Study in Austria: Costs, Visa, Universities and Scholarships for Pakistani Students

A practical guide for Pakistani students on low tuition at Austrian public universities, 2026 proof of funds, the student residence permit, scholarships and work rights.

Austria is often overlooked by Pakistani students, but it deserves a closer look. Public universities charge non-EU students a fixed, modest fee of about €727 per semester. Vienna regularly ranks among the most liveable cities in the world. Universities such as the University of Vienna, TU Wien, TU Graz and the University of Innsbruck are well regarded, especially in engineering, physics, computer science and economics.

The trade-offs: most bachelor's degrees are taught in German, the residence permit process takes months, and the proof of funds jumps sharply once you turn 24.

All rupee figures in this guide use €1 ≈ PKR 310 (October 2026). Recalculate before you transfer money.

Quick facts	Austria
Language of teaching	Mostly German for bachelor's; a growing number of English-taught master's and PhDs
Academic year and intakes	Winter semester (October) and summer semester (March)
Tuition, public universities	€726.72 per semester for non-EU students (approx. PKR 225,000), plus ÖH student union fee of about €25
Tuition, universities of applied sciences (FH) and private	Varies widely; approx. €363 to several thousand euros per semester at FHs; private approx. €10,000 to €25,000 per year
Monthly living cost	Approx. €950 to €1,400 (PKR 295,000 to 434,000)
Part-time work	Up to 20 hours per week with a permit obtained by the employer
Post-study work	Up to 12 months to look for a job, then a Red-White-Red Card

Budget options: what you can do on every budget

Budget	Route	What it looks like
Fully funded	Erasmus Mundus joint master's with an Austrian partner, funded PhD positions (paid as university employees, often €3,000+ gross per month), OeAD-administered grants listed on grants.at, Ernst Mach and other bilateral grants where Pakistan is eligible	A PhD in Austria is often a paid job contract, not a scholarship. Tuition is usually waived or refunded for doctoral employees. Strongest option for master's graduates with research experience.
Low-fee plus partial help	Public university at €726.72/semester, plus university merit awards, small faculty grants or a part-time job	Tuition approx. PKR 450,000 per year. You must still show proof of funds for a year, but day-to-day costs are partly covered by work.
Self-funded mid	Public university in Graz, Linz, Innsbruck or Leoben	Total yearly cost approx. €12,500 to €15,500 (PKR 3.9 to 4.8 million) including fees and living. Cheaper than Vienna.
Self-funded premium	Private university or FH in Vienna (for example business, hospitality, international relations)	Tuition approx. €10,000 to €25,000 per year (PKR 3.1 to 7.75 million) plus Vienna living costs.

Austria has no state need-based grant (Studienbeihilfe) for most non-EU students. Fee waivers exist for students from a list of least developed countries, but Pakistan is not on the University of Vienna's current list.

University costs

Public universities. Non-EU students holding a student residence permit pay €726.72 per semester in tuition (approx. PKR 225,000) plus the ÖH fee (student union and accident insurance), which is about €25 per semester. The University of Vienna lists €751.42 in total per semester for non-EU students. Fees are set by law and change rarely, but the ÖH fee is adjusted each year.

Universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen, FH). These are practical, career-focused institutions. Each FH sets its own fees for non-EU students, so check carefully. Some charge the standard €363.36 per semester, others charge several thousand.

Private universities. Approx. €10,000 to €25,000 per year depending on programme.

Application fees. Public universities generally do not charge an application fee. Some FHs and private universities do.

Entry requirements. For bachelor's, Austrian universities usually require that your school qualification would give you university access in Pakistan for the same subject, and often ask for one or two years of university study in Pakistan in addition to FSc/HSSC, or a supplementary exam. Many bachelor's programmes need German at B2 or C1; you can be admitted on condition of completing a preparatory German course (Vorstudienlehrgang). For master's, a relevant 16-year bachelor's degree is needed.

Living costs

City	Rent	Food	Transport	Total per month
Vienna	€450 to €700	€250 to €300	Semester ticket approx. €80 to €160 per semester	€1,050 to €1,400 (PKR 326,000 to 434,000)
Graz	€380 to €550	€230 to €280	Approx. €30 per month	€900 to €1,200 (PKR 279,000 to 372,000)
Innsbruck	€450 to €650	€250 to €300	Approx. €30 per month	€1,000 to €1,300 (PKR 310,000 to 403,000)
Linz	€380 to €550	€230 to €280	Approx. €25 per month	€900 to €1,150 (PKR 279,000 to 357,000)

All figures approx. Add health insurance: students can self-insure with the public ÖGK at about €78.84 per month in 2026 (approx. PKR 24,400).

