Resolution on STUDENT SOCIAL SURVEY: STUDENTS’ SITUATION IN  AUSTRIA 

The newly published 2025 Student Social Survey (SOLA) paints a sobering picture of everyday life for students in Austria. Despite years of political commitments to  strengthen social mobility and widen access to higher education, the data show that  many students continue to face financial strain, structural barriers, and growing mental health pressures. These findings underline the urgent need for stronger, fairer and overall more inclusive social policies that ensure studying in Austria is genuinely accessible to all. 

This April, the results of the Student Social Survey, or “SOLA” for short, for the year 2025 were published. Conducted every two years since the 1970s, SOLA provides one of the most comprehensive insights into the social conditions of students at Austrian universities and higher education institutions. It remains an important empirical foundation for shaping higher education policy. Unfortunately, the latest results show that little has improved since the 2023 survey and in some areas, the situation has become even more precarious. 

68% of students work alongside their studies, averaging 20.2 hours per week. This is  a cause for concern, as academic success drops significantly from as little as 11 hours of work per week, meaning that many students are pushed far beyond what is compatible with successful study progression. However, 71% of students state that they work to make ends meet, as their own employment is one of the most important sources of income. 

The survey also highlights persistent inequalities in access to higher education. Almost a third of students have parents who do not have a university degree, and around a quarter have parents whose highest level of education is a university degree. In total, 55% of students are therefore ‘first-generation’ students, meaning their parents do not hold a higher education qualification. 

At the same time, the likelihood of a person whose father holds a university degree going on to study at a university or university of applied sciences is around 2.5 times higher than for those whose father does not hold such a certificate. 

Almost 50% of students report experiencing (significantly) impaired mental well  being. Mental health issues among students that are classified as hindering their studies rose from 9% in 2023 to 11%. These numbers reflect a growing crisis that universities and policymakers can no longer treat as a marginal issue. 

Financial vulnerability is still one of the most pressing issues. Six out of ten students live on an income below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. Over the last 10 years, housing costs alone have risen by 50%. In addition, students spend an average of 38% of their total budget on housing. At the same time, fewer students are receiving student grants than in 2023 – just under 11%. This means student grants must be raised to a level that is sufficient to live on. After all, there is a gap of almost €1,000 between the average student grant and the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. Only if the grant is raised to this threshold of €1,661 in the long term can we can  finally put an end to student poverty once and for all. 

The social situation of students in Austria remains fragile, and these structural  issues undermine the principle of equal opportunities in higher education. The  European Students’ Union therefore supports the ÖH’s demands for substantial investment in higher education and stronger social policies. The Austrian Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research must increase the study grant to a level that ensures financial security for all students. Considering rising rents, housing allowance must be opened to all students, student accommodation must become more affordable and of higher quality, and new housing options must be created to meet the needs of growing student cohorts. Ensuring that every person can study, independent of parental wealth, social origin, or financial pressure, is not only a matter of fairness but a prerequisite for a socially just and futureoriented higher education system. 

Reason & Seconders 

AMLÉ, VSS-UNES-USU, fzs