In the overview below, you’ll find an estimate of the monthly cost of living for students. Of course, these figures are only a guideline and should by no means be considered binding. For housing costs, we’ve assumed a spot in a student dorm or a shared apartment. However, on our campuses, it is generally possible to afford a small apartment for an estimated € 450-700. In some locations, it may be cheaper; in others, more expensive (depending on the standard of living and the size of the apartment).

• Housing costs (including heating and lighting): € 450-700
• Food (excluding luxury foods and tobacco products) € 300
• Academic and personal expenses, books, culture, entertainment: € 500
• TOTAL € 1,300

Additional costs:

• Tuition per semester € 363.36 or € 500 (for non-EU/EEA citizens)
• ÖH membership fee: € 26.20 per semester
• ÖGK health insurance per month (for those aged 26 and older or self-insured) € 78.84 (as of 2026)

Further information: https://studyinaustria.at/en/live-and-work/living-costs

Insurance for International Students

Every student applying for a visa must provide proof of insurance that covers all of his or her expenses in the event of illness or an accident. It is therefore recommended that you obtain insurance. International students can either arrange health insurance for Austria in their home country or pay for the state health insurance (GKK) after arriving in Austria. The cost is estimated at € 78.84 (as of 2026)per month.

In addition, all students are covered by the accident insurance provided by the Austrian Student Union. Please note that this insurance does NOT cover all possible accidents and that additional private insurance is necessary. For more information, see: Allianz Student Insurance

You can find more information on the OeAd website regarding healthinsurance.

Health Insurance

Students who are not covered through employment or a scholarship program must either obtain their own insurance or be included as dependents on someone else’s policy.

Certain requirements and conditions must be met for both types of health insurance. Please contact your health insurance provider directly, as health insurance providers have different procedures for health insurance.

• Co-insurance
  Age: up to age 27
  Proof of academic progress: either 16 ECTS credits or 8 semester hours per week annually
  Duration of studies: coverage under a parent’s policy is not tied to meeting the minimum duration of studies
  Free dependent coverage under a parent’s (or grandparent’s) policy is available until the age of 27. Dependent coverage under a spouse’s or partner’s policy is available without age restrictions. However, this type of coverage is not always free.
   
• Self-Insurance
  A distinction is made between student self-insurance and general self-insurance. Please contact your health insurance provider directly to inquire about the cost of coverage.
   
• Student Self-Insurance
  To be eligible for this type of insurance, you must provide proof of legal residence in Austria and must not have yet completed a Degree program.
  Age: No maximum age limit
  Income: Maximum of € 15,000
  Duration of studies: Minimum duration of studies plus four grace semesters
  Change of major: No more than two changes, with the last change occurring no later than after the second semester.

Austrian Health Insurance Fund

• Feldkirchen: Paracelsusstraße 12; Phone: 050 5855 4500; Email: feldkirchen(at)kgkk.at
• Klagenfurt: Kempfstraße 8; Phone: 050 5855 1000; Email: kaerntner.gkk(at)kgkk.at
• Spittal: Ortenburger Straße 4; Phone: 050 5855 4200; Email: spittal(at)kgkk.at
• Villach: Zeidler-von-Görz-Straße 3; Phone: 050 5855 4400; Email: villach(at)kgkk.at

European Health Insurance Card

Source:https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559&langId=de

This is a free card that entitles you, during a temporary stay in one of the 27 EU countries as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland – to receive medically necessary services from the public health care system under the same conditions and at the same cost (free of charge in some countries) as insured residents of that country. The card is issued by your statutory health insurance provider.

Important:
The European Health Insurance Card …
... is not a substitute for travel insurance. It does not cover private healthcare services or other costs you may incur (e.g., a return flight to your home country, or the replacement of lost or stolen property).
… does not cover your costs if you are traveling specifically for the purpose of medical treatment.
… does not guarantee free treatment. Health care systems vary from country to country. As a result, services for which you pay nothing in your home country may be subject to a fee in other countries.

There is no on-site medical care at the CU campuses. In an emergency, you can go to a hospital. There are hospitals in three of the four campus cities: Klagenfurt, Villach, and Spittal. In addition, there are both doctors who accept insurance and private practitioners who are on call daily and available to see patients. There are also pharmacies in every city. You can find more information on finding a pharmacy here: www.apothekenindex.at/apotheken/

Important Emergency Numbers

International emergency number .............. 112
Ambulance .................................... 144
Medical Radio Service ....................... 141
Poison Control ............ 01 406 43 43
Doctors on call ..... 0900 88 088 + ZIP code

Important Links

• Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists
• Carinthian Medical Association
• KABEG - Carinthian State Hospitals
• AVS - Psychosocial Services in Carinthia
• State Health Insurance
• Carinthia Physician Directory

When it's time for you to start preparing to study at CU Carinthia University, you should, among other things:

• make sure you have a valid passport.
• Check whether you need to apply for a residence permit or a visa.
• Start looking for potential housing.
• Make sure you have adequate insurance and bring proof of insurance with you.
• make sure you have sufficient financial resources to cover your living expenses and tuition. You should also bring proof of sufficient financial resources (e.g., a bank statement).
• If you want to drive a car in Austria, apply for an international (non-EU) driver’s license.
• Don’t forget to bring adapter plugs and transformers that comply with Austrian standards (two round prongs, 220 volts).  

