Your first weeks in Austria

You have landed, you have keys, and now a short list of offices stands between you and a normal life. Austria runs on paperwork done in the right order — and the order matters, because each step unlocks the next. Register your address and you can collect your permit, open a bank account and take out insurance. Skip it and everything else jams. This guide walks non-EU students through the first weeks, step by step, with the verified 2026 figures.

The first-weeks checklist, in order

Do these roughly top to bottom. The first item is the keystone: almost nothing else works without your registration confirmation.

Step 1 — Register your address (Meldezettel)

Anyone taking up accommodation in Austria must register with the local registration authority within three days of moving in. This applies to everyone, every nationality, including children. The deadline runs from the day you actually move in — not from when you sign the lease or get the keys, and you cannot register before you have moved in.

You register at a Meldeservice / Meldebehörde (in Vienna, any district Meldeservice; elsewhere, the municipal office). Bring:

• A completed registration form (Meldezettel), signed by you AND your accommodation provider (landlord, hall management, or main tenant)
• Your passport or other travel document (required for non-Austrians)
• Originals or certified copies of any other documents the form asks for

Registration is free of charge, and you walk out with a confirmation of registration (Bestätigung der Meldung). Keep it safe — you will need it for your permit, your bank account, and your insurance.

Step 2 — Collect your residence permit (or register as EU/EEA)

If you are a non-EU/EEA student, your first residence permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student) is collected in person. In Vienna that is the immigration authority MA 35; outside Vienna it is the district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft). The card looks like a bank card, is usually valid for one year, and you should carry it as ID. Bring your Meldezettel, confirmation of enrolment, and proof of health insurance. Book an appointment in advance.

EU/EEA and Swiss students do not need a permit. Instead, if you stay longer than three months, you must apply for a registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) at the settlement authority within four months of arrival — proving enrolment, sufficient means, and comprehensive health insurance.

Step 3 — Enrol (Inskription) and pay the ÖH fee

Enrolment, often called Inskription, makes you an official student and produces the confirmation of enrolment (Studienbestätigung) that the bank, the ÖGK, and the immigration office all want to see. Every student — without exception, even those exempt from tuition — must pay the ÖH-Beitrag, the student-union membership fee, which is €25.20 per semester (summer semester 2026) and includes student accident insurance.

The ÖH (Österreichische Hochschüler_innenschaft) is your student union: it runs advice desks, represents you, and is one of the best free resources for new arrivals.

Step 4 — Take out ÖGK student insurance and get your e-card

A residence permit requires insurance "covering all risks". The standard, cheapest route is the student self-insurance with the Österreichische Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK), which costs €78.84 per month in 2026 and covers doctor visits, hospital stays, medication, and dental care. Apply in writing to the ÖGK office in your province after you enrol; cover starts the day after they receive your application.

Once insured, you receive an e-card automatically and free of charge — the chip card you show at any contracted doctor. A small annual service fee applies (€14.65 as last published). The EHIC printed on the back covers you across the EU/EEA and Switzerland.

Step 5 — Open a bank account

An Austrian (or other European) bank account is needed for rent, your mobile plan, ÖH and tuition payments, and often your residence-permit file. Most banks offer a free student account for those under about 27–30. You can usually open one online or in a branch. Typically bring:

• A valid photo ID or passport
• Your confirmation of enrolment (Studienbestätigung)
• Your registration confirmation (Meldezettel) if requested
• A passport photo and a small opening balance at some banks

Step 6 — SIM, mobile, and the ORF-Beitrag

For your phone, a prepaid SIM is the fastest start: buy one in a supermarket, post office, or Trafik (tobacconist), and top up almost anywhere. Monthly contracts are cheaper per gigabyte but usually need an Austrian ID and bank account, so they suit you once steps 1–5 are done.

Separately, expect a letter about the ORF-Beitrag, the household broadcasting contribution that replaced the old GIS fee in 2024. It is €15.30 per month and is mandatory for every address where at least one adult has their main residence — regardless of whether you own a TV or radio. It is charged once per household, so flatmates split a single contribution rather than each paying. Some federal states add a small regional surcharge on top. Set up payment (a SEPA direct debit can spread it across the year) when the letter arrives.

Step 7 — Public transport

In Vienna, the old semester ticket was discontinued on 1 February 2026 and replaced by the annual youth pass (Jahreskarte Jugend) for anyone under 26, regardless of what they study. It costs €294 as a digital ticket or €300 as a plastic card (one-off payment), valid for a year across the Vienna core zone. Prices and products differ in other cities, so check your local operator.

If you travel across Austria, the KlimaTicket Ö covers nearly all public transport nationwide. The youth rate (under 26) is €1,050 per year for tickets starting from 1 January 2026; the standard Classic is €1,400. It makes sense if you leave your city regularly; for purely local travel, the city pass is far cheaper.

Step 8 — Finding your way

Settling in is more than offices. Lean on these free supports:

• The ÖH — student-union advice on rights, courses, and bureaucracy
• University buddy and mentoring programmes that pair you with experienced students
• The OeAD, Austria's agency for international students
• International or Erasmus student societies for events and friends

Frequently asked questions

Sources