National Health Insurance: Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK)

All scholarship holders who are enrolled as "regular degree programme students" (ordentliche Studierende) at an Austrian university, university of arts, university of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) or at the University Preparation Programme (Vorstudienlehrgang) can take out a health insurance with the Austrian Gesundheitskasse.

The following documents are necessary:

• Registration form available from the Gesundheitskasse or here
• Confirmation of enrolment (Studienbestätigung)
• Current sheet of the Studienbuchblatt (proof of current enrolment)
• Confirmation of registration with the Municipal Districts Office (Meldebestätigung)
• Scholarship award letter by the OeAD
• only for students of the University Preparation Programme (Vorstudienlehrgang): enrolment confirmation from the Vorstudienlehrgang and admission letter from your university

The insurance coverage starts on the day after your application.

Costs for illnesses that started prior to concluding the insurance are not covered. Information about the coverage of the insurance will be given at the branch offices of the Gesundheitskasse. Your Regional Office will provide you with contact details and further information.

Please pay the monthly fee of 69.13 euro [as of January 2024] on time and regularly otherwise the insurance coverage expires!

Please inform your Regional Office immediately of your registration with the Gesundheitskasse and show the registration form to one of our colleagues! The monthly insurance receipt has to be presented each month or at least every second month at the Regional Office!

Please send a copy of the confirmation of enrolment (Studienbestätigung) to the Gesundheitskasse during the winter semester (latest until 31^st of December) each year.

Your legal partner and children can also be covered by this insurance.

You can only consult those medical doctors free of charge who have concluded an agreement with the Gesundheitskasse.

The e-card is a chip card. On its front your name, degree, insurance number, card number and photo are printed. On its back you will find the European health insurance card (EHIC) which is valid in all countries of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland. Therefore no additional "Urlaubskrankenschein" (health insurance voucher) is necessary for those countries. (Please note the date of expiration of the EHIC!) Even if there is no personal data on the EHIC you are insured in all EU/EEA countries and Switzerland. Please contact the branch office of the Gesundheitskasse in time before you plan a stay abroad in order to get the substitute confirmation ("Ersatzbescheinigung").

The e-card will be sent to you automatically and free of charge. There is no time limit concerning the validity in Austria. Each year you have to pay a service fee of 13.35 euro [as of January 2024]. The card has to be submitted to the general practitioner of your choice (per quarter) who has a contract with the Austrian Gesundheitskasse. If your doctor wants you to see a specialist he/she will issue a referral ("Überweisungsschein") which you have to submit to the specialist together with your e-card.

Loss or theft of the e-card:

Please report immediately any loss or theft to the Gesundheitskasse or to the e-card Serviceline (Phone +43 050 124 33 11 - number is valid in Austria at local rates).

At the end of your stay the insurance has to be cancelled before the end of your last month in Austria. Please cancel it personally or in written form. Submit your insurance number, your insurance account number and a photocopy of your cancelled registration with the Municipal Districts Office.

Please keep the registration/cancellation paper of your insurance. In case you need to re-apply for an insurance at the Gesundheitskasse you need to be able to present the previous cancellation!