Main trends in young people's participation in education and training

National Data on Youth Participation in Education and Training

Several national surveys and reports monitor young people’s participation in education and training in Austria. Statistics Austria plays a central role by conducting surveys and publishing comprehensive data, notably through its annual compendium ‘Education in Figures’ (Bildung in Zahlen).

Thematic reports from various ministries, including the ‘Youth and Work in Austria (2024/2025)’ report and the Austrian Youth Report (Jugendbericht, 2023), complement these statistical sources. Additionally, the Student Social Survey, conducted by the Institute for Advanced Studies on behalf of the Ministry of Women, Science and Research, provides longstanding evidence for higher education policy since the 1970s. Together, these instruments deliver both quantitative data and in-depth analyses of structural trends and challenges shaping young people’s educational and training pathways. 

Recent findings from these sources highlight diverging trends in young people’s participation in education and training. 

Trends in Youth Education and Training Participation

On the one hand, higher education attainment continues to rise. The proportion of 25- to 34-year-olds holding a university or equivalent degree increased from around 40% in 2017 to 44% in 2024. This growth is largely driven by women, about half of whom now hold a tertiary qualification, compared to around two in five men (Statistics Austria, ‘Education indicators’ 2026). Austria also maintains high participation in post-compulsory education overall, and its apprenticeship and vocational pathways remain strong, enabling relatively quick entry into stable employment and solid earnings (Statistik Austria 2024). 

Challenges persist at key transition points. The share of 15- to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has increased from 6.5% in 2017 to almost 9% in 2023. Around 8% of 18- to 24-year-olds still leave education early, which remains below the EU average (Statistics Austria SDG indicator system 2026). The 2023 Austrian Youth Report (Jugendbericht 2023) shows that structural inequalities strongly shape participation patterns: young people with a migration background are significantly more likely to leave education early than those without, and graduates of middle schools are more likely to leave upper secondary education than their peers from academic lower secondary schools (ibid., pp. 61–62).

In addition, about one in five young people aged 15-34 has dropped out of at least one education or training programme. While higher education accounts for the largest share of these cases, many of these involve changing courses rather than permanently leaving education. The main reasons cited for dropping out include perceived difficulty, low motivation and financial pressures (Statistik Austria 2025). 

Gender disparities are particularly pronounced in STEM subjects. A 2025 report (LEA-Studie 2025) conducted on behalf of LEA – Let’s empower Austria (Österreichische Fonds zur Stärkung und Förderung von Frauen und Mädchen) highlights that girls tend to have lower dropout rates than boys at school level, however, young women are more likely to discontinue STEM studies at tertiary level. This cumulative loss along the educational pathway, often referred to as the ‘leaky STEM pipeline’, contributes to the continued underrepresentation of women in STEM professions.  

Moreover, many young adults in Austria are affected by a persistent mismatch between qualifications and job requirements. According to Statistics Austria 2025, around one quarter (24.7%) of 15- to 34-year-olds feel overqualified for their current job, particularly at the start of their careers. This feeling is particularly prevalent among those with an academic secondary school diploma (AHS) as their highest qualification, as well as among part-time workers and young people with a migrant background. These findings highlight the ongoing challenges of ensuring smoother transitions from education to work, and of making better use of young people’s skills in the labour market.

Organisation of the education and training system

All children and young people permanently residing in Austria are subject to compulsory education (Schulpflicht), which begins in September after their sixth birthday and lasts for nine years (generally ages 6-15), covering ISCED levels 1 and 2. In addition, since 2016 the Compulsory Education/Training until age 18 (Ausbildungspflicht bis 18) requires young people to remain in education, training or preparatory measures until the age of 18 (see below). 

Austria’s education system is characterised by strong diversification across all levels, offering academic and vocational pathways. A key feature is its well-developed vocational education and training (VET) sector, particularly the dual apprenticeship system, which combines company-based training with part-time vocational schooling and plays a central role in facilitating the transition to the labour market. 

Structure of the Austrian Education System

Primary and Secondary Education

• Primary education (ISCED 1): First four grades, providing foundational skills for all students 
• Lower Secondary (ISCED 2): After primary school, students transition to either Compulsory Secondary School (‘Neue’ Mittelschule) or Academic Secondary School (AHS lower cycle).
• Upper Secondary (ISCED 3): Offers multiple pathways including: 
• Pre-vocational school
• General academic school completion (AHS upper cycle)
• Vocational education and training through part-time vocational schools linked with apprenticeships (dual VET)
• Intermediate vocational school and higher vocational colleges

Post-Secondary and Tertiary Education

• Post-secondary non-tertiary (ISCED 4): Comprises advanced programmes in certain healthcare professions, as well as preparatory courses and alternative access routes to higher education. It includes bridging programmes for apprenticeship graduates and the higher education entrance examination, both of which provide flexible pathways to tertiary education. 
• Short-cycle tertiary education (ISCED 5): mainly includes the final two years of Colleges for Higher Vocational Education and Training (BHS), which lead to a matriculation and diploma examination and provide advanced, practice-oriented qualifications. It also encompasses add-on-courses, master craftsperson and industrial master schools, and other post-secondary VET programmes that support professional specialisation and progression to higher education.  
• Higher/Tertiary education:
• Universities, public and private (academic research degrees across ISCED 6-8)
• Universities of Applied Sciences

• University Colleges of Teacher Education

   

Adult Education and Training

Austria has a broad lifelong learning landscape with diverse public and private providers. Adult education includes basic and second-chance education, subject-specific courses, general seminars, and even master’s level programmes, reflecting a strong commitment to continuing education. 

Special Needs Education and Inclusion in Austria

Young people with special needs (SEN) can attend either inclusive (integrative) mainstream schools or special needs schools, depending on parental choice and an official SEN assessment. Inclusive education is available at primary and lower secondary levels, as well as in pre-vocational settings, allowing students with and without SEN to learn together. Special schools cover nine grades (including a pre-vocational year) and may be attended for up to twelve years with approval. Education is supported by adapted curricula and trained teachers, with the aim of enabling further training and labour market integration. 

Career guidance is integrated into lower secondary education, and after completing compulsory schooling, students can enter a pre-vocational year and proceed to an apprenticeship, including through flexible individual vocational training programmes.

Further detailed information on Austria’s education and training system is available on the Eurydice website. The OeAD – Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation – also offers a comprehensive graphical overview of the system. In addition, the Federal Ministry of Education provides an official visual representation of the Austrian education structure, which is shown below.

Main concepts

In 2016, Austria has introduced a specific legal framework, the Compulsory Education/Training Act (Ausbildungspflichtgesetz, APflG), commonly known as ‘Education/Training until age 18’ (AusBildung bis 18), which extends the traditional understanding of compulsory schooling to a wider concept of compulsory education participation in education and training. Although formal compulsory schooling ends after nine years (around age 15), young people must continue in a recognised pathway, such as general or vocational school, an apprenticeship, regulated professional training or approved preparatory and labour market measures. 

The law reflects Austria’s strong vocational orientation: apprenticeships are fully equivalent to school-based education, and the focus lies on ensuring that young people remain in structured pathways leading to recognised qualifications. Its core objective is to prevent NEET status by identifying and reintegrating young people who fall outside the system through coordination offices, counselling and individual support measures (see Chapter 6.3).