Your Gateway to Austria: New Opportunities and Requirements Worth Knowing

Your Gateway to Austria: New Opportunities and Requirements Worth Knowing

A university where you can continue your studies, a job suited to your qualifications, or a business you hope to launch—your plans for Austria can take different forms. Each option comes with its own requirements and costs. ElWijha explains the essentials of residence, study and work, along with housing, insurance and family life.

Requirements vary according to nationality, the purpose of travel and its duration. Short visits are generally limited to 90 days in any 180-day period across the entire Schengen Area, while respecting the period of stay authorised by the visa.

The national D visa is generally used for stays lasting between 91 days and six months, with some exceptions. Nationals of countries outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland generally need a residence permit if their stay exceeds six months.

A visitor visa does not automatically grant the right to work.

Programmes in German and English are available at public and private universities and universities of applied sciences.

Each institution sets its requirements for previous qualifications, language proficiency, documents, legalisation, translation and application deadlines. Some programmes may require an entrance examination.

Applications are submitted directly to the educational institution. Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation provides guidance but does not process admission applications.

Students from countries outside the European Union and the European Economic Area who hold a student residence permit generally pay €726.72 per semester at public universities, plus a €26.20 student union fee, which includes accident insurance. Exemptions apply in certain cases. Fees at other institutions vary.

Average student living costs are estimated at €1,300 per month, depending on the city, accommodation and personal spending. This is an estimate of living expenses, not the amount of financial resources that must be demonstrated for a residence permit.

Scholarships funding an entire degree are limited, and their eligibility requirements and coverage vary. Check which expenses are covered before relying on a scholarship.

The main requirements include admission, sufficient financial resources, accommodation and accepted health insurance, along with documents specific to your circumstances. The required financial resources vary according to age, family circumstances, and housing and insurance costs.

Admission alone does not guarantee a residence permit. Renewal requires continued enrolment and evidence of the required academic progress—generally 16 ECTS credits or eight semester hours per academic year, or appropriate evidence of progress in doctoral studies.

Submit your renewal application before the permit expires. Applications can be submitted no earlier than three months before expiry.

Employment immigration routes include the Red-White-Red Card and the EU Blue Card. Requirements vary by category and may include qualifications, experience, language skills, points, a job offer and salary.

The Red-White-Red Card for employees is tied to the specified employer. The Red-White-Red Card plus provides unrestricted access to the labour market when its requirements are met. It is a fixed-term residence title, not a permanent residence title.

There are also routes for start-up founders and self-employed key workers, with requirements concerning innovation, a business plan, capital or the project’s economic benefit. Registering a company alone does not grant the right to reside or work.

Under routes governed by the Settlement and Residence Act, the main eligible categories include spouses or registered partners and unmarried children under 18 at the time of application, including adopted children and stepchildren. Spouses or registered partners must be at least 21 when applying.

Income, accommodation, insurance, German-language requirements and work rights depend on the residence status of the person living in Austria. Exceptions and different rules apply to the families of citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

Family members of Red-White-Red Card or EU Blue Card holders can apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus. A student’s family can apply for a Family Community residence permit, with different requirements and rights.

Options include student residences, shared flats and private accommodation. The university does not automatically allocate a room upon admission. Start searching early and compare rent, deposits and additional expenses.

You generally need to register your address within three days of moving into accommodation, using the address registration form signed by the accommodation provider. Some exceptions apply.

Address registration does not replace a residence permit or grant the right to work.

Coverage depends on your circumstances and insurance. Eligible students can take out student health insurance with the Austrian Health Insurance Fund.

Accident insurance included in the student union fee does not replace health insurance. The electronic health insurance card also does not mean that all healthcare services are free; some charges or part of the costs may remain payable by you.

The Long-term Resident – EU title may be available after five years of uninterrupted, qualifying legal settlement, provided the other requirements and integration conditions are met. These include German at B1 level and the required knowledge of the legal and social system, subject to statutory exceptions.

Half of the immediately preceding period of lawful student residence is counted when moving to a residence title that permits settlement, in accordance with legal requirements. Five years on a student residence permit alone are therefore insufficient.

Asylum and international protection follow a separate procedure involving an individual assessment of persecution or protection needs.

A student residence permit holder from a country outside the European Union can obtain a work permit for employment of up to 20 hours per week without a labour market test.

The employer must apply to Austria’s Public Employment Service before work begins, including for marginal employment. A student residence permit alone is insufficient, and employment must not interfere with studies.

After completing their studies, graduates can extend their student residence permit once for 12 months to look for work or set up a business, provided the applicable conditions are met. They can then move to an appropriate residence title if they meet its requirements.