Student visa guide · Indian students
Austria student visa for Indian students: fee, requirements and processing time
The Residence permit "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student" (Section 64 Settlement and Residence Act) costs $479 in fees nobody can skip, up to $1,238 if every situational extra applies.
About ₹46,000 for the Residence permit "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student" (Section 64 Settlement and Residence Act) at the ExchangeRate-API rate on 18 September 2026. The fee is charged in the destination's currency, so the exact amount moves with the exchange rate.
By Global Admissions Editorial · Checked against 4 official sources
What is different when you apply from India
The general process is on the Austria student visa guide. These are the parts that only apply to you.
The application starts at the embassy in New Delhi, not in Austria
Indian nationals must file the residence permit application in person at the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi before traveling, and wait in India for the decision. A visa, whether C or D, can never be applied for or extended from inside Austria.
Austrian Embassy New Delhi (BMEIA): Studying in AustriaThere is a conditional-admission route if you must sit an entrance exam
The university issues a conditional admission decision, you apply for the residence permit on that basis, and after approval the embassy issues a visa D valid for four months so you can travel and sit the examination. At that stage funding and accommodation only need to be made plausible, for example a parents' maintenance confirmation or a student hall booking.
Austrian Embassy New Delhi (BMEIA): Studying in AustriaFinal proof is checked in Austria before the card is handed over
After passing the entrance examination you present the final admission decision plus concrete proof of funding and accommodation to the Austrian authority, and only then can you collect the residence permit. Collection must happen within the validity of the visa D.
Austrian Embassy New Delhi (BMEIA): Studying in AustriaThe embassy quotes a flat EUR 120 charge, the national schedule says EUR 218
The New Delhi page states a flat fee of EUR 120 for the residence permit with possible further charges, while the federal fee page for the student permit lists an application fee of EUR 218. Budget for the higher figure and confirm the amount payable with the embassy when you book.
oesterreich.gv.at (Federal Ministry of the Interior): "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student", applicationRegister within three working days of arriving
The embassy sets a three-working-day deadline to register at the registration office covering your Austrian address. Missing it is an administrative offense and complicates the later renewal.
Austrian Embassy New Delhi (BMEIA): Studying in AustriaHow much bank balance is required for a Austria student visa from India?
For the Residence permit "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student" (Section 64 Settlement and Residence Act), Austria asks you to show EUR 1,308 (about $1,518). The accepted form is Regular income or own savings at the ASVG reference rate (Ausgleichszulagenrichtsatz), or a declaration of liability (Haftungserklärung) from a third party, and it covers One month of living costs for a student older than 24. Students under 24 show EUR 722.58 a month instead, and the money has to be available for every month the permit covers. This is money you show, not money you pay, so it never appears in the fee table above. The figure comes from migration.gv.at (Austrian Federal Government migration platform): Temporary residence, including the student reference rates, checked August 2026.
migration.gv.at (Austrian Federal Government migration platform): Temporary residence, including the student reference rates · checked August 2026
Austria student visa documents for Indian applicants
8documents every applicant provides.
| Document | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Written confirmation of admission from an Austrian higher education institution | The confirmation must come from a university, university of applied sciences, private university or college of education. Non-degree study counts only in defined cases, such as a university course of at least 40 ECTS that is not purely language teaching, or a preparatory course for a required entrance examination. source |
| Proof of secured means of subsistence at the student reference rate | Students under 24 show EUR 722.58 a month and students over 24 show EUR 1,308.39 a month, both figures in force since 1 January 2026. A declaration of liability from a third party can be given instead. source |
| Health insurance covering all risks and payable in Austria | Compulsory insurance, voluntary insurance in the Austrian social insurance scheme and private cover all qualify, provided the private policy matches the scope of statutory cover. Travel health insurance is never enough. source |
| Valid travel document and a recent photograph | The passport must be in your current name, and the photograph must be no more than six months old and 45 by 35 millimetres. source |
| No accommodation proof, but accommodation costs still count | The student permit is one of the few Austrian titles that does not require you to prove a legal claim to local-standard housing. Your housing costs are still fed into the calculation of whether your means are sufficient. source |
| Criminal record extract from your country of residence | Authorities frequently ask first-time applicants for a police clearance certificate from the country of nationality, or from any country you lived in for more than six months beforehand. An extract less than three months old is recommended. source |
| Certified translations and, where required, an apostille | Documents that are not in German may have to be submitted in a certified translation by a sworn and court-certified interpreter, and may need an apostille to be recognized. Documents in English usually do not need translating. source |
| Evidence of academic progress at renewal | A renewal application must include proof of study success in the previous academic year, a current record of studies and confirmation that you are continuing the program. source |
Austria student visa processing time from India
The settlement authority must decide a first residence permit application within 90 days at the latest. Applications for a visa D must be decided within six months, and the Austrian representation in New Delhi advises applying at least three months before your intended entry.
