Matura
Matura is the Austrian school-leaving examination, officially the Reifeprüfung, taken at the end of secondary school and giving general access to Austrian universities. Since 2014/15 it has been partly standardised nationally, which is why families also hear it called the Zentralmatura. For parents comparing schools in Austria, it is the local benchmark against which an international diploma is usually measured.
Key facts
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official name | Reifeprüfung; partly standardised as the Zentralmatura |
| Taken at the end of | Grade 12 at an AHS, Grade 13 at a BHS |
| Three pillars | A concluding thesis, written papers, oral examinations |
| Choice of combination | Three written and three oral, or four written and two oral |
| Centrally set papers | German, Mathematics, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Latin, Greek |
| Concluding thesis | Optional until 2028/29 — an extra written or oral paper may replace it |
| Grades | 1 Sehr gut to 5 Nicht genügend; 5 is a fail |
What the Matura actually asks for
The Matura is not one exam but three pillars spread over the final year. The first is a concluding thesis, written on a topic the student agrees with a teacher by the end of March of the second-to-last year and then defends in person. The second is a set of written papers, centrally set by the ministry in German, Mathematics and the main foreign and classical languages. The third is a set of oral examinations before a commission. Students choose either three written papers and three orals, or four and two. The structure is modular: a negative result in one pillar does not stop a candidate sitting the next. One detail matters for international families — the centrally set papers are written in German, so the Matura assumes a mother-tongue command of the language. The official overview is published by oesterreich.gv.at.
Matura or an international diploma
For a family settled in Austria for good, the Matura is the natural route. For a family that may move again, or whose child is not writing academic German at mother-tongue level, an international diploma travels better: the IB Diploma and Cambridge A Levels are read directly by admissions offices in the UK, the Netherlands, the US and across Europe without a national translation step.
Inside Austria the balance is not what parents often assume. An IB Diploma is recognised as equivalent to the Matura and does not have to go through Nostrifizierung; universities ask for at least 24 points across the six examination subjects, with mathematics and a foreign language among them and at least three subjects at Higher Level. German-language proficiency is then checked separately, unless German appears on the diploma as Language A. Recognition rules for foreign certificates are published by OeAD, the Austrian ENIC-NARIC centre, and TU Graz sets out the IB conditions in detail. Neither route is harder than the other; they are built for different journeys. See how our academic programme is structured.
At Schloss Krumbach
Schloss Krumbach International School does not prepare students for the Matura. The High School runs in English, and in Grades 11–12 students take either the IB Diploma or Cambridge International A Levels — the school is an accredited IB World School and an accredited Cambridge International Education School. Because the IB Diploma counts as equivalent to the Matura for Austrian university entry, a graduate applying in Vienna or Graz does not face a recognition procedure, only the ordinary admission requirements. Families planning on an Austrian, German-taught degree should look at the German-language condition early, while subject choices for Grade 10 are still open — our Admissions team goes through it at the first consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Schloss Krumbach prepare students for the Matura?
No. Students take the IB Diploma or Cambridge International A Levels in Grades 11–12. Both are international qualifications written in English and designed to be read by universities in any country.
Can a student with an IB Diploma study at an Austrian university?
Yes. The IB Diploma is recognised as equivalent to the Matura and does not require Nostrifizierung. Universities ask for a minimum of 24 points, mathematics and a foreign language among the subjects, and at least three subjects at Higher Level.
Does my child still need German for an Austrian university?
For a German-taught degree, yes — proficiency is checked separately unless German is on the diploma as Language A. English-taught programmes set their own English requirement instead.
Free PDF guide
IGCSE, IB or A Levels: which route fits your child?
The routes from Grade 9 to university side by side: what each qualification involves, how universities read it, and the questions to ask any school.
The PDF opens right after you submit.
Thank you — opening the guide…
