Master of Advanced International Studies (MAIS)

The MAIS programme extends over two years.

MAIS1 

In the first year of the Master of Advanced International Studies students attend classes in the fields of political science, international relations, economics and international economic relations, contemporary history, as well as international and European law. The student’s interests, preferences and prior knowledge are taken into account in individual student counselling sessions. The knowledge previously acquired in undergraduate programmes is complemented and supplemented, and the necessary basis for the analysis of specific topic areas in the MAIS2 year is created.

MAIS2

In the second MAIS year students apply the knowledge acquired during the MAIS1 year in specialised courses and seminars to analyse problems and solve case studies. Methodological and interdisciplinary seminars, presented by prominent personalities from politics and science, prepare students for writing their Master’s thesis. In their Master’s thesis students are required to analyse a specific problem in international relations from the aspect of at least two academic disciplines.

Study Trips

In the first MAIS year a study trip to Brussels offers students the opportunity to examine European institutions at first hand. During the second MAIS year there is a study trip to the countries of the Western Balkans (in 2012 Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Albania). A study trip to Ukraine and Poland (in 2012: L'viv, Drohobytsh, Kiev and Cracow) is offered to all programmes.

In addition, there are excursions to international organizations headquartered in Vienna (UNO, OSCE, OPEC, UNIDO, IAEA, EUMC).

Language Training

Over the course of the two MAIS years students must complete language courses in German or French comprising at least 4 ECTS. In cooperation with the Language Centre of the University of Vienna and the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna the DA offers further optional courses in the official languages of the UN: Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.

In order to be eligible for admission to the MAIS programme candidates must have: 

Those candidates whose mother tongue is not English must furnish evidence of their competence in English in the form of:

The recognition of other qualifications is at the discretion of the Diplomatic Academy. Applications are assessed by the MAIS Admissions Commission. Candidates may also be required to sit a written exam and/or be invited to a personal interview.

Candidates may be admitted directly to the second MAIS year provided they have:

Applications for the MAIS Programme may be made by the online/offline procedure (see below). The MAIS Commission reviews all applications and may, in some cases, invite candidates to an interview. Only applications completed in full are taken into consideration. 

Application deadline: 1 March 2013

Candidates who have not yet finished their university/college studies at the time of application may submit their diploma by 31 July 2013. In the case the applicant does not fulfil this requirement, the provisionally reserved study place is forfeited.

Online/Offline Application Process

1. Register

2. Fill in the online application form and upload your CV.

   The document size of your CV must not exceed 1 MB.

3. Post copies of the following to the DA Registrar’s Office: these documents should reach the Registrar by 1 March 2013 at the latest:

• CV
• motivation letter
• proof of competence in English (please check the requirements and the list of accepted certificates under the tag “admission”)
• university/college diploma
• transcript of grades
• copy of your passport
• photo (passport sized)
• two recommendation letters. These MUST be:
  • submitted by the referees to the candidate in a sealed envelope or
  • submitted by the referees directly to our registrar Ms Ingrid Eidler by postal mail.
• If you are applying for a scholarship, you are required to mail the duly completed and signed (no electronic signatures) scholarship form as well as a tax declaration and/or pay slips.

Please send the documents listed above to

Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

Ingrid Eidler

Favoritenstr. 15a

1040 Vienna, Austria

Certified Translations

The working languages of the Diplomatic Academy are English, French and German. If your documents are not issued in one of these languages, please make sure you include certified translations with your application.

Start Application

DA-Scholarships

Financial assistance in the form of student loans and scholarships is available to specific target groups, depending on the number of sponsorships received. Additionally, there is a limited number of partial tuition waivers granted by the DA to students of all nationalities based solely on academic performance. Decisions on applications for financial assistance are taken by the Diplomatic Academy Scholarship Fund at the end of May.

In order to apply for a scholarship, applicants should send the filled in and hand-signed scholarship form by mail to the DA by 1 March 2013 at the latest.

Information about scholarship applications is sent out together with the decision on admission to the MAIS programme.

Application deadline: 1 March 2013

Scholarship of the Austrian Scholarship Foundation

This Foundation awards scholarships to citizens of those countries that suffered under the National Socialist regime, particularly through the recruiting of forced labour.  The programme is, however, not only intended for people from the countries particularly affected by the recruitment of forced labour, but also for the descendants of forced labourers who live in other countries.

Please find further details at the Austrian Database for Scholarships and Research Grants 

Student Loans

In cooperation with the Wüstenrot savings bank the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna grants a limited number of student loans to students of the MAIS programme in their 1^st OR their 2^nd year of studies at the DA.

Loan conditions

Student loan: max. EUR 10,000 either in the 1^st OR in the 2^nd year of the MAIS

Loan period: 78 months, of which 18 months installment-free and  thereafter 60 monthly repayments

Terms of loan: 6% per annum max. variable

Application deadline: May 31

Students can only apply for loans after they have been accepted on to the MAIS Programme. The granting of the loan is considered and has to be approved by the Director after the student has made the required down-payment of EUR 500,- to secure his/her place in the MAIS programme. Please mail the application form directly to our financial officer claudia.nilsson@da-vienna.ac.at

Application form

For US applicants there is the possibility to apply for the Fulbright-Diplomatic Academy Student Grant. For details please see http://www.fulbright.at/fulbright-for-us-citizens/us-students/us-students-diplomatic-academy.html.

Country-specific Loans

For students from Great Britain

The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna is a registered institution with “Professional Career Development Loans” by the government ( www.direct.gov.uk/cdl) Prospective students from GB who wish to apply for a Professional Career Development Loan (PCDL) can seek further information under the PCDL information phone number 0800 585 505.

For students from British Columbia

Students of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna can apply for student loans at the Ministry of Advanced Education & Labour Market Development.