Places for the E&I specialization (E&I SBWL) are both limited and in high demand, so unfortunately not every student who applies will be accepted to the program. We select students who show the best fit for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation specialization since this allows us to guarantee them an optimal study environment.

Students need to apply to the Entrepreneurship and Innovation specialization. Once a student is accepted, our entire course catalog is accessible and there are no further hurdles to clear or prerequisites to meet (except for courses that are prerequisites for more advanced courses).

The general admission requirements from your curriculum are the prerequisites for getting into the E&I specialization (E&I SBWL).

As agreed with the Vice-Rector for Academic Programs and Student Affairs, the E&I specialization program (E&I SBWL) accepts 60 bachelor’s students per semester using a selection process designed with input from WU’s Student’s Union (ÖH). Students are selected based on the official WU student ranking or their E&I Skills Fit and current CV. Evaluating these criteria gives us a well-rounded picture of prospective students, as grades show a commitment to learning and the E&I Skills Fit in combination with students' CVs identifies extra-curricular entrepreneurial interests and skills.

The criteria are applied as follows:

WU Student Ranking (Top 5%)

If your current grade point average puts you in the top 5% of your cohort (ranking: grades only), you will be automatically accepted into the E&I specialization.

What to do:

· Submit your GPA confirmation via the online application form during the application period

· Ensure all required grades are listed in the ranking you submit

Please note that automatic acceptance is limited to a maximum of 40 spots. Should applications from top 5% students exceed the available spots, a selection based on GPA ranking will be applied. For this reason, all applicants are encouraged to also complete the E&I Skills Fit form.

E&I Skills Fit

At least 20 spots are reserved for applicants with exceptional skills, regardless of GPA. Since our goal is to equip students with the knowledge and abilities to become successful entrepreneurs, we carefully select candidates who show the greatest potential to thrive in our specialization. To better understand your experiences and capabilities, we ask all applicants to complete a skill assessment as part of the application process.

We know that entrepreneurship is about more than grades—so we encourage you to showcase your organizational talent, creativity, and willingness to go the extra mile. (Note: Your CV alone is not considered proof of skills. We strongly recommend attaching additional supporting documents such as reference letters, certificates, or awards.)

What to do:

· Upload your current CV

· Complete the Skills Fit form by highlighting your skills relevant to Entrepreneurship & Innovation with concrete examples

How-to: Skills Fit form

To help you clearly demonstrate the skills we are looking for, we herewith provide you with an example of how we expect you to fill out the skill assessment form:

1. Select a Skill Title

Choose one skill that you consider your strength (e.g., Analytical Skills, Leadership, Communication).

2. Provide a Detailed Description

Describe a concrete example where you demonstrated this skill. Include the context, your actions, and the results.

Example: Analytical Skills

“During my internship last summer at a financial consultancy firm, I created a comprehensive financial model to perform a sophisticated benchmark analysis of the Austrian Real Estate market. I am looking forward to utilize my newly gained analytical skills during one of the project courses at E&I. Attached you will find a reference letter from my supervisor as proof for the claimed skill.”

3. Attach Supporting Documentation

Include at least one document that verifies the skill you described (e.g., reference letters, awards, credentials). Please note that certificates of attendance or similar documents are not sufficient.

Furthermore, if you are unsure about which skills might be interesting to us, you can refer to the examples below as inspiration.

• Communication: We would love to hear about how you co-authored your local school newspaper or the time you took at a rhetoric class.

• Leadership: Ever led your competitive football team to victory as team-captain? Tell us more about it!

• Teamwork: Let us know about the time when you were elected as school counselor and what you achieved with your team for your fellow students.

• Entrepreneurial mindset: Already did an internship at a startup or even founded a company yourself? Tell us more about how you acquired funding and satisfied customers!

Read through the skills above carefully but treat them as examples only!

There are numerous other skills we are looking for. Just keep in mind: The skills you are telling us about should be relevant for the specialization Entrepreneurship & Innovation and for becoming a successful innovator, entrepreneur or consultant.

Still have questions?

Here you can find your answers:

• FAQs below 

• Behind the scenes of E&I on Instagram

• E&I specialization contact entrep-office@wu.ac.at

• Specialization fair ("SBWL Messe")

• E&I Touchdown