Student Housing in Austria: Residences, Shared Flats and Deposits

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Austrian universities and Fachhochschulen do not give you a room when you enrol. As Study in Austria puts it, there is no tradition of on-campus housing: you look for a place yourself, either in a student residence or on the private market. Start as soon as you have an offer, because rooms for the winter semester go early.

Student residences

Student residences (Studentenheime) are run by many separate organisations, most of them non-profit, not by the universities. Rent is usually all-inclusive: heating, electricity, internet and furniture are in the monthly price. Each operator has its own online application, and you can apply to several at once.

The main operators named by Study in Austria and the student union:

• OeAD student housing: furnished rooms for international students, also for the summer months. In October 2026 its Vienna houses were fully booked for the winter semester, and prices on its site started at €435 a month.
• STUWO: the largest provider, with about 20 residences in six federal states.
• Home4Students: a non-profit with residences in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt and Salzburg.
• ÖJAB: 23 student and youth residences across Austria.
• Akademikerhilfe: a large non-profit with residences in Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt and other cities.

Study in Austria estimates rent for a place in a student residence at about €450 to €700 a month, based on the 2025 national student survey. Ask each operator about the minimum contract length and the deposit before you sign.

Shared flats and private rentals

Many students live in a shared flat, a Wohngemeinschaft (WG): each person has a room and shares the kitchen and bathroom. A studio of your own costs more. Study in Austria notes that Vienna, Salzburg and Graz cost more than smaller towns. The student union (ÖH) website is another place to start.

Terms you will meet:

• Miete or Hauptmietzins is the rent itself; Betriebskosten are service charges added on top.
• Bruttomiete is the total including service charges and tax.
• Möbliert means furnished.
• Befristet means a fixed-term contract.

Deposit and contract

The deposit (Kaution) is not fixed by law. According to the official portal of the Austrian government:

• three gross monthly rents are usual, and up to six are allowed;
• if you pay it in cash, the landlord must keep it in a savings account or something equally safe and interest-bearing;
• at the end of the tenancy you get it back with interest, minus justified claims. If the landlord refuses, you have to claim it at the district court.

Always get a written contract, read what is included in the rent, and do not pay before you have seen the room, in person or through someone you trust.

Registering your address

Everyone who lives in Austria, Austrian or not, must register their address (Meldezettel) at the registration office within three working days of moving in. Your landlord or the residence signs the form. You also report every change of address, and you deregister when you leave. The registration confirmation is needed for the residence permit, a bank account and the student insurance. Be wary of offers that do not allow registration at the address.

For non-EU students, rent also affects the visa: if it is above €386.43 a month, you must prove extra money for the residence permit. See student visa for Austria.

Avoiding scams

Fake listings target students searching from abroad: a flat that is cheap for the area, a landlord who is "abroad", and a request to pay the deposit before any viewing. Read how to find student housing in Europe without being scammed.

Tips

• Apply to several residence operators the day you get an offer, and ask about waiting lists.
• If you have nothing by the start of the semester, book a short stay for a few weeks and search on the spot.
• Use the summer offers of OeAD housing for language courses or early arrival.
• Keep copies of your contract and the registration form: you will need them for the permit and the insurance.

Where to look next

• How much it costs to study in Austria
• How to get into a university in Austria
• Student visa for Austria
• Document recognition for Austria

Official sources

• Study in Austria: accommodation
• Study in Austria: living costs
• OeAD student housing
• Oesterreich.gv.at: deposit (in German, Ministry of Justice)

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.