Education in Austria?

Dear all,
our family is considering moving to Austria. Could you give us a little detail on the Education in Austria. What quality is it compare to other countries, how much does one year in college usually cost? (I heard it's free, but I think it's too good to be true:)
Thanks a lot!

Schools in Austria are free in general (although private schools exist and they have to be paid of course). There exist various school types - explaining all of them would be rather complex and I think there will not be enough space here.
School books are often provided for free.
University access requires the so called "matura" an eaxam which you take when finishing school at the age of 18 or 19. A foreign equivalent is accepted. The general rule is if your level of eductaion permits you to study in your home country you can study in Austria.
The Austrian Educational System is well developed with Universities in all major cities.
University is not free but almost. For Non-EU citiciens it is something like 1,500.-- Euros/Year (2.000,-- US$) = 726.-- Euros per semester. For EU citicens it is 50% less.
With some studies (medicine, psychology) access is limited to a certain number of students and there are tests at the beginning of the year. I think there are a number of reserved places for foreign students.
University fees do not include the cost of living.
The Austrian Universities have a good standard and good reputation in general.

Here some websites to Austrian universities:
Vienna University
http://www.univie.ac.at/en/
Vienna University of Medicine
http://www.meduniwien.ac.at/index.php?id...
Vienna University of Technology
http://www.tuwien.ac.at/tu_vienna/

Salzburg University
http://www.uni-salzburg.at/portal/page?_...

Graz University:
http://www.kfunigraz.ac.at/E/
University of Technology Graz
http://portal.tugraz.at/portal/page?_pag...

Here's also a link to the Austrian Government website giving details on studyin in Austria:
http://help.gv.at/Content.Node/148/Seite...

well the middle school and high school education is not too serious in austria...many never attend high school. but the university is much better since they are all close by and in the city..and they should be cheaper becuz of the population

The first thing to understand is that there is no such thing as "college" in Austria. Kids who finish "Matura" (exams following a serious academic high school that is the equivalent of Junior College in the U.S.) go directly to University. It may not be exactly like graduate school in the U.S., but it is above the level of college.

I think there are special courses for foreign students to help them fit into this system.

University is not free, as far as I know, but it is not horrendously expensive, either. Ordinary families can afford to send their kids to good schools.

I totally disagree with your other answerer about the quality of education. Yes, people who are not on a academic track can take it easy, but my cousins who are high school and college age are all fluent in two languages other than German, great in math, computer skilled, and well read. One has been spending every summer in China learning "business Chinese" in an Austrian University-sponsored program. Nothing light-weight there that I can see -- and they live way out in the provinces.

I know several people in the U.S. who spent "a year abroad" at Austrian Universities, and they were all pleased with the quality of the education.