Leitfaden studi-engl

Guide to entry and
residence requirements for
foreign students

This information brochure is to provide an overview of
the Austrian entry and residence requirements for
foreign students wishing to study in Austria

A Publication of the
OeAD-Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in
Education and Research (OeAD-GmbH)

Guide to entry and residence requirements for foreign students

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This information brochure is to provide an overview of the Austrian entry and
residence requirements for foreign students wishing to study in Austria.

Students in exchange or scholarship programmes please mind the
relevant instructions of your Austrian university and the authority
awarding the scholarship, respectively.

1. Study options in Austria .............................................................................................................................. 3

2. Requirements for studying in Austria.....................................................................................................4

3. Admission to studies/deadlines/dates: ..................................................................................................6

4. Overview of the entry and residence titles for studying in Austria .................................................8

5. Nationals of EU & EEA member countries and Swiss nationals:.................................................9

6. Nationals of third countries: ....................................................................................................................10
a) Studies for a maximum of 6 months ...............................................................................................10
b) Studies for over 6 months ................................................................................................................... 12

7. Registration according to the Registration Act................................................................................. 17

8. Gainful employment (Erwerbstätigkeit) .............................................................................................. 17
a) Nationals of EU and EEA member countries and Swiss nationals ....................................... 17
b) Nationals of third countries ................................................................................................................18

9. Contact points................................................................................................................................................19

10. List of the EU/EEA countries and Schengen countries..................................................................20
EU countries (European Union)..............................................................................................................20
EEA countries (European Economic Area) .........................................................................................20
Schengen countries .....................................................................................................................................20

11. Legalisation..................................................................................................................................................... 21

12. Glossary............................................................................................................................................................ 22

13. Abbreviations .................................................................................................................................................24

as at: July 2011
Download of the brochure at http://www.oead.at/Leitfaden-Studi-engl.pdf

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1. Study options in Austria

In Austria university studies are offered at the following institutions:
 Universities and universities of the arts
 Bachelor, master, diploma and doctoral studies are degree programme studies
(“ordentliche Studien“).
 University training/university level courses are non-degree programme courses
(“außerordentliche Studien“).
 Attention: Attendance of a university training/university level course that
exclusively serves the learning of a language is not sufficient for a residence title
(this does not apply to university preparation courses preparing students for
supplementary examinations).
 Attendance of individual courses in academic subjects is also classified as “non-
degree programme studies” and is not sufficient for a residence title.
 Universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen)
 Bachelor and master programmes are degree programme studies (“ordentliche
Studien“).
 Further education courses at universities of applied sciences are non-degree
programme studies (“außerordentliche Studien“).
 University colleges of teacher education
 Bachelor programmes, university courses, courses
 Private universities
 Diploma programmes, bachelor, master and doctoral programmes, university
courses
Studying at the following institutions is also recognised as a sufficient purpose for a
residence title: Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule der Diözese St. Pölten as well as
the Ordenshochschulen in Stift Heiligenkreuz (Cistercians), St. Gabriel near Mödling (SVD-
Societas Verbi Divini) and the Internationales Theologisches Institut für Studien zu Ehe und
Familie in Gaming.

In the course of the adjustment to a joint European higher education area the Austrian
“degree programme” studies have been divided into three stages according to the Bologna
study architecture (degrees: bachelor, master/Diplom Ingenieur/Diplom Ingenieurin,
doctorate/PhD); doctoral programmes can only be studied at universities and private
universities. A bachelor programme lasts at least 6 semesters (at least 180 ECTS credits), a
master programme 2 to 4 semesters (between 60 and 120 ECTS credits) and a doctoral /
PhD programme at least 6 semesters. In the current transition phase the classical two-tier
form – diploma (8 to 10 semesters) and doctoral programme (6 semesters) also exists.
The only fields of study that are excluded from the Bologna study architecture are
medicine and dentistry, which ex lege are diploma degree programmes.

University training/level courses and further education courses are available at various
levels (undergraduate – postgraduate); the postgraduate courses usually finish with an
internationally common master degree (e.g. MBA, MAS).

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2. Requirements for studying in Austria

In order to be admitted to study at a university, university of applied sciences
(Fachhochschule) or university college of teacher education the following requirements
have to be fulfilled:
a) General university entrance qualification:
 for bachelor and diploma programmes: school leaving certificate or equivalent
document1
 for master programmes: bachelor or equivalent degree
 for doctoral/PhD programmes: diploma, master or equivalent degree
In case the foreign certificate is not equivalent to an Austrian school leaving examination
the Austrian university or university of applied sciences will prescribe supplementary
examinations that have to be passed before admission to degree programme studies.
Austria has concluded agreements of equivalence of school leaving certificates and
recognition of foreign degrees with many countries. Further information is available from
the universities or the authority in charge of questions of international recognition of
degrees of the Federal Ministry of Science and Research – BMWF (NARIC Austria).
At universities of the arts the general university entrance qualification may be proved by an
entrance procedure. The individual universities of the arts will inform prospective students
about the precise requirements.
At universities of applied sciences an entrance procedure (e.g. entrance examination)
and/or proof of relevant practical experience may be required instead of or in addition to
the general university entrance qualification. The individual universities of applied sciences
will inform prospective students about the precise requirements.
In case that the foreign university degree is not equivalent to an Austrian university degree
supplementary examinations may be prescribed. These have to be sat in addition to those
stipulated in the Curriculum during the degree programme studies.

