Student Visa for Austria: Residence Permit, Money and Steps

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Students from outside the EU need a residence permit called Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student, and most also get a visa D to travel in and collect it. This guide covers the rules for degree students in October 2026. Amounts change every January.

Who needs what

• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa and no permit. If you stay longer than three months, you apply in person for a registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) within four months of arrival. It costs about €22 and never needs renewing.
• Everyone else needs the Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student for a degree programme at a public university, Fachhochschule, accredited private university or university college of teacher education. The OeAD pre-study course also qualifies; a pure language course does not.

Where and when to apply

In most cases you apply in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate for your country of residence and wait there. The embassy forwards your file to the residence authority in Austria, which decides.

• Submit at least three months before you plan to travel, and if possible six months before. Legalising documents can take months in some countries.
• The authority has 90 days to decide once the file is complete, and this can be extended by another 90 days if documents are missing.
• If the answer is positive, you apply for a visa D at the embassy within three months. It is valid for four months. You enter Austria with it and collect the permit from the residence authority (in Vienna, MA 35).

If you may enter Austria without a visa, you can instead apply in Austria after arrival, but you must not overstay your visa-free period; if the decision is late, you wait for it at home.

If your programme has an entrance test, you can apply with a conditional admission letter and enter on the visa D to sit the test.

Documents

• application form, signed
• valid passport, plus a copy of all pages for a first application
• photo, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, not older than six months
• admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid) from the Austrian institution
• proof of money (below) and a declaration of regular expenses
• proof of accommodation for at least three months, such as a rental or student residence contract
• proof of health insurance
• police clearance certificate, not older than three months, legalised and translated

Documents not in German may need a translation by a sworn and court-certified interpreter. See apostille and legalisation and sworn translation.

How much money you must show

Since 1 January 2026 the monthly amount is:

You must show the money for twelve months in advance, in a bank account or savings book in your own name that you can access from Austria. A scholarship letter or a guarantee from a person living in the EU (Haftungserklärung) can also count. If your rent is above €386.43 a month, you must show extra money for the difference, and you also need funds for health insurance. The authority may ask where the money comes from.

Health insurance

You need travel health insurance for the journey and cover "for all risks" for the permit. Most degree students take out the student self-insurance with the Austrian health fund (ÖGK) after enrolling, €78.84 a month in 2026; you can state in the application that you will do so. Private policies count only without waiting periods, caps or exclusions. See health insurance for students in Europe.

Fee

The application fee is €218, paid when you apply. It is not refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn.

After arrival

1. Register your address (Meldezettel) at the registration office within three working days of moving in. Your landlord signs the form.
2. Collect the permit from the residence authority while your visa D is valid.
3. Enrol at your institution and take out the student insurance.

Working while you study

Every job, even a small one, needs a work permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung) that your employer requests from the employment service (AMS). Students get it for up to 20 hours a week without a labour market check.

Renewal and after graduation

The permit is issued for 12 months. Renew it in Austria up to three months before it expires, with proof of at least 16 ECTS credits (or eight semester hours) in the previous year. After graduating you can extend it once by 12 months to look for work, then switch to a Red-White-Red Card.

Where to look next

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

Official sources

• OeAD: residence permit for students: documents, funds, fee and insurance
• Migration.gv.at: temporary residence: conditions and work permits (Ministry of the Interior)
• OeAD: registration certificate for EU students
• Study in Austria: stay: address registration and insurance

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