Austria Student Visa 2026: Funds, Fees and Work Rules

By the SettleBuddy editorial teamUpdated 14 October 20269 min read

What people call the Austria student visa is a residence permit, the “Residence Permit – Student” (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student). Students from outside the EEA and Switzerland need it to study in Austria, and a visa D comes into play only at the end, if you need a visa to enter the country and collect the card. This guide sets out the 2026 funds, fees, deadlines and work rules as published on 14 October 2026 by OeAD, Austria's agency for education and internationalisation, and by the federal migration portal.

Quick answer

You need admission to an Austrian higher education institution and proof of funds for twelve months in advance: EUR 722.58 a month if you are under 24 and EUR 1,308.39 a month from the age of 24, at the 2026 rates. The application fee is EUR 218, the decision period is 90 days, and the permit is issued for 12 months. With a work permit obtained by your employer you may work up to 20 hours a week. After graduating you can renew for another 12 months to look for a job.

The white neo-Renaissance main building of the University of Graz with clipped trees and a path leading to its entrance under a blue sky — Main building of the University of Graz. Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).

Who needs the permit

Third-country nationals who stay or intend to stay in Austria for more than six months require a residence permit. For students that is the Residence Permit – Student.
EU, EEA and Swiss students do not need a permit. If they stay longer than three months they apply for a registration certificate within four months. That route is at the end of this guide.
Which studies qualify: regular and extraordinary studies at a university, university of applied sciences, private college or private university. A university course must have at least 40 ECTS credits and must not be intended exclusively for learning a language.

Proof of funds for 2026

Who	Amount per month (as of 2026)
Students under 24 years of age	EUR 722.58
Students as of the age of 24	EUR 1,308.39
Couples	EUR 2,064.12 for both
Each child, additionally	EUR 201.88

Twelve months in advance: you have to prove these funds for twelve months in advance.
Where the money sits: in a savings book or bank account, which may be foreign, that bears your name and is accessible from Austria.
Alternatives: a declaration of guarantee (Haftungserklärung) from a person residing in the European Union, traveller's cheques, or a confirmation of the award of a scholarship.
Rent above EUR 386.43: if your accommodation costs exceed EUR 386.43 a month, you have to prove additional funds. You also have to prove funds for the necessary health insurance.
Origin of the funds: on request you should be able to show where the money comes from, for example with a bank statement of the last 6 months. If your parents or another sponsor provide it, their statement of the last 6 months and a declaration that the funds are at your free disposal.

One figure differs between two official pages. OeAD gives EUR 722.58 for students under 24, and that amount also appears in the 2026 equalisation supplement reference rates published on oesterreich.gv.at. The migration portal's temporary residence page prints € 777.58 for the same group. We use the OeAD figure. Confirm the amount with the embassy or residence authority before you transfer money.

Fees and costs

Item	Amount
Application fee, Residence Permit – Student	EUR 218, paid in full when the application is submitted and not refunded if it is refused or withdrawn
Visa D to enter Austria and collect the permit, if you need a visa	€ 195 for people over the age of six
Student self-insurance with the Österreichische Gesundheitskasse	EUR 78.84 a month (as of 2026)
Tuition at public universities, students from third countries	€726.72 per semester, generally
OeAD's estimate of monthly living expenses for a student	Approximately 1,300 euros

OeAD's living-cost estimate is a guideline built on a place in a student hall of residence, with accommodation at approx. 450-700 euros, food at approx. 300 euros and studies and personal requirements at approx. 500 euros. Universities of applied sciences are entitled to charge their own tuition fees, and private universities set theirs.

Timing

Decision period: 90 days once all necessary documents have been submitted. It is extended by a further 90 days if additional documents need to be submitted.
When to apply: OeAD advises submitting at least three months before your planned entry, and six months in advance if possible. Legalising documents can take several months, depending on the issuing country.
After approval: you have three months from the embassy's notification to apply for a visa D, and six months from the notification to collect the residence permit in Austria. The visa D is issued for a validity period of four months.

How to apply

Get admitted. You need the letter of admission (Zulassungsbescheid) of the Austrian higher education institution.
Apply in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate in your country of residence, and wait for the decision there. The residence authority in Austria decides.
Apply for a visa D at the embassy after a positive decision, enter Austria and collect the permit.
Register your address. OeAD tells students to register with the registration office within three working days of arrival. You need the residence registration (Meldezettel) to collect the permit.
Take out student insurance after enrolling, if you stated in the application that you would, and present the confirmation to the residence authority.

If you may enter Austria without a visa, you can instead submit the application at the residence authority in Austria. You may not overstay the visa-free period. If the authority has not decided by then, you await the decision in your country of residence, so OeAD recommends applying as soon as possible after entry.

If your admission depends on an entrance examination, the university issues a conditional notification of admission. You apply with it, enter on the visa D to sit the examination, and submit the definite admission and proof of funds afterwards.