b) Specific university entrance qualification (for universities)
The “specific university entrance qualification” is the proof of the fulfilling of all
requirements for the chosen degree programme in Austria, including the right to direct
access to university studies of the chosen field of study in the country of issue of the
school leaving certificate. This proof does not apply to nationals of EU/EEA countries.
Explanation: If additional admission requirements apart from the school leaving certificate
exist in a third country for the desired study programme, applicants with school leaving
certificates from that country have to prove the fulfilment of those requirements in order to
be admitted to study in Austria. If no other requirements/restrictions for the admission

1
These are the university entrance qualification exam, the vocational matriculation examination (Berufsreifeprüfung) or
the completion of a degree programme at an accredited higher education institution (postsecondary educational
institution), at which the required workload amounts to 180 ECTS credits.

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to a certain field of study exist in the country in which the school leaving certificate was
issued students do not have to provide proof of a study place in their country for studying
in Austria.
Examples:
 Applicants have to achieve a certain score in the university entrance examination in
the country in which their school leaving certificate was issued in order to qualify
for a place at university (e.g. Turkey, China).
 Applicants have to be in possession of a “Secondary (Education) Certificate“ and a
confirmation of the Egyptian university admission authority in order to fulfil the
admission requirements.
In some fields of study (e.g. medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, psychology) the
rector of the university can limit the number of students either by an admission procedure
before admission or by a selection procedure until the end of the second semester after
admission at the latest (information about this is available directly from the relevant
university). This also applies to EU/EEA nationals.

c) German language proficiency
In Austria as a rule German is the language of instruction at the educational
institutions. Numerous universities also offer courses or even study programmes in other
languages. Doctoral/PhD programmes often can be studied without knowledge of German
– mostly in English language. Further information is available directly from the individual
universities.
In case that German language proficiency is necessary for the intended study programme
relevant proofs (e.g. “German” as a school subject in the school leaving certificate,
language certificates) should be enclosed with the application for admission.
If the knowledge of German is not sufficient, the university or university of applied
sciences can prescribe a supplementary examination of German in its
notification/confirmation of admission, which has to be passed before the beginning of the
degree programme studies. In Vienna, Graz and Leoben University Preparation
Programmes are available for the preparation for these supplementary examinations.
Since these are university training courses the students are enrolled as “non-degree
programme students” at the university while they attend the University Preparation
Programme.

d) Other admission requirements
For some university study programmes additional requirements may exist (e.g. Latin,
Greek, biology, physical and motorical ability).
For the secondary school teacher accreditation programme in Physical Education and for
the study programme Sports Sciences proof of physical and motorical ability has to be
produced.
For studying at a university college of teacher education the qualification to study has
to be proved in an admission procedure determined by the college instead of the general
and specific university entrance qualification.
For admission at private universities the requirements have to be enquired about
directly at the private university at which you want to study.

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The admission requirements for studying in university training/university level
courses and further education courses have to be enquired about directly at the
course you want to study.

3. Admission to studies/deadlines/dates:
The application for admission has to be sent directly to the university, university of applied
sciences (Fachhochschule), university college of teacher education or private university2.
Some universities offer a “registration” via internet and will then send specific information
to the applicant via e-mail.
Foreign documents have to be submitted in the original3 and have to be legalised4.
Documents in languages other than German5 have to be accompanied by an authorised
German translation; translations carried out abroad also have to be legalised.
Please note: The documents should be translated after legalisation because the legalisation
phrase also has to be translated!
 Universities: The complete documents have to arrive at the Austrian university by
September 1st for the winter semester and by February 1st for the summer semester;
these deadlines cannot be extended. Since the processing of the applications takes
some time it is recommended to submit the application in good time.
For nationals of EU and EEA countries as well as for Swiss nationals the same closing
dates apply as those for Austrians (information about the dates is available from the
individual universities). These nationals, however, should also submit their application
as soon as possible to avoid missing important deadlines (e.g. enrolment in courses)
due to the processing time at the university.
 Universities and universities of the arts with application procedures, universities of
applied sciences, university colleges of teacher education: The application deadlines
and dates of the entrance examinations and admission procedures vary very much.
Therefore please enquire in good time directly at the university of your
choice!
When the fulfilment of all requirements has been proved the university will send a
notification or confirmation of admission or the invitation for the admission
procedure, respectively to the address stated by the applicant. Students can be admitted
as degree programme students or – in the case of supplementary examinations or
university training/university level courses – as non-degree programme students. After
arrival in Austria students have to enrol at the university in person.
Tuition fees may be payable for studying at Austrian universities. The exact amount of
these is to be enquired about at the individual institutions.

