FAQs

Yes, the European Health Insurance Card is sufficient. Scholarship holders who come from the EEA can present the A1 form, certificate of coverage, from the insurance company in their home country. This means that they are exempt from social security contributions in Austria for up to 2 years.

Minimum funds for the “Residence Permit – Special Cases of Gainful Employment” are EUR 1,217.96 per month (as of 2024).

In case the total sum of the monthly rent together with the monthly installments for a loan or maintenance payments exceed EUR 359.72 per month (as of 2024), the differential amount between the monthly total sum (monthly rent + monthly installments/maintenance payments) and EUR 359.72 per month need to be added to the EUR 1,217.96 per month.
Besides that, please also add the monthly costs for the health insurance covering all risks to the EUR 1,217.96 per months too.

If the calculated sum, as described above, is higher than your monthly scholarship, you need to show further funds.

Therefore, the differential amount between the calculated sum per month and the monthly scholarship needs to be multiplied with the number of months (maximum 12 months) of your scholarship stay to know, how much money you need in your bank account or savings book.

Example of a 9-month scholarship (EUR 1,050/month) and rent of EUR 500/month:
EUR 500 (monthly rent) – EUR 359.72/month = EUR 140.28/month (as the monthly rent is higher than EUR 359.72 additional funds are necessary in the amount of EUR 140.28/month)
EUR 140.28 + EUR 100 (monthly cost for health insurance covering all risks) + EUR 1,217.96 (monthly minimum funds for residence permit) = EUR 1,458.24(monthly total amount)

EUR 1,458.24 – EUR 1,050 (monthly scholarship) = EUR 408.24 (monthly additional funds)

EUR 408.24 * 9 months (duration of scholarship stay; but not more than 12 months) = EUR 3,674.16 (total sum of additional funds for 9 months) should be in your bank account or your savings book

Example of a 12-month scholarship (EUR 1,050/month) and rent of EUR 290/month:
EUR 290 (monthly rent) – EUR 359.72/month = EUR -69.72/month (as the monthly rent is lower than EUR 359.72 additional funds for this are not necessary)
EUR 100 (monthly cost for health insurance covering all risks) + EUR 1,217.96 (monthly minimum funds for residence permit) = EUR 1,317.96 (monthly total amount)

EUR 1,317.96 – EUR 1,050 (monthly scholarship) = EUR 267,96 (monthly additional funds)

EUR 267.96 * 12 months (duration of scholarship stay) = EUR 3,215.52 (total sum of additional funds for 12 months) should be in your bank account or your savings book

If unforeseeable, uninfluenceable (not self-inflicted) events make it impossible or unreasonable to start the scholarship on time and the supervisor submits a written declaration of consent, the start of the scholarship can be postponed up to a certain point in time (depending on the programme) if the study plan permits.

Examples of such exceptional cases are: serious illness, medical emergencies, serious illness or death in the family, travel restrictions, demonstrable problems with residence permits and visas (provided they have been applied for in good time in accordance with the OeAD's instructions).

Please note that postponing the start of the scholarship may result in costs (e.g. for deposit and rent for accommodation in Austria from the original start of the scholarship, costs for transport bookings, application fees for visas or residence permits), which will not be reimbursed.

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a visa. However, they must obtain a registration certificate for stays of more than 3 months in Austria.

Visas or residence permits are required for all third-country nationals, depending on the duration of their stay. Persons requiring a visa must apply for a residence permit at least 3 months before entering Austria. Normally this is a “Residence Permit – Special Cases of Gainful Employment”.

Scholarship holders from countries where visa-free entry to Austria is permitted also require a work visa in order to receive a scholarship.

You can find detailed information and instructions at: Entry conditions | OeAD Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation

Yes, you are legally obliged to register if you are staying for more than three days. Do not forget to deregister before you leave. In the case of accommodation establishments such as hotels, inns or guesthouses, the obligation to register lies with the respective establishment.

