The Austrian Cultural Olympiad does not require prior qualifying, though prior to attending the Olympiad, participants must take a German-language placement test to determine to what extent they can take part in German-language activities. Participants who do not have prior experience with German must take an online course in advance of their week in Austria so that they learn basic grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and simple conversation skills. Additionally, prior to traveling to Austria, all participants must participate in several online seminars with Austrian students. These seminars will introduce Austrian culture to participants and provide a basis for further exploration of Austrian culture while participants are in Vienna.