2
Applications submitted to the Austrian representative authorities will be forwarded to the educational institution.
Please note that in this case, too, the application has to arrive at the educational institution in time (please bear in mind
the mail delivery times!).
3
Please enquire at the relevant institution whether or not (legalised) copies are also accepted.
4
See chapter 11 in the appendix.
5
Please enquire at the relevant institution whether or not documents in other languages are accepted without
translation.

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Checklist for admission to study:

 Proof of nationality
 Application for admission with the university’s own application form (download
from the homepage of the university), stating the field of study you wish to study.
 Documents proving the general university entrance qualification (in the case of arts
or university of applied sciences studies often an entrance examination has to be
sat additionally or instead of this qualification)
 Documents proving the specific university entrance qualification (only applies to
nationals of third countries); in the case of the universities of the arts or
universities of applied sciences studies often an entrance examination or entrance
procedure is required instead of this qualification
 Proof of German language proficiency (if necessary)
 Proof of physical and motorical ability (if required)

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4. Overview of the entry and residence titles for studying in Austria

Overview of the entry and residence titles for students

EU/EEA nationals Nationals of third countries

no entry or residence Stays for a maximum Stays of more
title necessary of 6 months than 6 months

Stays of more than 3 months: Residence permit
Confirmation of Registration Visa C or D
Student

Family members of students

EU/EEA: Confirmation of
Registration Residence permit
Visa C or D
Nationals of third countries: Family
Permanent residence card

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5. Nationals of EU & EEA member countries and Swiss nationals:

Nationals of EU and EEA countries as well as Swiss nationals neither need an entry nor a
residence title, only a valid travel document or identity card.

If they are staying in Austria for longer than 3 months they have to apply for a
confirmation of registration at the authority in charge of residence (provincial
governor, municipal authorities).

Checklist confirmation of registration (for stays of more than 3 months):

 completed and signed application form (available from the authority in charge of
residence and the homepage of the Federal Ministry of the Interior - BMI)
 Documents:
 valid identity card or passport
 Proof of a sufficient health insurance
 Proof of sufficient financial means (guideline: at least EUR 400.- per person
per month)
 confirmation of admission of the educational institution
 Costs: EUR: 15.00 (additional fees may occure)

The confirmation of registration need not be renewed. Before leaving Austria you should
cancel your registration with the authority in charge of residence.

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6. Nationals of third countries:

a) Studies for a maximum of 6 months

Nationals of the following countries need no visa if they are going to stay in Austria for no
longer than 3 months.

Albania* Guatemala Nicaragua
Andorra Honduras Panama
Antigua and Barbuda Hong Kong Paraguay
Argentina Israel San Marino
Australia Japan (6 months) Serbia
Bahamas Republic of Korea Seychelles
Barbados (South) Singapore
Bosnia-Herzegovina** Macao Taiwan**
Brazil Macedonia Uruguay
Brunei Malaysia Vatican City
Canada Mexico Venezuela
Chile Monaco United States of
Costa Rica Montenegro America
Croatia New Zealand
El Salvador

 only with new biometrical passport
** only passports with personal identification number

Nationals of all other countries need a visa C for stays of a maximum of 3 months.

For stays of 4 to a maximum of 6 months nationals of all countries (except Japan) need a
visa D.

Attention: Visas cannot be renewed in Austria. When the visa expires you have, unless you
have been granted another residence title, to leave the Schengen area and apply for a new
visa or residence title.

A visa C entitles to entry and residence in all Schengen countries.

A visa D entitles to entry and residence in Austria and to travel to other Schengen
countries for up to 90 days.

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Checklist Visa

 Application in person for the visa at the competent Austrian representative authority
abroad.
Please note: The processing times may vary regionally or seasonally (e.g. because of
“Schengen consultation duties” or periods of heavy demand). As a guideline we
recommend to apply for the visa at least four weeks before the intended trip to
Austria.
 Documents:
 completed and signed visa application (available from the Austrian representative
authority or the homepage of the Federal Ministry for European and International
Affairs (BMEIA))
 valid travel document with free page (validity period three months longer than the
visa applied for)
 2 recent ICAO-conform passport-sized colour photographs, size between 3.5 x 4.5
cm and 4 x 5 cm: www.passbildkriterien.at
 Notification/confirmation of admission of the Austrian educational institution6
 Credible showing of sufficient financial means for living costs:
o for students up to 24 years of age EUR 438.177 per month
o over 24 years of age EUR 793.407 per month
o These amounts include the rent for accommodation of up to EUR
253.517/month. If the rent is higher, additional funds have to be proved.
 Proof of accommodation in Austria: e.g. preliminary rental contract, booking of a
room in a student hall of residence, confirmation of accommodation
 a (travel) health insurance valid in Austria for the period of stay, covering costs of
at least EUR 30,000.-
 Proof of family and/or economic bonds in your home country, e.g. confirmation of
employment, proof of studies, family bonds in the home country (marriage,
widowed, parents, children, etc.)
 Family members:
 will also receive a visa under the above-mentioned conditions upon personal
application.