oesterreich.gv.at (Federal Ministry of the Interior): "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student", application · checked August 2026
How to apply for a Austria student visa from India
- Secure admission to an Austrian institution
Get the written confirmation of admission. If your program requires an entrance examination, ask the university for a conditional admission decision so you can start the residence application before you sit it.
source - Lodge the residence permit application in person before you travel
First applications are normally filed at the Austrian embassy or consulate for your place of residence, which checks the file and forwards it to the settlement authority in Austria. Apply at least three months before you intend to enter, because you have to wait abroad for the decision.
source - Wait for the settlement authority's decision
The authority must decide without delay and at the latest within 90 days. If it intends to grant the permit it tells the Austrian representation abroad, which then notifies you.
source - Apply for the visa D and travel
You have three months from the notification to apply for the entry visa. A visa D costs EUR 195 for applicants over six and covers stays of 91 days to six months.
source - Collect the permit in person in Austria
The residence permit card has to be picked up at the settlement authority within a further three months, so six months from the notification, and always inside the validity of your visa. The permit runs for one year, or two years if you are on an EU or multilateral mobility program.
source - Register your address, then arrange work authorization if you need it
Register with the local registration office within three working days of arriving. If you want a job, your employer applies to the public employment service for an employment permit before you start.
source
Work rights, dependants and what comes after
Work rights
Third-country students are covered by the Foreigners Employment Act and need an employment permit for any job, including marginal work. Employers can obtain that permit for up to 20 hours a week without a labor market test, and more hours are possible only if the post cannot be filled from the domestic or integrated foreign workforce. Compulsory internships that form part of your Austrian program need no permit, but the employer must notify the employment service at least three weeks in advance.
sourceDependants
Spouses, registered partners and unmarried minor children of a student permit holder can apply for the "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Familiengemeinschaft". Spouses and registered partners must be at least 21 at the time of application, the application fee is EUR 218 per person, and employment is allowed only where the card is endorsed with labor market access.
sourceAfter graduation
Graduates can have the student permit extended once, for twelve months, to look for work or start a business, provided the general conditions such as health insurance are still met. Once you have a job matching your qualification you switch to the "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte" for graduates, which the settlement authority must decide within eight weeks and which is normally issued for up to two years. Apply before the student permit expires so your residence stays continuous and your student years count towards long-term residence.
sourceLanguage requirement
The residence rules set no German level for the student permit; the language requirement comes from the institution that admits you. What the permit does demand is that foreign-language documents may have to be filed in a certified translation, though documents in English generally do not need translating.
sourceStudent visas for Indian students elsewhere
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Austria student visa cost for Indian students?
How much bank balance is required for a Austria student visa?
Can you work on a Austria student visa?
How long does a Austria student visa take?
Can you bring your family on a Austria student visa?
Official sources
- oesterreich.gv.at (Federal Ministry of the Interior): "Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student", application · read August 2026
- migration.gv.at (Austrian Federal Government migration platform): Temporary residence, including the student reference rates · read August 2026
- Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA): Visa, including visa D fees · read August 2026
- oesterreich.gv.at (Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs): Studying and working for third-country nationals · read August 2026
Proof of funds: EUR 1,308, migration.gv.at (Austrian Federal Government migration platform): Temporary residence, including the student reference rates.