EPD dates 2026/27: written and oral exam, registration, certificate
The Ergänzungsprüfung Deutsch (EPD), the German exam of the Vorstudienlehrgang der Wiener Universitäten (VWU), is held 6 times a year. This page lists every sitting from September 2026 to June 2027: the day of the written exam, the window of the oral exams, the registration period and the day the certificate becomes available.
All dates come from the official Vorstudienlehrgang page (vorstudienlehrgang.oead.at), as of 14 September 2026. Dates can change, so check your sitting there again before you register.
Practise past EPD exams for freeAll EPD sittings 2026/27 at a glance
For each sitting the table shows the day and time of the written exam, the window of the oral exams, the registration period and the day from which certificates can be downloaded in the VWU student portal. Candidates who pass the written exam are invited to the oral exam.
The written exam on 7 Sep 2026 has already taken place, and registration for that sitting is closed.
| Sitting | Written exam | Oral exams | Registration (online) | Certificate from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | Mon 7 Sep 2026, 14:15 | 21 to 24 Sep 2026 | closed | 28 Sep 2026 |
| November 2026 | Tue 10 Nov 2026, 14:15 | 30 Nov to 3 Dec 2026 | 16 to 29 Oct 2026, until 12:00 Vienna time | 7 Dec 2026 |
| January 2027 | Mon 11 Jan 2027, 14:15 | 25 to 29 Jan 2027 | 4 to 17 Dec 2026, until 12:00 Vienna time | 2 Feb 2027 |
| March 2027 | Wed 3 Mar 2027, 14:15 | 15 to 19 Mar 2027 | 5 to 18 Feb 2027, until 12:00 Vienna time | 23 Mar 2027 |
| April 2027 | Wed 21 Apr 2027, 14:15 | 10 to 14 May 2027 | 26 Mar to 8 Apr 2027, until 12:00 Vienna time | 19 May 2027 |
| June 2027 | Mon 7 Jun 2027, 14:15 | 21 to 25 Jun 2027 | 12 to 25 May 2027, until 12:00 Vienna time | 29 Jun 2027 |
As of 14 September 2026, source: vorstudienlehrgang.oead.at
- November 2026: this sitting falls outside the universities' admission period, so it does not let you switch to regular studies in the winter semester 2026.
- April 2027: this sitting falls outside the universities' admission period, so it does not let you switch to regular studies in the summer semester 2027.
Registration: online only, on the VWU portal
You register for the EPD online only, in the VWU student portal (portal.vwu.at). Each sitting has its own registration period, listed in the table above. Once the deadline has passed, you can no longer register.
The fee is 66 euros per attempt. You can register for an Ergänzungsprüfung even if you are not currently enrolled in a Vorstudienlehrgang course.
- Where: VWU student portal, portal.vwu.at
- When: within the registration period of your sitting, not after it
- Fee: 66 euros per attempt
- No VWU course required: you can register while not enrolled in a Vorstudienlehrgang course
After the written exam: result, oral exam, certificate
The written result reaches you by e-mail after about 1.5 weeks. With a pass grade (1 to 4) you are invited to the oral exam, which takes place in the window of your sitting. With „Nicht genügend“ (5) you sit the written exam again at a later sitting.
You pass the written exam only with at least 45 of 75 points and the minimum in each of the 4 sections. The oral result is announced right after the oral exam. You download the certificate in the VWU student portal from the day given in the table.
How many attempts you have
You may repeat the written exam 4 times and, separately, the oral exam 4 times. That gives you up to 5 attempts at each part.
Consecutive sittings in the table are 7 to 9 weeks apart, so after a failed attempt there is time to work on the section where you fell below the minimum.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register for two EPD sittings at once?
Not at once: each sitting has its own registration period, and the published periods do not overlap. You register in the period of the sitting you want to take, and for a later sitting only once its own period opens.
What happens if I fail the written exam?
Then you are not invited to the oral exam, and you sit the written exam again at a later sitting. You may repeat the written exam 4 times. To pass it you need at least 45 of 75 points and the minimum in every section.
Where do I see my result?
The written result comes by e-mail after about 1.5 weeks. The oral result is announced right after the oral exam. The certificate is then available for download in the VWU student portal, from the day the VWU gives for your sitting.
What does the note "outside the admission period" mean?
For 2 sittings the VWU notes that they fall outside the universities' admission period: November 2026 (no switch to regular studies in the winter semester 2026), April 2027 (no switch to regular studies in the summer semester 2027). If you want to start studying at a university right afterwards, plan for a different sitting.