6
Students of the St. Georgs Kolleg Istanbul do not need a letter of admission of the educational institution.
7
These amounts are adjusted annually. The amounts specified here apply to 2011.

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b) Studies for over 6 months

All nationals of third countries need a residence permit Student (Aufenthaltsbewilligung
Student) for stays of more than 6 months.

Family members of students need a residence permit Family (Aufenthaltsbewilligung
Familiengemeinschaft).

The residence permit will be issued in the form of a credit card-sized card with photo and it
also serves as an identity document and has to be carried along at all times or kept close-
by to prove your entitlement to stay in Austria.

i. first-time application in Austria

Students who need no visa for entry to Austria8 (see list of countries in chapter 6a) are
entitled to apply for the residence title in Austria after entry to Austria. The application is to
be submitted in person at the competent authority in charge of residence immediately after
entry so that it will be processed before expiry of the permitted residence period without
visa. The application itself does not permit a stay beyond the permitted residence period
without visa.
Alternatively applications can also be submitted to the Austrian representative authority
abroad. Because of the forwarding of the application to Austria a longer waiting period for
the processing of your application, however, is to be expected.

ii. first-time application abroad:

Students who are not permitted to enter Austria without a visa have to submit their
application for a residence permit “Student” in person at the competent Austrian
representative authority abroad before travelling to Austria. The application will be
forwarded by the representative authority to the Austrian authority in charge of residence.
Since the decision of the authority in charge of residence is to be awaited in your home
country it is recommended to submit your application at least 3 months before the planned
trip to Austria.

If the residence permit is granted, the applicant will be notified by the representative
authority. The applicant then has to apply for a visa D for travelling to Austria at the
representative authority within 3 months after receiving the notification. The residence
permit has to be collected in Austria within 6 months of the notification by the
representative authority, in any case within the validity period of the visa.

8
This also includes people who are in possession of a valid residence title of another Schengen country (a visa of another
Schengen country is not sufficient).

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Checklist for the residence permit Student:

 Application in person for the residence permit at the competent Austrian
representative authority. The residence permit should be applied for at least three
months before the intended trip to Austria.
Please note: Nationals of certain countries who are allowed to enter Austria without a
visa can also apply for the residence permit in person at the authority in charge of
residence after entry to Austria.
 Documents:
 fully completed and signed application form (available from the Austrian
representative authority or the homepage of the Federal Ministry for the Interior
(BMI))
 photocopy of the valid travel document
 birth certificate
 recent passport-sized photograph, size between 3.5 x 4.5 cm and 4 x 5 cm
 police clearance (in those countries where it exists)
 Notification/confirmation of admission of the Austrian educational institution
 Proof of sufficient financial means for the living costs for the duration of the stay
but only for a maximum of one year in advance9:
o for students up to 24 years of age EUR 438.177 per month
o over 24 years of age EUR 793.407 per month
o These funds can be proved by means of a savings book at an Austrian bank,
the proof of the purchase of travellers cheques or a declaration of guarantee of
a person living in Austria.
 Proof of accommodation in Austria9: e.g. rental agreement, accommodation
agreement with a student hall of residence, assignment of the right of use of
accommodation.
 a (travel) health insurance valid in Austria for the period between entry to Austria
and the taking out of a student insurance, covering costs of at least EUR 30,000.-
 The fee for the first residence permit is EUR 110.-. Other fees may occur.

By request of the authorities Documents in languages other than German (exception:
passport) have to be submitted in legalised German translation. Documents and other
proofs have to be submitted in legalised form10 according to the legal provisions in force.
We recommend to always enclose a photocopy of the original document with the
application form, also of the legalised translation and the legalisation.
As a rule the residence permit is issued for 12 months (exception: shorter validity of the
travel document, shorter validity applied for).
Students need not fulfil the Integration Agreement.

9
Students taking part in an exchange programme who submit a confirmation of accommodation and funding of their
living costs of one of the following institutions need not submit any additional proofs for living costs and
accommodation: Austrian Exchange Service (OeAD-GmbH), Austro-American Institute of Education (AAIE, America
Institute), Austrian-Russian Friendship Society (ÖRFG).
10
see footnote 3.

