Residence and formalities for students in Europe

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens enter with an ID card or passport – no visa or residence permit is needed. There are two obligations:

• registering your address within 3 working days of arrival – you submit the Meldezettel form at the municipal registration office (Meldeamt); your landlord signs it too. In a hotel or youth hostel, reception takes care of it. You report every move within the same deadline and deregister before leaving Austria,
• registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) – if you stay in Austria for longer than 3 months.

Students from outside the EU/EEA staying longer than six months need a Residence Permit – Student (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student). Most applicants apply at the Austrian embassy or consulate in their home country before entering; visa-exempt nationals may apply in Austria. OeAD recommends applying 3–6 months before you plan to arrive. The permit is issued for 12 months and must be renewed each year. You will need, among other things, your admission letter, a police clearance certificate, proof of accommodation, health insurance and proof of funds for 12 months – in 2026 €722.58 a month if you are under 24 and €1,308.39 a month from age 24. The address registration described above applies to you as well.

Health insurance: if you are insured in another EU country, bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Students living in Austria – including non-EU students, for whom insurance is a condition of the residence permit – can take out student self-insurance with the public health fund ÖGK (€78.84 a month in 2026) or a private policy.