The student residence permit, step by step

If you are a non-EU/EEA (third-country) national admitted to study in Austria for longer than six months, this is the permit you need: the Residence Permit – Student (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Studierende). It is the single most confusing part of moving to Austria, so this guide walks through it in order.

This guide follows the official OeAD rules

Figures below are the 2026 values published by the OeAD (Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation). Amounts and fees change yearly — always confirm the current numbers on the official OeAD page before you apply.

Who needs it

The Residence Permit – Student covers third-country nationals admitted to:

A degree programme (ordentliches Studium) at a university, university of applied sciences (FH), accredited private university, or university college of teacher education
A qualifying non-degree programme (at least 40 ECTS, not a pure language course)
A University Preparation Programme for prescribed supplementary exams
Studies to recognise a foreign degree (Nostrifizierung)

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not need this permit — they only register their stay. Simply attending individual courses is generally not enough to qualify.

When and where to apply

In most cases you apply in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate (a representation with the power to issue visas) in your country of residence, and wait there for the decision. If you are entitled to enter Austria visa-free, you may alternatively apply at the competent residence authority in Austria (in Vienna, the MA 35).

Start early — really early

Apply for an initial permit up to six months ahead, and submit at least three months before your planned entry. The decision period is 90 days (extended by another 90 if documents are missing). Legalising documents can take several months depending on your country, so begin that first.

The process, step by step

From admission to permit card

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After a positive decision you have 3 months to apply for the Visa D and 6 months to collect the residence permit in Austria.

Required documents

You enclose photocopies with your signed application form and show the originals:

Completed and signed application form
Valid passport
Biometric passport photo (colour, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, not older than 6 months)
Proof of sufficient financial means for 12 months (see below)
Declaration of regular expenses (loans, maintenance, other burdens)
Proof of accommodation in Austria for at least 3 months
Proof of health insurance covering all risks

For a first-time application, also:

A copy of your passport (all pages)
Police clearance certificate, not older than 3 months, legalised and then translated
Notification of admission (Zulassungsbescheid) from the Austrian institution

Legalisation then translation

Foreign documents (e.g. your degree, birth certificate, police clearance) must be legalised for your country first, and then translated into German by a sworn, court-certified translator. Doing it in the wrong order means redoing it.

Proof of financial means

You must prove you can cover your living costs for twelve months in advance. The money must sit in a savings book or bank account in your name that is accessible from Austria. The 2026 monthly amounts are:

Students under 24 years: EUR 722.58 per month
Students 24 and over: EUR 1,308.39 per month
Couples: EUR 2,064.12 per month
Each child: an additional EUR 201.88 per month

So a student under 24 needs roughly EUR 8,670 for the year; a student 24+ about EUR 15,700. Extra rules:

If your accommodation costs more than EUR 386.43 per month, you must show additional funds
You must also show funds for your health insurance
Alternatives to your own savings: a declaration of guarantee (Haftungserklärung) from someone in the EU, a scholarship confirmation, or traveller's cheques
You may combine sources, e.g. your savings plus your parents' support

Be ready to prove where the money came from

The authority can ask for the origin of your funds — e.g. 6 months of bank statements, a scholarship letter, a sale or loan contract, or a sponsor's declaration and pay slips.

Health insurance

To enter Austria you need travel health insurance valid in Austria with cover well over EUR 30,000. For the residence permit itself you need a health insurance covering all risks:

Student self-insurance (Studierendenselbstversicherung) with the ÖGK after you enrol — EUR 78.84 per month in 2026
Or private all-risk insurance with no waiting periods, no cost caps, no excluded risks, that pays Austrian providers directly
You can state on the application that you will take out student insurance after arrival

By 31 December each year you must give the ÖGK a valid confirmation of continuing enrolment (Fortsetzungsbestätigung).

Fees

Application fee (2026)

For applications from 1 January 2026, a single fee of EUR 218 is paid in full when you submit — and it is not refunded even if your application is refused or withdrawn. Civil-status documents (e.g. a birth certificate) may add small extra costs.

Special case: entrance exam

If your program requires an entrance exam, the university issues a conditional notification of admission (Bedingter Zulassungsbescheid). You apply with that (funds and accommodation only need to be shown credibly at first), get a Visa D to enter and sit the exam, and after passing you submit the final admission notice plus full proof of funds and accommodation to collect your permit.

After you arrive

Your first days in Austria

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Register your address (Meldezettel) within 3 working days of moving in
Take out student health insurance with the ÖGK and collect the confirmation
Collect your Residence Permit – Student card, showing your Meldezettel and final admission

Working, validity and renewal

The permit is issued for 12 months
You may work up to 20 hours per week with a work permit (the employer applies to the AMS; no labour-market check)
It lets you travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days within any 180 days
Renew before it expires — at the earliest 3 months before — showing academic success of 16 ECTS (or 8 semester hours) per year, plus your continuing-enrolment confirmation

Graduating?

After your studies you can renew the permit for another 12 months to look for a job or start a business — and later switch to a Red-White-Red Card, EU Blue Card, or another title.

Next guide

Proof of funds, explained

You'll need this for the application

Find accommodation in Austria