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Checklist for the residence permit Family:

 Application in person for the residence permit at the competent Austrian
representative authority. The residence permit should be applied for at least three
months before the intended trip to Austria.
Please note: Nationals of certain countries who are allowed to enter Austria without
a visa can also apply for the residence permit in person at the authority in charge
of residence after entry to Austria.
 Documents:
 fully completed and signed application form (available from the Austrian
representative authority or the homepage of the Federal Ministry for the Interior
(BMI))
 birth certificate
 Proof of family relationship (e.g. marriage certificate) and of living together as a
family in your home country
 police clearance (in those countries where it exists)
 Proof of sufficient financial means for the living costs for the duration of the stay
but only for a maximum of one year in advance:
o for married couples a total of EUR 1,189.567 per month
o for each underage child additionally EUR 122.417 per month
o These funds can be proved by means of a savings book at an Austrian bank,
the proof of the purchase of travellers cheques or a declaration of guarantee of
a person living in Austria.
 Proof of accommodation in Austria: e.g. rental agreement, accommodation
agreement with a student hall of residence, confirmation of accommodation
 health insurance valid in Austria
 The fee for the first residence permit is EUR 110.-; other fees may occur.

By request of the authorities Documents in languages other than German (exception:
passport) have to be submitted in a legalised German translation. Documents and other
proofs have to be submitted in legalised form11 according to the legal provisions in force.
We recommend to always enclose a photocopy of the original document with the
application form, also of the legalised translation and the legalisation.

The residence permit as a rule is issued for 12 months (exception: shorter validity of the
travel document, shorter validity applied for).

Family members may have to fulfil an Integration Agreement, family members who
received their residence permit after 1st July 2011 do not have to fulfil the Integration
Agreement.

11
see footnote 3.

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iii. Students with admission/entrance examination:

Students who are permitted to enter Austria without a visa (see list of countries in chapter
6a) can travel to Austria without a visa to take part in the admission/entrance examination
and can then apply for their residence permit in Austria in person at the competent
authority in charge of residence after having passed this examination. They should apply
for the residence permit at least one month before expiry of the permitted residence period
without visa.

Students who are not permitted to enter Austria without a visa and who have to sit an
entrance examination have to apply for a residence permit in person at the competent
Austrian representative authority with their provisional confirmation of admission of their
university. Since the processing of the application is to be awaited in the home country the
application should be submitted at least 3 months before the scheduled date of the
entrance examination.
The documents that have to be submitted for this are listed in the checklist in chapter
6b2); the financing and accommodation, however, only have to be “shown credibly”
(examples in the glossary).
In case of a positive decision of the authority in charge of residence about the application
for a residence permit the student then has to apply at the embassy for a visa D for
travelling to Austria. The Austrian representative authority will issue the visa D for a
validity period of 4 months and expressly advise the student that the receipt of the
residence permit will be conditional on the passing of the entrance examination.
The student can then travel to Austria with the visa to take part in the entrance
examination. After successfully passing the examination the student has to submit proof of
sufficient financial means and proof of accommodation at the Austrian authority in charge
of residence in addition to the definite confirmation of admission and will then receive
his/her residence permit. The residence permit has to be collected in any case within the
validity period of the visa.

iv. Renewal of the residence permit

The renewal of the residence permit has to be applied for at the competent Austrian
authority in charge of residence before expiry of the residence permit. Until the decision
about your application for the renewal you are permitted to stay in Austria even if the old
residence permit expires during this period.

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Checklist application for a renewal of the residence permit

 Application in person for a renewal of the residence permit at the Austrian authority in
charge of residence. The application for the renewal should be submitted at least one
month before expiry of the old permit.
 Documents:
 fully completed and signed application form (available from the Austrian authority
in charge of residence and on the homepage of the Federal Ministry for the Interior
(BMI))
 Proof of sufficient financial means for another year in Austria:
o for students up to the age of 24 EUR 438.177 per month
o for students over 24 years of age EUR 793.407 per month
o for couples EUR 1.189.567 per month for both
o for minors EUR 122.417 per month for each
o These amounts include rent for accommodation of up to EUR 253.517/month. If
the rent is higher, additional means have to be proved.
 Proof of accommodation in Austria, e.g. rental contract, accommodation contract
with a student hall of residence
 health insurance valid in Austria
 confirmation of the continuation of your studies by your university
 written proof of the successful course of your studies by the university, as a rule
proof is provided by successfully passed examinations corresponding to 8 hours
per week or 16 ECTS credits per academic year12. If, however, there are inevitable
and unpredictable reasons that are outside the sphere of influence of the student,
the residence permit can be renewed despite the lack of the successful course of
study in individual cases after examination of each individual case.
 The fee for the renewal of the residence permit is EUR 100.-. Other fees may also
occur.
 The residence permit as a rule is issued for another 12 months (exception: shorter
validity of the travel document, short validity applied for).

