Graz is set to become the largest centre for psychotherapy studies

A total of 215 people who meet the entry requirements for the new Master’s programme in Psychotherapy have registered for the first entrance examination, to be held on 6 July 2026 in Graz. They are applying for 140 places in Graz, making the Styrian capital the largest centre for psychotherapy training in Austria.

Graz is Austria’s largest training centre

From the 2026/27 winter semester, the University of Graz and the Medical University of Graz will be offering the Master’s programme in Psychotherapy jointly for the first time. A total of 500 places are available across Austria, 140 of which are in Graz.

The programme combines medical, psychological and practice-oriented training content. Students attend courses at both universities and benefit from their respective specialist areas. Whilst the Medical University of Graz teaches medical fundamentals, clinical practice and psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approaches, the University of Graz focuses on psychological fundamentals and specialisations in humanistic, systemic and behavioural therapeutic methods. Practical training takes place, amongst other places, at the newly established Centre for Psychotherapy. Practical placements have also been created in the region, such as at the teaching hospitals of the Medical University of Graz in Styria and Carinthia.

Joint programme with a broad disciplinary basis

“The joint Master’s programme in Psychotherapy demonstrates how well the cooperation between the universities in Graz works. Through close coordination, we have succeeded in developing a scientifically sound and practice-oriented curriculum. This provides our students with the ideal foundation for their future careers,” says Peter Riedler, Rector of the University of Graz. 

“With this joint programme, we are creating a training programme that combines medical, psychological and psychotherapeutic skills at a high academic level. The close collaboration between the two universities enables practice-oriented training whilst simultaneously strengthening psychotherapeutic care for the future,” says Andrea Kurz, Rector of the Medical University of Graz.

The collaboration makes it possible to combine different professional perspectives in the training and to closely align theory and practice. The Master’s degree is a prerequisite for the third stage of psychotherapy training, which is provided by the respective professional associations.

High demand for psychotherapeutic care

The demand for psychotherapeutic care in Austria remains high: according to estimates, around 700,000 people require such treatment, whilst the number of available places is significantly lower. At the same time, some of the psychotherapists currently practising are approaching retirement, making the training of the next generation even more important.

The first students will begin their Master’s programme in Graz at the start of the 2026/27 winter semester.