Do age and language skills really matter if my qualifications are already strong?

Special qualifications carry the most weight, but age and language are not trivial. Age awards up to 20 points (under 35), and language skills up to 10 points, with even A1-A2 German or English contributing. Austrian studies can add up to 10 more.

If your special-qualification points alone do not reach 70, these secondary categories often make the difference. A younger candidate with some German can clear the threshold with a profile that an older applicant with no language points could not. When you are close to the line, improving your language certificate is usually the most controllable lever.