A change of the purpose of the residence title is only permitted if the student fulfils the
requirements for the new residence title and if the renewal is filed before the previous
permit expires.

v. Confirmation with validity of 6 month for the purpose of job seeking

Students who successfully completed their studies at an Austrian university, university of
applied sciences (Fachhochschule), accredited private university, university colleges of
teacher education and acknowledged university colleges of teacher education may apply
for a confirmation to stay in Austria for max. 6 month to find employment. This
confirmation has to be applied before the recent residence permit expires. This
confirmation does not constitute a right to residence nor does it allow travelling to other
Schengen countries.

12
Doctoral / PhD students have to submit a confirmation of their supervisor about the progress of their studies.

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vi. Residence title “Rot-Weiss-Rot – Karte” for graduates

Graduates who have completed a Master programme at an Austrian university, university
of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) or accredited private university and who have found
employment may apply for a “Rot-Weiss-Rot – Karte” provided that the employment is
adequate to their education and they earn a gross salary of at least Euro 1,890.-7/month.

The application for the “Rot-Weiss-Rot – Karte” has to be filed before the recent residence
permit of the confirmation for job seeking expires.

7. Registration according to the Registration Act

Nationals of all countries have to register with the registration office at their place of
residence in Austria within three days of arrival in Austria.
Any change or abandonment of the place of residence has to be reported to the
registration office within three days.

Checklist Registration according to the Registration Act

 at the registration office (municipal office)
 Documents:
 Registration form (Meldezettel): The registration form has to be signed both by the
landlord/ landlady (e.g. student hall of residence carrier) and the student. The
registration form is available from the registration office and on the Internet.
 Travel document
 Birth certificate
 Costs: The registration is free of charge.

8. Gainful employment (Erwerbstätigkeit)

a) Nationals of EU and EEA member countries and Swiss nationals

Nationals of the EU-15 states (see list in chapter 10) as well as Liechtenstein, Iceland,
Norway and Switzerland need no work permit for working in Austria.

Nationals of Bulgaria and Romania need a work permit to be employed 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
(labour market check).

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b) Nationals of third countries

i. Work permit

Students who are nationals of third countries and who are in possession of a residence
permit are in principle permitted gainful employment during their studies in Austria. The
provisions of the Act Governing Employment of Foreign Nationals have to be observed.

In principle students who are nationals of third countries need a work permit for gainful
employment. The successful course of studies may not be compromised by the job.
Students get a work permit for employment for up to 10 hours weekly if they are
studying in Bachelor degree programme, students in Master degree programmes 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.
Please note: Work permit is also necessary for minimum income work (geringfügige
Beschäftigung)!

ii. Confirmation of notification

If a practical training is scheduled in the curriculum of the Austrian educational
institution no work permit has to be applied for. Instead, the employer has to notify the
employment service (Arbeitsmarktservice -AMS) of the practical training at least two weeks
before the beginning of the training. The AMS will then issue a confirmation of
notification.

A traineeship (Volontariat) can also be carried out without a work permit. A traineeship is
defined as an occupation that only serves the gaining of skills and knowledge for a future
occupation without claim to payment and without the obligation to work. In the case of a
traineeship the employer also has to notify the employment service. A traineeship is only
possible if there are no unemployed people registered with the employment service who
can fill the position.

iii. without work permit or confirmation of notification

A work permit is not necessary for work that is not subject to the regulations of the
Austrian Act Governing Employment of Foreign Nationals (AuslBG), for example:
 academic work in research and teaching, in the development and promotion of the
arts as well as art teaching, e.g. research assistants,
 activities in the framework of EU educational and research programmes (e.g.
Erasmus, Tempus, Phare) or
 activities in the framework of reciprocal exchange programmes, in which at least
one Austrian university takes part (OeAD, AIESEC, ELSA, IAESTE, FHK,..)

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For gainful work based on a contract for work and labour (Werkvertrag) (= self-
employed work) no work permit is necessary either. In contrast to employment in this case
the subject of the contract is the accomplishment of a workpiece/success. The self-
employed worker (entrepreneur) is not bound to fixed working times, he/she is free to
choose the place where he/she wants to carry out his/her work and is not integrated in the

organisation of the employer. The entrepreneur is responsible him/herself for the
registration with national insurance, if necessary, and the payment of taxes (VAT, income
tax).

iv. Family members

Family members of students who are nationals of third countries are not permitted to work
in Austria.

