graduates of three or more year courses at medium-level secondary technical and vocational colleges may be given credit for relevant subject knowledge and abilities and proven knowledge when taking the prescribed examinations in the form of alternatives (e.g. commerce examination, trade examination, master’s examination).

After completing at least a three-year curriculum at a medium-level secondary technical and vocational college, students can take continuation courses (three years) to pass the Reife- and Diplomprüfung (matriculation and diploma exam). There are also special types of technical post matriculation courses for graduates of some four-year schools.

  

The most important types of medium-level secondary technical and vocational colleges

• Technische, gewerbliche and kunstgewerbliche Fachschulen (medium-level industrial, trade and crafts colleges; mostly four-year courses). Main subject areas: Chemistry, design, textile engineering; construction engineering, electrical engineering / electronics, computer engineering / information technology, mechanical engineering / mechatronics; timber engineering, departments offering arts or crafts training.
• Handelsschule (medium-level secondary commercial college; three-year courses): training in occupations in all branches of business and administration. Main subject areas: information technology, office management; sales management, subjects offered autonomously by schools. Four-year special types for athletes.
• Other commercial colleges: two- or three-year clerical and electronic data processing colleges, and three-year training courses for schools for computer science specialists.
• Fachschule für wirtschaftliche Berufe (medium-level secondary college for occupations in the food and beverage industry; threeyear courses): training in occupations in the food and beverage industry and tourism, with a focus on subjects such as a second modern language, IT support, health and social affairs, nutrition, subjects offered autonomously by schools.
• Wirtschaftsschule (medium-level secondary home-economics college; one- or two-year courses): preparatory vocational qualification for careers in social services, health, nutrition, business and tourism.
• Fashion school (three-year courses): Training as a specialist in fashion and clothing trades. Main subject areas: clothing manufacture, fashion atelier, fashion design, fashion marketing.
• Hotelfachschule, Tourismusfachschule, Gastgewerbefachschule (medium-level secondary colleges for hotel management, tourism, catering; three-year courses): training in hotel and restaurant management, in spa resort management and tourism. Main subject areas include: catering, sports, foreign languages.
• Fachschule für Sozialberufe (medium-level secondary college for social workers): three-year Fachschule für Sozialberufe (school for social workers), Schule für Sozialdienste (school for social services, two years). Other schools for social workers (admission to students who have turned 17 or 19 only) with the following specializations: geriatric work, family services, working with the handicapped, companion to the handicapped; graduation at the specialist level (2–3 years) or diploma level (3–4.5 years); also for employed persons.
• Land- und forstwirtschaftliche Fachschulen (medium-level secondary agricultural and forestry colleges; length of training between two and four school years): Training courses for skilled agricultural workers. Main subject areas include: agriculture, country housekeeping, nutrition and health management, health and social vocations, etc. Further information is available from the agricultural college section of the provincial governments.
• Schulen für Gesundheits- und Krankenpflege (schools for health and nursing services, age of admission 16 or 17): The schools and courses in this area are established with the approval of the Austrian Ministry of Health, Family and Women’s Affairs, or in cooperation with hospitals.

Geändert am 03.03.2009