Who is exempt from paying tuition fees?

In principle, there is a general obligation to pay tuition fees for all students at all Austrian universities. Exceptions are degree students who are exempt from tuition fees for a limited period of time or in general.

Temporary exemption:

A temporary exemption from tuition fees exists for the prescribed duration of a bachelor's, master's or doctoral programme plus two semesters (tuition-free period) for the following degree students:

1. Austrian citizens,
2. EU citizens,
3. EEA citizens (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein),
4. Citizens of the Swiss Confederation,
5. Convention refugees (also from other EU countries),
6. beneficiaries of subsidiary protection,
7. Third-country nationals who have been granted one of the following residence titles:
   - "Permanent Residence - EU" issued by the competent Austrian authority.
   - "Permanent Residence - EU" issued by the competent authority of another Member State and a residence permit for Austria
   - "Permanent residence card" issued by the competent Austrian authority
8. Turkish nationals on the basis of the EEC-Turkey Association Agreement if they:
   - duly reside with their parents living in Austria and the parents are or were duly employed in Austria;
   - have reached the highest level of integration
9. Students to whom the Ordinance on Groups of Persons applies (except students with a residence title "Residence Permit Students")
10. Students with an Austrian residence title other than "Residence Permit Students".

General exemption:

Degree students who are citizens of a country listed in Annex 1, opens an external URL in a new window of the Decree on Tuition Fee are generally exempt from paying tuition fees. Only the ÖH fee is to be paid for the entire duration of studies.

Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Yemen, Cambodia, Kiribati, Comoros, Congo - Democratic Republic, Laos - Democratic People's Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Zambia, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania - United Republic, Timor-Leste, Togo, Chad, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu and Central African Republic.

Other third countries:

If you have the nationality of a third country or a residence title that has not been mentioned here, you have to pay a tuition fee of Euro 726.72 as well as the ÖH fee from the first semester!