9. Contact points

 for questions about studying and living in Austria
Austrian Student Union (Österreichische HochschülerInnenschaft (ÖH)) –
representative body of the students
Tel. +43 (0) 1/310 88 80, e-mail: oeh@oeh.ac.at, auslaenderInnenreferat@oeh.ac.at,
www.oeh.ac.at
ÖH at the universities, universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) and
university colleges of teacher education: www.oeh.ac.at/vorort

 for questions about studying at a specific educational institution in Austria
International Office (Außeninstitut, Büro für Internationale Beziehungen) and
Admission Office (Studienabteilung) of the relevant university: www.portal.ac.at
International Relations Departments and International Coordinators of the
relevant University of Applied Science (Fachhochschule): www.fhr.ac.at,
www.fachhochschulen.ac.at
University Colleges of Teacher Education: www.bmukk.gv.at
Private universities: www.akkreditierungsrat.at

 for questions about the stay in Austria and about this brochure
Austrian Exchange Service (OeAD):
Tel. +43 (0)1/534 08 -201; info@oead.at, www.oead.at

 for questions about residence titles (for stays of longer than 6 months):
Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), Department III/4:
Tel. +43 (0)1/53126-0, e-mail: bmi-iii-4@bmi.gv.at, www.bmi.gv.at

 for questions about visa, entry without visa (stays for under 6 months):
Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), Department II/3:
Tel. +43 (0)1/53126-0; e-mail: bmi-ii-3@bmi.gv.at, www.bmi.gv.at
Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Department IV.2:
Tel. +43 (0)50 11 50-0; e-mail: abtiv2@bmeia.gv.at, www.bmeia.gv.at

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 for questions about work and employment:
Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, Department VI/7:
Tel. +43 (0)1/71100-0, e-mail: post@bmask.gv.at, www.bmeia.gv.at

 abroad:
Austrian representative authorities (embassies and consulates general):
www.bmeia.gv.at

 Grants and scholarships
www.grants.at

10. List of the EU/EEA countries and Schengen countries
EU countries (European Union)
 Austria  Germany  Malta
 Belgium  Great Britain  Netherlands
 Bulgaria   Greece  Poland
 Cyprus  Hungary  Portugal
 Czech Republic  Ireland  Romania 
 Denmark  Italy  Slovakia
 Estonia  Latvia  Slovenia
 Finland  Lithuania  Spain
 France  Luxemburg  Sweden

All nationals of countries marked with  (new EU countries) need a work permit.

EEA countries (European Economic Area)

All member countries of the European Union as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Schengen countries13

 Austria  Hungary  Norway
 Belgium  Iceland  Poland
 Czech Republic  Italy  Portugal
 Denmark  Latvia  Slovakia
 Estonia  Lithuania  Slovenia
 Finland  Luxemburg  Spain
 France  Malta  Sweden
 Germany  Netherlands  Switzerland
 Greece

13
as at: 23/12/2008

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11. Legalisation
Legalisations verifies the originality of a signature, a seal or a stamp and confirms the
authenticity of the authority that issued the document. Foreign documents that are to be
submitted to authorities and higher education institutions in Austria need to be legalised in
most cases. Several countries have concluded bilateral agreements with Austria about the
recognition of documents without further formalisation. Further several states have ratified
the Hague Convention that sets out a simplified procedure through apostille. Documents of
all other countries have to be fully legalised.
Thus three scenarios are possible:
1. No legalisation is required.
2. Legalisation by means of an apostille is required.
3. Full diplomatic legalisation is required.

1. No legalisation: Certain documents (e.g. birth certificate, judicial documents) issued
by authorities from countries Austria has concluded bilateral agreements do not need any
legalisation. Generally these agreements were concluded with EU Member states and few
non-European states. For countries no legalisation is necessary please see:
http://fabsits.heimat.eu/

2. Legalisation by means of an apostille: Apostilles are seals that are attached by local
authorities to public documents (e.g. confirmations about your studies) in standardised
form. Presently about 100 states have ratified legalisation agreement of the Hague and
thus their documents only need an apostille: http://www.hcch.net

3. Documents from all other countries need full diplomatic legalisation. This means
that first the internal legalisation process of the country of origin has to be completed, then
final legalisation of the document is carried out by the ministry for foreign affairs of that
country and finally the respective Austrian representative authority has to legalise the
document again.

Since these regulations are country-specific it is recommend to enquire at the Austrian
representative authority if and which documents have to be legalised in order to be
accepted by Austrian authorities.

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12. Glossary

Austrian representative authorities: embassies and consulates-general
www.bmeia.gv.at

Authority in charge of residence: This is the authority in charge of the granting or
renewal of a residence title or the issue of a confirmation of registration according to the
(intended) place of residence of a foreign national. The person in charge is the provincial
governor (Landeshauptmann), who can entitle the municipal authorities of the individual
districts to decide on his/her behalf. The competent authorities and their addresses can be
found on the government agency help site http://www.help.gv.at.

Confirmation of registration (Anmeldebescheinigung): serves the documentation of the
common residence and settlement regulations of EU/EEA and Swiss nationals (see chapter
5).

Curriculum: “Syllabus” of a study programme, defining the qualification profile, contents
and structure of a study programme and the examination regulations.

