QS Best Student Cities ranking: 79th
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 center and has fortifications going back to at least the 10th century. The city rises six places this year to rank 79th in the world.
Graz has a strong tradition as an education center, with its population of 26,000 students making up around nine percent 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 a myriad of 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 fairly well for affordability, ranking 62nd in the world. This is most likely because of the low cost of tuition (which costs an average of US$1500). However, Graz also has fairly high living costs, with students needing around $919 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
|
Number of universities ranked by QS |
2 |
|
Highest-ranked institution |
Technische Universität Graz (ranked 471-480) |
|
Population |
289,000 |
|
Average international fees (at ranked unis) |
US$1,500 |
|
Desirability rank |
55th |
|
Employer Activity rank |
76th |
|
Affordability rank |
62nd |
|
Student Experience rank |
115th |
To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.
