Syrian students in Austria show high need for German language support

A new factsheet from the Integration Fund Austria (ÖIF) reveals that approximately 35 percent of students from Syria require special German language support in Austrian schools. This is significantly higher than the national average of 4.4 percent for all students, though the need is notably higher in primary schools, where it reaches nearly 11 percent.

Other student groups also show significant needs for language assistance. According to the MIKA-D classification test, 27 percent of students with Ukrainian citizenship are categorized as requiring extraordinary support. Additionally, 17 percent of students from Romania, 16 percent from Turkey, and 15 percent from Afghanistan require German language promotion.

Geographically, the need for support is most concentrated in urban areas. In Vienna, nearly every fifth child in primary school requires German language assistance. Other cities such as Wels and Linz report even higher rates, at 25 percent and 22 percent respectively. In contrast, the need is lowest in Carinthia and Burgenland, with rates between 5 and 6 percent.