How difficult are WU BBE entrance exam tasks, really? Matura vs OSA vs WU BBE entrance exam-like task example

To answer this question, let's dive into the history of the WU BBE exam over the years before I show you examples of a Matura-based vs an OSA-based vs a WU BBE entrance exam-based task from my course below in this post. WU BBE program appeared in 2018, and when I took the WU BBE entrance exam in 2019, when it was new to everyone (including the professors :D), the exam tasks were indeed really very similar to the Austrian Maths Matura (high school leaving examination) tasks that are published in a folder on WU's website as the reference and can also be found on official Matura's website (srdp.at).

So back then, after I talked with my WU BBE colleagues who graduated from high school in Austria, they told me "Oh, I did not even have to fully solve the WU BBE math tasks, as they were exactly like what we learned in school and I just remembered the answers from there". I was like "Oh really? :)))) I am so happy for you!!! :DDD" (For context: it took me 6 months to prepare as I had no idea what to expect and was not familiar with the Austrian education system). Also, one of my closest friends now with whom we graduated from WU BBE together, told me "I went to the WU BBE entrance exam with no preparation at all, because if after an Austrian business high school I cannot get into a business&economics degree in Austria, the high school has failed me", and surprise surprise, she got in, so it worked out for her.

So yes, for 2018 and 2019 the statement that WU BBE exam tasks are similar to the Austrian Math Matura ones was true.

In 2020 (the year I started tutoring for the WU BBE entrance exam by giving individual classes), when the online format was introduced due to restrictions on big offline gatherings, the tasks became slightly more challenging, and while they were longer than the matura ones, they were still rather simple compared to how they are now (in recent years).

In 2021, the difficulty of the WU BBE entrance exam increased significantly compared to 2020. The tasks became more challenging, tested more skills in 1 task, and took much longer to solve compared to a typical Matura task. Since 2021, the statement that Matura tasks are a similar representation of the WU BBE entrance exam tasks no longer holds.

As the years went by, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and as more and more people started applying to WU BBE (2068 applicants for 240 spots in 2021 and around 3700 applicants for 240 spots in 2025), the tasks started becoming more and more difficult, and most people who took the exam in 2 consecutive years (e.g., 2022 and 2023) said that the tasks were more difficult in the later year. I also made a video where I compare and explain how to solve 2024 vs 2025 format of WU BBE entrance exam-like tasks and you can check it out here: https://youtu.be/cAOHSjpYoH8?si=-JWy06efkn0eMimv

Now let me demonstrate the difference with practical examples:

A matura-based task from 13.01.2026:

Matura-based task

Solving it will take you around 2 minutes when you know how the graphs of derivatives work. The right answers are the 2nd and the 3rd statements. And the way you should approach it is:

1. Statement 1: False because on the interval [-5,-3] the graph of the original function (f(x)) is changing from increasing to decreasing and also has a local maximum there, so the first derivative is negative, then equal to 0 and then positive (and not always negative)

2. Statement 2: True because on the interval [-5,-3] the graph of the original function is concave down and the second derivative (f''(x)) is negative when the original function is concave down, so it matches.

3. Statement 3: True because in the interval [-1,1] the function has a minimum point and the slope of the tangent line at that point (that gives us the value of the first derivative) is equal to 0 there because the tangent line is flat (pro tip here: put a pencil next to the points of the graph to see how the slope of the tangent line changes), therefore f'(x)=0.

4. Statement 4: False because for the f''(x) to be equal to 0, the original graph has to have an inflection point (where the concavity changes). And on the interval mentioned [-1,1] the graph of the original function is always concave down and does not change concavity.

5. Statement 5: False because at x=1 the graph of the original function is increasing, therefore, if you use the pencil trick and put it next to that point, you will see that the tangent line at x=1 will have a positive slope, so the value of the first derivative will be positive.

An OSA-based task (it is not graded and does not influence your chances of getting accepted):

OSA-based task

What is most important for you to notice here is the TEXT UNDER THE GRAPH. It says the f is the graph OF THE FIRST DERIVATIVE OF ANOTHER FUNCTION F!!! So F'=f. Even though we are more used to f'(x)=first derivative and f(x)=original function, please still ALWAYS read the DEFINITIONS of functions/variables MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TASK.

The way you should approach it is:

1. Statement 1: True because the graph of the first derivative f that we see on the picture has a zero at x=0 AND it changes signs around it (from negative values before x=0 to positive values after x=0), that means that the graph of the original function looks like \/ and this shape gives us a minimum.

2. Statement 2: True because the graph of the first derivative f is positive as x goes to infinity (e.g., f is positive from x=0 onwards), and that means that the original function F will be increasing there (so approaching infinity by going up and up and up).

3. Statement 3: False because if we go one step backwards and imagine what we had to differentiate to get a cubic polynomial that we see on the picture, it would be a quartic (4th degree) polynomial, not a 2nd degree one (the first derivative of f in the graph would be a parabola, but F is a quartic polynomial).

4. Statement 4: True because f (the first derivative of F) is positive for x>0 and that means that F would be non-decreasing (so increasing or at a halt, but never decreasing),

5. Statement 5: True because (get ready for a long explanation here) at x=4 the graph of f (the derivative of F) has a minimum point, which means that the derivative of f (so the first derivative of the first derivative, which would be the second derivative in relation to the original function) will be equal to 0 at x=4 and change signs around it (from - to +), so that means that f''(4)=0 and it changes signs around it => the original function (F) has an inflection point there as the requirements for an inflection point are f''(x)=0 and for it to change signs around it for concavity to change.

A WU BBE 2025 entrance exam-based task from my course (bbe-exam.com)

WU BBE entrance exam-like task from bbe-exam.com. Updated as of 2025 format

Before looking at the detailed solution I wrote below, please try to solve this task yourself in around 4-6 minutes, as that is how long a math task should take you on average on the actual WU BBE entrance exam day to have enough time to go through all of them. So time to get a pen&paper and one of the allowed calculators and put on a timer :D to see how much time it will take you.

The solution to this task would be:

So, how did it go?:D

If you have any questions about any of the tasks mentioned here feel free to reach out to me via Instagram (@maria.teachie) or via email (info@bbe-exam.com) and I will post a detailed YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@mariakremneva1664) video explanation for these tasks soon!