Documents

Valid passport, and for a first application a copy of all its pages.
Passport-sized colour photograph, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, not older than 6 months.
Proof of funds, and a declaration of your regular expenses.
Accommodation in Austria for a minimum of 3 months, such as a rental agreement or a contract with a student hall of residence.
Proof of health insurance covering all risks, for example by registering for student insurance after entry.
Police clearance certificate from your country of residence, not older than 3 months at the time of application, legalised and then translated.
The letter of admission.

OeAD recommends submitting all foreign documents in German. Foreign documents must be legalised under the applicable rules and then translated into German by a sworn and court-certified translator. Documents in English are accepted in some cases.

Health insurance

For entry: travel health insurance valid in Austria, with cover well over EUR 30,000.
For residence: health insurance covering all risks. Degree programme students at universities and universities of applied sciences meet this by taking out student insurance with the Österreichische Gesundheitskasse after entering Austria and enrolling.
Private insurance is an alternative if its benefits essentially correspond to the national health insurance, it has no waiting periods, cost caps or excluded risks, and it pays for treatment in Austria directly.

Working while you study

A job covered by the Act Governing the Employment of Foreign Nationals needs a work permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung).
The employer applies for it at the Public Employment Service (AMS) before you take up the job.
Holders of a Residence Permit – Student can get a work permit for up to 20 hours a week, granted without a labour market check. Small-scale employment needs the permit as well.
The migration portal adds that the work must not jeopardise the primary purpose of your stay.

Validity, renewal and staying after graduation

Validity: 12 months, or less if you applied for a shorter term or your travel document expires sooner.
Renewal: apply at the residence authority in Austria before the permit expires, and at the earliest three months before. You need proof of academic success of 16 ECTS credits or eight semester hours per academic year.
After graduation: you may renew the permit for another 12 months to look for a job or set up a business.
Red-White-Red Card for graduates: if you receive a job offer matching your qualification in those twelve months, you can apply without a labour market test and without a points system. The pay must be the locally customary gross minimum salary for comparable Austrian graduates.
Family: spouses, partners in a civil union and unmarried minors can apply for a Residence Permit – Family Community. Spouses and partners must be at least 21 years old at the time of application.

The work routes are in our Austria work visa guide.

Students from Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan

The Interior Ministry's list shows all four countries as subject to the EU visa requirement, so the standard route applies: you apply at the Austrian embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence, wait for the decision there, and enter on a visa D. The Foreign Ministry notes that an application cannot be submitted to an external service provider, to an embassy of another Schengen state representing Austria, or to an Austrian honorary consulate. We found no approval or success rate by nationality on the official pages we read on 14 October 2026, so we do not quote one.

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss student

You may enter Austria without a visa and reside there for a period of three months. Your address still has to be registered with the registration office, as it does for every resident.
If you intend to stay for more than three months, you must register in person at the residence authority within four months and apply for a registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung). OeAD warns of a fine of up to 250 euros for failing to do so.
You show a valid ID card or passport, proof of insurance covering all risks such as a valid European Health Insurance Card, proof of sufficient financial means and the confirmation of admission. OeAD puts the cost at approx. EUR 22.
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals may work in Austria in any kind of job without a work permit.
At public universities, nationals of EU and EEA member countries pay no tuition fee within the minimum duration of the programme plus two semesters. After that it is 363.36 euros each semester.

Frequently asked questions

How much bank balance is required for an Austria student visa?

At the 2026 rates, EUR 722.58 a month if you are under 24 and EUR 1,308.39 a month from the age of 24, proven for twelve months in advance. If your accommodation costs more than EUR 386.43 a month you must show additional funds.

How much does the Austria student visa cost?

The application fee for the Residence Permit – Student is EUR 218. If you need a visa D to enter Austria and collect the permit, that visa costs € 195. Student self-insurance is EUR 78.84 a month in 2026.

How long does the Austria student residence permit take?

The decision period is 90 days once all documents are in, extended by a further 90 days if additional documents need to be submitted. OeAD advises applying six months in advance if possible.

Can international students work in Austria?

Yes, up to 20 hours a week with a work permit that the employer obtains from the AMS. The permit is granted without a labour market check.

Can I stay in Austria after my studies?

Yes. Graduates can renew the Residence Permit – Student for another 12 months to look for a job or set up a business, and can then apply for a Red-White-Red Card for graduates without a labour market test.

What is the Austria student visa success rate?

We found no approval or success rate on the OeAD, migration portal or ministry pages we read on 14 October 2026. Figures quoted elsewhere are not from those pages.

Do I need to speak German for the permit?

The OeAD checklist for the Residence Permit – Student does not list a language certificate among the documents. Admission is a separate matter decided by the university. OeAD's Study in Austria site says that proof of proficiency in German is necessary for many programmes, and that more and more programmes are offered in English.

Official sources

All amounts, fees and rules verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Amounts are the 2026 figures. Information, not legal advice.