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Austria

Study in Austria 2024

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Basic monthly living cost

  • Rent in a shared flat

    496

  • Share of utilities

    106

  • Internet subscription

    33

  • Local transportation

    50

Sample lifestyle cost

  • Fast food combo

    9

  • Cinema ticket

    12

  • Pint of local beer

    4

Visa Requirements

  1. Travel Visa C (""Schengenvisa""): entitles you to stay in Austria and in all other Schengen countries for a maximum of 90 days.
  2. Visa D (Austrian National visa, Aufenthaltsvisum D) - for stays of at least 91 days up to a maximum of 6 months; not necessary if you are a Japanese national.
  3. Aufenthaltsbewilligung Studierende (temporary residence permit for students) - for stays longer than 6 months.

What type of Visa do you need?

Visa name

Travel Visa C; Visa D; Aufenthaltsbewilligung Studierende

Price and currency

EUR 71

  • For Visa C: 71 EUR
  • For Visa D: 176 EUR
  • For Residence Permit: 141 EUR

The prices can be subject to change.

Who can apply for the visa?

Nationals of EU and EEA member countries, as well as Swiss nationals, do not need visas for Austria. When staying in Austria for longer than 3 months they, however, have to apply for a ""Lichtbildausweis für EWR-Bürger/innen"" which is a confirmation of registration at the immigration office within 3 months of entry to Austria.

Other foreigners have to apply for a residence permit for study purposes (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Studierende) at the Austrian representative authority before entry to Austria after receipt of the notification of admission.

Where can you make the application?

Austrian representative authority (embassy, consulate-general)

You have to apply for a student visa in person at the Austrian representative authority (embassy, consulate-general) before traveling to Austria.

Website:

How to make the application?

All visa applicants must appear in person at the Austrian embassy/consulate. Documents to be submitted for registration include:

  1. A fully completed and signed application form (available from the representative authority; can also be downloaded from the Internet)
  2. Valid passport (should be valid for the whole duration of your stay in Austria)
  3. Passport-sized colour photograph (between 3.5 x 4.5 cm and 4.0 x 5.0 cm)
  4. Birth certificate
  5. Certificate of good conduct (where available)
  6. Health insurance
  7. Notification of admission of the Austrian educational institution
  8. Proof of sufficient financial means to cover one’s living costs for 12 months in advance (for students up to 24 years of age: 426.57 EUR/month; for students over 24 years of age: 772.40 EUR/month (these amounts include the rent for the accommodation of up to 239.15 EUR in 2009), e.g.: savings bank book/account in Austria / declaration of guarantee of a person living in Austria/Travellers Cheques
  9. Proof of accommodation (rental agreement, accommodation agreement with a student hall of residence).

In Austria, it is compulsory to register with the municipal authorities (Meldeamt: Gemeindeamt, Magistratisches Bezirksamt) within three working days of entering the country.

When should you apply?

For short-term visas (visa D): Allow 15 days for processing. Visa applications should ideally be submitted at least 3-4 weeks prior to departure but no more than 3 months prior to departure.

For long-term visas: Your visa application will be sent to Austria and the decision has to be awaited in one’s home country - therefore the application should be submitted at least 3 months before the intended arrival in Austria. The general processing period for a Residence Permit is three to six months until you will receive a decision from the Austrian authority.

Only residence titles (residence permits (Aufenthaltsbewilligung) and settlement permits (Niederlassungsbewilligung) can be renewed in Austria. You have to apply for a renewal before the expiry of the original permit. Until a decision about the renewal has been taken you may – even after the expiry of your original permit – stay in Austria.

Processing time

3 Months

Work opportunities

Nationals of the EU states, as well as Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, do not need a work permit for working in Austria. If the work permit is granted these students are not restricted as regards the extent of their work, i.e. their permitted work is not limited to seasonal work or minimum income work (geringfügige Beschäftigung). One of the requirements for the work permit is that the vacancy cannot be filled by unemployed people registered with the employment service.

Students from Non-EU countries and Croatia are subject to the Act Governing the Employment of Foreign Nationals and require an employment permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung). Students who are nationals of third countries get a work permit for up to 10 hours weekly if they are studying in Bachelor degree programs, students in Master degree programs are allowed to work with work permit up to 20 hours weekly. Full-time employment is possible for the periods during which no lectures take place. The work permit has to be applied for at the employment service (Arbeitsmarktservice, AMS) by the employer at least 6 weeks before the beginning of the employment and is only valid for a specific job with the specific employer.

Hours per week

10

Why do you need this type of visa?

Your visa application may be rejected if you are not able to show proof of the required funds, or if you provide incorrect or incomplete documents.