Austria given time to defend quota

Austria has been given more time to present its arguments to the European Commission on the country's restrictions on international students at Austrian universities.

The Government has until May 29 to justify its quota system, which reserves 75 per cent of university places for students with an Austrian high-school diploma, 20 per cent for students from other European Union countries and the remaining 5 per cent for international students.

The system was introduced in June 2006 after an influx of German students who failed to meet German entrance requirements.

Johannes Hahn, the Austrian Science Minister, said Vienna would use the extra time to "find a solution with Brussels that allows for our special situation".