Austria Student Visa: Requirements, Funds & Steps (2026/27 Guide)

To study in Austria for a degree as a non-EU citizen, you need the Residence Permit – Student (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student). You apply in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence, before you travel. Once it is approved, you get a visa D to enter Austria and collect the permit card there.

The main requirements are an admission letter, proof of money for 12 months, accommodation, health insurance and a police clearance certificate. All figures below are 2026 values from OeAD, Austria's official agency for international education, unless stated otherwise.

Which permit do you need?

Non-EU nationals staying more than six months for degree studies at a university, university of applied sciences, accredited private university or university college of teacher education need the Residence Permit – Student. It is also available for University Preparation Programmes and certificate programs of at least 40 ECTS, but not for language-only courses.

The visa D (valid 91 days to six months, not extendable) is only used to enter Austria and collect your permit. You cannot use a tourist visa C or D to apply for the student permit inside Austria.

Residence Permit – Student document checklist

• Signed application form (BMI form in English)
• Valid passport and a copy of all pages
• ICAO passport photo, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, not older than six months
• Proof of financial means for 12 months, plus a declaration of regular expenses
• Proof of accommodation in Austria for at least three months (rental contract, dorm contract or accommodation agreement)
• Proof of health insurance covering all risks, for example a statement that you will take ÖGK student insurance after entry
• Police clearance certificate, not older than three months, legalised and translated into German by a sworn translator
• Letter of admission (Zulassungsbescheid) from your Austrian university

Show originals and submit copies. Embassies may ask for extra documents, so read your embassy's own checklist too.

How much money you need to show

If your rent is more than €386.43 per month, you must show extra funds, and you also need money for health insurance. Funds can be in a savings book or bank account in your name, including a foreign account, as long as you can access it from Austria. Alternatives include a declaration of guarantee (Haftungserklärung) by a person living in the EU, or a scholarship award confirmation.

On request, you must prove where the money comes from: for example six months of bank statements, employment contracts and pay slips, or, if parents pay, their bank statements, income proof and a declaration that the funds are at your free disposal. Funds from several sources can be combined.

Step-by-step: applying for the student permit

1. 1

   Get your admission letter

   A conditional admission letter (while an entrance exam is pending) can also be used. See how to apply to universities in Austria.

2. 2

   Prepare documents 12 months ahead

   OeAD advises preparing documents a year in advance, because legalisation can take months. See our documents and legalisation guide.

3. 3

   Book an appointment at the competent embassy

   Use the Foreign Ministry's representation search. Honorary consulates, external providers and other Schengen embassies cannot accept your application.

4. 4

   Submit in person and pay €218

   Apply ideally six months, and at least three months, before you plan to travel. The fee is not refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn.

5. 5

   Wait for the decision abroad

   The residence authority of your future Austrian city decides within 90 days of a complete application, extended by a further 90 days if documents must be added.

6. 6

   Apply for the visa D

   After the embassy informs you of a positive decision, you have three months to apply for a visa D (fee €195). It is issued for four months.

7. 7

   Travel, register and enrol

   Register your address within three working days of arrival using the Meldezettel, then enrol at your university and take out ÖGK student insurance.

8. 8

   Collect your permit card

   Collect it from the residence authority (in Vienna, MA 35) within six months of the notification and within your visa D validity.

Health insurance

To enter, you need travel health insurance valid in Austria. For the residence permit, you need insurance covering all risks. Degree students can take out the ÖGK student self-insurance after arrival and enrolment, which costs €78.84 per month as of 2026. A private policy must have no waiting periods, cost caps or exclusions and must pay for treatment in Austria directly.

Renewing your permit every year

The permit is issued for 12 months. Apply for renewal at the residence authority in Austria before it expires, at the earliest three months before expiry. You need a confirmation of continuing enrolment, your record of studies and proof of academic success of 16 ECTS credits (or eight semester hours) per academic year. While a timely renewal is pending, you remain lawfully resident.

Working on a student permit

With a Residence Permit – Student you can get an employment permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung) for up to 20 hours per week, without a labour market test. Your employer applies to the Public Employment Service (AMS) before you start, and work must not interfere with your studies. Do not count on part-time income in your proof of funds: the money must be available before you apply.

Bringing your family

Spouses or registered partners (at least 21 at application) and unmarried minor children can apply for a Residence Permit – Family Community, as a rule at the Austrian representation of their residence. As of 2026, OeAD lists means of €2,064.12 per month for a couple plus €201.88 per child, legalised and translated proof of family status, a police certificate and accommodation. The fee is €218.

A realistic timeline for October 2027

Applying from Afghanistan or Pakistan

There is no Austrian embassy in Kabul. The Austrian Embassy Islamabad is responsible for both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

• Appointments: request a Residence Permit – Student appointment by email to the embassy's consulate, using the embassy's appointment request form. The embassy says waiting times may be longer due to high demand.
• Where you submit: the student permit application is submitted in person at the embassy, not at VFS Global.
• Visa D: after a positive decision, the embassy contacts you directly to arrange the visa D.
• Fees in Pakistan: paid in Pakistani rupees at the embassy's exchange rate.
• Living in another country? Apply where you legally reside. For example, Afghans living in Iran apply at the Austrian Embassy Tehran.
• Transit: Afghan nationals need an airport transit visa (A) even to stay in the transit zone of an Austrian airport, unless an exemption applies.

Common reasons for delays

• Incomplete files, which OeAD says lead to significant delays
• Documents not legalised or translated in the correct order
• Funds that cannot be traced to a documented source
• Accommodation proof shorter than three months
• Applying too late for the 90-day decision period plus visa D processing

For a full budget, see cost of studying in Austria, and for work rules, see work and stay in Austria after graduation. To plan backwards from your university deadlines, track deadlines for free on FindUniPath and explore the Austria hub.