RESIDENCE PERMITS 
Detailed information on residence permits and visa applications in Austria is provided by the Austrian Agency for International Mobility and Cooperation in Education, Science and Research: https://oead.at/de/nach-oesterreich/einreise-und-aufenthalt/aufenthaltsbewilligung-student-kein-mobilitaetsprogramm/
Further information can be found on the website of the Help Service for Foreign Nationals: https://www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public

THE LANGUAGE
German is the official language of Austria, although many Austrians are quite capable of conversing in English, at least to some extent. The dialects spoken in Carinthia can sometimes be very difficult to understand – even for locals or other citizens whose native language is German, it is sometimes hard to follow strong dialects.

LEGAL MATTERS

Information for Citizens of an EU/EEA Country

Certificate of Registration 
If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you enjoy freedom of movement and residence. If you have sufficient funds to cover the costs of your stay and adequate health insurance, all you need to enter and stay in Austria is a valid travel document (passport or national ID card) to enter and stay in Austria.
If you are staying in Austria for more than 3 months, you must register your stay with the relevant local authority (city hall, district office) within 4 months and will receive a registration certificate. For more information, visit https://oead.at/de/nach-oesterreich/einreise-und-aufenthalt/anmeldebescheinigung-studentin/

Information for Third-Country Nationals

STAY OF UP TO 6 MONTHS:
Visa Information
If you do not plan to study in Austria for more than 6 months, you will need either

• a C travel visa (“Schengen visa”): Entitles you to a stay of up to 90 days in the entire Schengen Area; not required if you are eligible for visa-free entry; or
• a D residence visa: For stays of at least 91 days up to a maximum of 6 months; not required if you are a Japanese citizen.

You can find detailed information about the Schengen visa here: visaguide.world/europe/schengen-visa/

Information on the application process and obtaining a visa can be found here.

Please note that the visa must be obtained before entering Austria. (In some cases, this is not necessary or is subject to different rules!) Further information on entering Austria, as well as visa requirements and the application process, can be found on the websitesof Austrian diplomatic missions abroad.

STAYING LONGER THAN 6 MONTHS:
Residence Permit
Before entering Austria, you must apply for a residence permit. You can submit this application to the relevant Austrian diplomatic mission abroad (embassy, consulate general).
The application is then forwarded by the diplomatic mission to the competent Austrian authority, which processes it.
Since you must wait for the Austrian authority’s decision, you should submit the application at least three months before your planned entry into Austria.
Among other things, this application must include proof of your legal entitlement to housing and “proof of financial means to cover your stay”:

• Students up to age 24 must provide proof of € 552.53 for each month of stay; those aged 24 and older must provide proof of € 1,000.48 for each month – but no more than 12 months in advance [as of 2021], e.g., through funds in a savings account or bank account accessible from Austria, a letter of financial support from a person residing in Austria, proof of purchase of traveler’s checks in the appropriate amount, or confirmation of a scholarship. If the monthly rent for housing exceeds € 294.65, you must provide proof of additional funds to cover the difference.

Information on the Visa
If the Austrian authorities approve your residence permit, the representative office will notify you and issue you a Type D residence visa. You must apply for this visa within three months of receiving the approval notice. You must also pick up this visa in person in Austria within six months of receiving the approval, provided this is within the visa’s validity period. You can find information on the procedures and obtaining the visa here.
Please also note that you must obtain the visa before entering Austria. (In some cases, this is not necessary or is subject to different rules.) For more information on entering Austria, visa requirements, and the application process, please visit the websites of theAustrian diplomatic missions abroad.

REGISTRATION OFFICE

Registration with Local Authorities

You must register with the local authorities within three business days of your arrival, and additionally if you move within Austria. In guesthouses and hotels, you will be registered as soon as you check in. As soon as you move or leave Austria, you must also notify the authorities. Your landlord or the manager of your guesthouse or hotel must also sign this form. A passport is required for registration.

Responsible authorities:

Spittal/Drau Registration Office 
Burgplatz 5
9800 Spittal a. d. Drau

Villach Registration and Civil Registry Office
Standesamtsplatz 1
9500 Villach

Klagenfurt City Hall – Registration Office
Kumpfgasse 20
9020 Klagenfurt

Feldkirchen Residents’ and Social Services Office
Hauptplatz 5
9560 Feldkirchen

Please note that these offices are normally open only until 12:00 noon.

WORKING IN AUSTRIA

Under certain circumstances, it is possible to work in Austria as a student. These opportunities depend on the following factors:

• Citizenship
• Type of Employment
• Academic Degree

If the curriculum of your Degree program includes an internship (likely in the final semester), you are eligible to work as an intern and earn money without restriction during that period (e.g., 6 months). However, the internship provider (company) must notify the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) two weeks before the internship begins in order to obtain a work permit.

For detailed information, please visit the websites of the OeAD (Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education, Science, and Research) and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection.