Acting Schools and Programs in Austria

Acting Studies in Austria

Vienna, AustriaActing is an art form that has been around since the beginning of time, and when it comes to artistic education, the country of Austria is widely considered one of the best places in the world to hone one’s skill and ability.
 
Austria, officially known as the Republic of Austria, is a federal republic located in the central region of Europe.  A completely landlocked country, it is surrounded on all sides by Lichtenstein and Switzerland to the west, Slovenia and Italy to the south, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, and the Czech Republic and Germany to the north.  Austria has a total population of just fewer than 8.5 million, approximately 20 percent of which reside in the capital and largest city of Vienna.  The country, which is a member of the European Union and NATO among other alliances, boasts a very high standard of living, and its colleges and universities are among the finest institutions in Europe.

Acting Education in Austria

The institutions of higher learning in Austria have produced a number of world-class artists across a broad range of artistic disciplines, including many musicians, composers, painters, sculptors, novelists, playwrights, and actors of both film and theater. 
 
There are several colleges and universities in Austria that offer drama and acting classes as part of their curriculum, most notably the world-renowned University of Vienna (UV), located in the heart of the capital city.  UV is currently home to nearly 93,000 students and offers 187 courses of study, including both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degree program in Theater and Acting.
 
Students enrolled in UV’s Acting programs learn to communicate a character and/or situations to an audience.  Through study and guided practice sessions, they learn several techniques in which to communicate these roles effectively, including those that deal with speech, movement and body language.  They are provided with the necessary skills and knowledge to interpret the work of a given writer under the support of a director, and are encouraged to improvise as a way to bring more life and believability to the character.
 
The Bachelor of Arts degree program in Theater and Acting typically spans three years for full-time students, while the Master of Arts degree in the same discipline lasts an additional two years following the successful completion of the undergraduate program.

Why Study Abroad in Austria

Studying abroad in Austria can open up many doors of opportunity, particularly for those studying the arts.  A country noted for its artistic traditions, Austria has been home to an impressive, albeit disproportionate number of famous composers, the most notable being Beethoven, Mozart, Joseph Haydn and Johann Strauss.  Today this musical tradition lives on in cities such as Vienna, the nation’s capital, where actors, vocalists and musicians regularly gather at famous venues such as the Vienna Opera House and the Musikverein to blend the sounds of the classical with the contemporary.
 
Students who enjoy the outdoors will especially feel at home in Austria—a visually stunning Alpine country with thick forestland covering approximately 40 percent of its total land area.  This backdrop is ideal for a number of fun and exciting activities, ranging from fishing, camping, hiking and rafting, to skiing, snowboarding and sledding.
 
Studying abroad in a beautiful country like Austria offers a break from the mundane routine of college life, and a chance to learn a new culture, gain valuable language skills and explore new places and ideas.  It also is an opportunity to meet new people from around the world and forge friendships that, in many cases, will last for a lifetime.