VIENNA

Bulgarians now constitute the largest number of foreign students at one of Austria's largest universities.

Out of a total student population of 22,000 at the University of Economics in Vienna, there are 655 Bulgarians, a relatively large proportion given that Bulgaria is such a small country.

The Austrian authorities are now considering why Vienna is becoming so popular among ambitious young Bulgarians. They believe that the sharp increase in Bulgarian applicants is due partly to the 1997 economic crisis that encouraged many Bulgarians to try their luck abroad. Gaining a foreign degree was also seen by some parents as a sound investment for their children's future and a possible means for them to stay away while conditions remain relatively impoverished.

Entry into Austrian higher education also appears to be easier than in some other European countries. And many Bulgarian students are finding their way around what red tape there is.

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Austria accepts most Bulgarian secondary school certificates as a valid qualification without insisting on an additional entry examination. Tuition fees are not normally required. Would-be students have to present evidence of a valid bank account to the authorities with a deposit of at least e5,080 (Pounds 3,350) to prove they can support themselves while studying.

However, false bank accounts are easy to open. And some people simply borrow the money from friends and relatives in order to show they have a healthy bank balance.

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Austrian residency permits strictly forbid employment, but this rule can also be broken. If caught, students can be deported immediately but it is a risk some feel is worth taking. The black market offers jobs for people prepared to work for low wages as cleaners and cafe assistants. For some Bulgarians, this extra money is another perk of being in Vienna and they can save up some to take back when they have completed their studies.

One illegally employed student distributing advertising leaflets on the streets of Vienna claimed that it was very difficult to study in Bulgaria because of the poor conditions within higher education and the long time it takes. The usual length of a university course is five years. Bulgarians also find it attractive, he said, to be able to choose from a range of subjects at degree level. Choice is still relatively limited in Bulgarian universities.

The University of Economics seems to have a good reputation among Bulgarians and a network of students and former students provide help and information to others.

Another student said that there was no particular reason why she was at the University of Economics but simply that to be studying anywhere in the west was better than at home. She said that many Bulgarians want to go abroad to places like Germany and the United States and Austria is a viable alternative.

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The outbreak of hostilities in neighbouring Serbia will certainly exacerbate the situation, with further political and economic uncertainties at home as part of the fallout. It is quite likely that Bulgarians will remain the largest group of foreign students in the foreseeable future.