Declaration of guarantee: a written declaration of a person living in Austria in which
this person commits him/herself to taking over the costs of health insurance, living costs
and accommodation as well as other costs caused by the holder of the residence title to
the state and its authorities and institutions (e.g. health insurance carriers). This
commitment is valid for 5 years and has to be pronounced before an Austrian law court or
notary. The form can be found on the homepage of the Federal Ministry for the Interior.

ECTS: European Credit Transfer System; system for the crediting of academic
achievements at European universities.

Employment Service (Arbeitsmarktservice (AMS)): The employment service places
people in vacant positions and supports companies by means of consultancy and
information; which local branch office of the AMS is competent depends on the place of
residence of the prospective employee and the domicile of the company, respectively
http://www.ams.at

Minimum income work (Geringfügige Beschäftigung): Minimum income work is defined
as work limited to a gross salary of EUR 374.02 per month (this amount is revised
annually). Minimum income workers have no automatic health insurance coverage.

Nationals of third countries: are foreigners who are nationals of countries other than
the EU/EEA or Switzerland.

Post-secondary educational institutions: In Austria recognised post-secondary
educational institutions are educational institutions
 that offer study programmes corresponding to at least 180 ECTS credits,
 and at which admission requires the general university entrance qualification or, in
the case of arts studies, proof of artistic qualifications, and
 that are recognised as educational institutions in the sense of this definition
according to the provisions of the law of the country in which they are located.

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Provisional confirmation of admission: Confirmation of admission by a university or
Fachhochschule which is conditional on the passing of a prescribed entrance examination.
Quota: The number of new settlement permits (e.g. for key workers, family members)
that are allocated yearly is limited by the law and this is called quota. If this number
(quota) has been reached in a specific year no more settlement permits that are subject to
quotas can be issued in that year. There are, however, other residence titles which are not
subject to any limitations in terms of numbers and thus are “not subject to quotas” (e.g. all
residence permits).
Residence titles: entitle nationals of third countries to stay in Austria for more than 6
months and can be renewed in Austria if all requirements are met. Residence titles for
example are residence and settlement permits.
Show credibly: You have to show by means of appropriate documents that the financing
of the stay and an accommodation in Austria is guaranteed as soon as the study
programme in Austria is started. Such documents can for example be: written confirmation
of regular alimony payments of parents, confirmation of accommodation, e.g. preliminary
rental contract, booking of a room in a student hall of residence.
Student self-insurance: Degree programme students (ordentliche Studierende) at all
universities, university colleges of teacher education and Fachhochschulen as well as non-
degree programme students (außerordentliche Studierende) in university preparation
programmes can take out a student self-insurance with the national health insurance
carrier (Gebietskrankenkasse) at their place of study. The costs for this insurance are EUR
23.84 per month (in 2009). For this insurance, however, the student’s income must not
exceed a certain amount and the insurance moreover is subject to certain conditions
(duration of studies, change of studies).
Supplementary examination: Examinations prescribed by the universities in order to
fulfil the admission requirements or to prove proficiency in German or the physical and
motorical ability.
University Preparation Programme: The University Preparation Programmes in Vienna,
Graz and Leoben are institutions preparing international students for university studies.
Their task is to prepare students for supplementary examinations in German or other
subjects that are scheduled by the universities.
Visa: entitles to entry to Austria and to staying in Austria for up to 6 months. People who
need a visa for Austria are subject to Visumpflicht. People from certain countries can travel
to Austria without a visa (Viusmfreiheit). A visa cannot be renewed in Austria. The different
categories of visas are described in chapter 6a).
Work permit: A work permit is granted to the employer and entitles him/her to employ
the specific person for whom they applied for the work permit for a specific job.

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13. Abbreviations

AIESEC The international platform for young people to
discover and develop their potential
AMS Arb eitsmarktservice (Employment service)
AuslBG Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz (Act Governing
Employment of Foreign Nationals)
BMEIA Bundesministerium für europäische und
internationale Angelegenheiten (Federal Ministry for
European and International Affairs)
BMI Bundesministerium für Inneres (Federal Ministry for
the Interior)
BMWA Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit
(Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth)
ELSA European Law Students’ Association
EEA European Economic Area
e.g. for example
EU European Union
FH University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule)
FHK Fach hochschul-Konferenz (Association of Universities
of Applied Sciences, Austria)
IAESTE The International Association for the Exchange of
Students for Technical Experience
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
i.e. tha t is
OeAD Austrian Exchange Service

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Acknowledgements:
Editor and Publisher
OeAD (Österreichische Austauschdienst)-Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD-GmbH); A-1010 Wien,
Ebendorferstrasse 7 ; Head Office: Wien | FN 320219 k | Commercial Court Vienna

A-1010 Wien | Ebendorferstrasse 7 | T +43 1 534 08 - 201 | F +43 1 534 08 999
info@oead.at | www.oead.at

Layout: Eva Müllner

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