In general, please make sure that you attend your appointments with the authorities etc. before the OeAD welcome interview if possible. The travel insurance should cover at least the first month of the scholarship. Health insurance can also be taken out during this interview (after notification in the acceptance letter). If you still do not have all the documents, please make an appointment at the OeAD regional office within 3 working days of the start of the scholarship. Missing documents must be submitted as soon as possible via STIP-Online and/or a link provided by the OeAD via a cloud.

Before arrival | OeAD Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation

You need to have valid insurance, accommodation and proof of identity and a valid residence permit. You must also be able to prove at all times that you will successfully complete your study or research project.

A permanent presence at the place of study (on working days) is a prerequisite for receiving a scholarship. Absence is always an exception.

The general rule is

• 7 to max. 14 calendar days without exception after written confirmation from the supervisor.
• longer than 14 calendar days after written confirmation from your supervisor as well as prior notification via STIP-Online. The scholarship amount will then be reduced accordingly by the OeAD. There are exceptions depending on the programme for stays of several years.

In justified exceptional cases, it is possible to pause the scholarship. If, for example, you have to return home for urgent reasons (see exceptional cases for postponement), please contact your supervisor and the OeAD immediately.

If you decide to leave Austria earlier than planned, you must inform both your supervisor and the OeAD regional office immediately. In this case, the scholarship will be cancelled prematurely and must be repaid - depending on the performance record or final report.

In the case of longer-term study visits, a transcript of records and a confirmation of enrolment are submitted each semester or each time the scholarship is extended, based on which the potential academic performance can be assessed. Students who receive a scholarship must complete at least 16 ECTS credits per semester (and an average of at least 3 credits per month) at the host institution. Only ECTS credits that are recognised at the relevant Austrian higher education institution for the research or study project applied for will be taken into account.

If this minimum amount is not reached, the scholarship will be reduced accordingly.

In the case of academic or artistic stays, the respective supervisor decides on the progress (interim or final report and enquiries with supervisors).

In the event of breaches of the contractual conditions, the scholarship will be reduced, cancelled and/or reclaimed depending on the extent and severity of the breach. The following list serves as a guide and is not exhaustive.

The scholarship will be reduced:

• In the case of further funding (national or EU funds for residence in Austria) which in total exceed the marginal earnings threshold: by the corresponding amount (up to a maximum of the marginal earnings threshold).
• If you are absent from your place of study for a total of more than 14 calendar days, even if you arrive late or leave early: by half of the scholarship amount for that month.

Information on further funding, income or absences must be reported to the OeAD in full and in good time (= before acquisition or before the absence). If no notification or a late notification is made, the scholarship will not be reduced but reclaimed instead (see below).

Discontinuation of the scholarship in the event of:

• An absence from the place of study totaling 21 calendar days or more per month: no entitlement to a monthly instalment;
• Income in total above the marginal earnings threshold (unauthorised gainful employment): for the months concerned;
• Failure to appear in person and/or submit the requested documents to the OeAD regional office after being requested to do so;
• Any other interruption of the study or research stay.

If the scholarship has already been paid out for the months concerned, the scholarship must be paid back for these months.

The scholarship may be cancelled and reclaimed in case of

• false or incomplete information in the scholarship application;
• Violation of reporting regulations, e.g. omitted, incorrect or delayed disclosure or change of personal data, of changes or delays in the study/research project, of absences and of additional funding or income if they in total exceed the marginal earnings threshold;
• Non-realisation of the funded project;
• breach of reporting obligations (interim and final reports);
• lack of project success or other conditions and requirements according to the performance sheet;
• unauthorised multiple funding;
• serious violations of Austrian legal provisions.

Please note that a certain income is a prerequisite for a residence permit and that the reduction/cancellation or repayment of a scholarship may also affect the validity of your residence permit.

The scholarship instalment is generally paid at the beginning of the month based on the validity of the documents submitted and permanent attendance. In the months with reporting obligations, the scholarship is paid subject to the submission and acceptance of the required reports and proof of performance, however from the 16th of the respective month at the earliest. If the grace period for submitting missing reports or evidence is exceeded, this instalment will be withheld and the entire scholarship must be repaid. You can find further information here.

OeAD transfers are only made in euros to euro bank accounts in the SEPA area. The SEPA area includes all 27 EU countries as well as the EEA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and the non-EEA countries Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, the Vatican and the United Kingdom (as of June 2024). Alternatively, the scholarship can be paid by cheque, which can be cashed at selected Bank Austria branches (not at the self-service counters). For stays of up to three months, it is not necessary to open an account in Austria. Further information can be found here.

Multiple funding is when a person or a project receives multiple financial support from different sources for the same purpose or the same costs. Multiple funding is unauthorised if the sum of the grants exceeds the total costs of the funded study or research project. All additional funding and income (e.g. salary in Austria) must be reported to the OeAD if they exceed the marginal earnings threshold. In the event of a breach of the reporting obligation or in the event of unauthorised multiple funding, the scholarship will be revoked/cancelled and reclaimed.

No, continuing employment with your home institution is permitted during the scholarship period.

The marginal earnings threshold is a legally defined amount that income from marginal employment may not exceed. In 2024, the marginal earnings threshold is EUR 518.44 per month. The current limit is published on oesterreich.gv.at.

In principle, no. The only exception is marginal scientific/artistic employment in the area of universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions, provided that this is permitted under residence and foreign employment law. However, the employment must involve tasks other than the scientific work funded by the scholarship (as described in the application).

Please note, however, that in this case you must pay tax on all your income (including the scholarship).

For study and research stays, a written report countersigned by the supervisor must be submitted at the end of the semester or in the 5th scholarship month. This report must clearly state the extent to which the planned project has already been realised. The further payment of the scholarship instalments depends on this.

At the end of the scholarship, a written final report countersigned by the supervisor must be submitted, on which the payment of the last scholarship instalment or any repayment is dependent.

If reports are not submitted on time, this constitutes grounds for cancellation and repayment.

"The [study or research project] was supported by a grant from the [funding body] as part of the [scholarship programme received]." There is no obligation to include the logos of funding organisations or the OeAD.

The scholarship is a financial grant for a stay in Austria, which serves the realisation of a study and research activity. This grant includes accommodation at the place of study, local health and accident insurance and local catering. In order to receive the grant, you must present a registration form of your main or secondary residence in the first few weeks after the start of the grant. You must register your move to Austria within 3 days. This applies to all persons residing in Austria, regardless of their citizenship - including children. Registration takes place at the ‘Meldeservice’.

If you live in an OeAD student housing residence, you do not need to send the registration confirmation to your regional office. You can find more information here.

As a non-Austrian, you do not usually need a birth certificate to register your place of residence at the registration office. However, please always take a copy of the document from your home country with you. For documents with a script other than Latin, please have the copy notarised.

Please note that the scholarship is adapted to the maintenance costs of only one person. Please check the entry conditions for family members.

Please note that some dormitories do not have family rooms. We therefore recommend that you find out about suitable accommodation before you arrive.

It is generally possible to co-insure family members.

If you are insured through the regional health insurance fund, you will find further information on the respective website.

If you have taken out insurance with our partner (UNIQA Versicherung), please contact the responsible person directly.

In principle, your presence is planned for the entire duration of the scholarship.

The final scholarship instalment will be paid from the 16^th of the last scholarship month (duration of the scholarship until end of the month) or from the 5^th of the last scholarship month (duration of the scholarship until the middle of the month) upon submission of your scientific report. We can only accept reports signed and stamped by your academic supervisor.

If you leave before the 16^th of the last month, you will only receive half of the last scholarship instalment. If you leave before the 5th of the last month, no scholarship can be paid out.

You can find information on this on the website of your regional office.