Scholarships and need-based funding

OeAD and grants.at. OeAD, Austria's agency for education and internationalisation, runs the official scholarship database at grants.at. Filter by your nationality, level and subject. It lists Austrian government, university and foundation awards.
Ernst Mach Grant and bilateral programmes. Eligibility rotates by country and level. Check grants.at for whether Pakistan is currently eligible.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's. Several programmes include Austrian universities (for example in physics, engineering, European studies and data science). Full scholarships cover tuition, travel and a monthly allowance. Deadlines usually October to January.
University scholarships. Most universities offer merit scholarships (Leistungsstipendien) and small grants for students who are already enrolled and doing well. Some refund tuition for exchange partners or in special social situations.
Funded PhD positions. Universities, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and FWF-funded projects hire doctoral researchers on salaries. These are advertised as jobs, often with deadlines in winter and spring.

See current opportunities on our Austria scholarships page.

Student visa: steps, documents and fees

For a programme longer than six months, Pakistanis need a Residence Permit Student (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student). You usually apply in person at the Austrian Embassy in Islamabad, which forwards the file to the immigration authority in Austria (for example MA 35 in Vienna). Biometrics are taken at the embassy. Check the embassy website for the current appointment process.

Main documents

Passport valid well beyond your intended stay, and a 3.5 x 4.5 cm photo
Admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid) from the university
Proof of funds for 12 months (2026 rates, changes every January): €722.58 per month if under 24 (approx. PKR 224,000; about €8,671 or PKR 2.69 million for a year) and €1,308.39 per month if 24 or older (approx. PKR 405,600; about €15,701 or PKR 4.87 million for a year). If your rent exceeds €386.43 per month, you must show more.
Proof of accommodation (rental contract or residence confirmation)
Health insurance valid in Austria with cover over €30,000 until your Austrian student insurance starts
Police clearance certificate, no older than three months
Degrees and transcripts with HEC (and IBCC for school certificates) attestation and an Apostille from MOFA. Pakistan joined the Apostille Convention in 2023, which simplifies legalisation. German or English translations where needed. See our HEC attestation guide.

Fees: residence permit approx. €218 (approx. PKR 67,600), plus a Visa D to enter Austria and collect the permit, reported at about €150 (approx. PKR 46,500). Confirm with the embassy.

Processing time: the legal limit is 90 days, but three to six months is common. Apply as soon as you hold your admission letter.

Use our document checklist and visa and pre-departure checklist.

Working while studying and after graduating

During studies: non-EU students may work up to 20 hours per week. The employer must get a work permit from the public employment service (AMS), which is usually a formality for students.
Pay: Austria has no national statutory minimum wage, but sector agreements usually set student jobs at approx. €12 to €15 per hour gross. Marginal employment up to about €550 per month (2026 limit, approx.) avoids most social contributions.
Renewal: to renew your permit each year you must show study progress, usually 16 ECTS (or eight semester hours) in the previous academic year. Do not let work push this aside.
After graduating: bachelor's and master's graduates of Austrian universities can apply for a residence permit of up to 12 months to look for a job. With a qualifying job offer you can then get a Red-White-Red Card for graduates.

Month-by-month timeline (winter semester 2027 intake)

When	What to do
October to December 2026	Shortlist programmes on studyinaustria.at. Take IELTS/TOEFL or start German classes. Start HEC/IBCC attestation and MOFA Apostille. Apply for Erasmus Mundus.
January to March 2027	Apply to English-taught master's (deadlines often January to March). Check grants.at for scholarships.
April to June 2027	Receive admission. Book an embassy appointment immediately. Arrange proof of funds and police clearance.
June to August 2027	Submit residence permit application. Search for housing (OeAD housing, student residences).
September to October 2027	Collect Visa D, travel, register your address (Meldezettel) within three days, collect your residence card, enrol.

Many public universities set their admission deadline for non-EU applicants in early September for winter and early February for summer, but apply months earlier because of the visa timeline.

Common mistakes Pakistani applicants make

Applying too late. With a three to six month visa process, a July admission is often too late for October.
Forgetting the age rule. If you turn 24 before applying, you need the higher proof of funds.
Assuming every programme is in English. Check the language of instruction carefully, especially for bachelor's.
Missing the Apostille or translation, which is the most common cause of delays.
Not earning 16 ECTS in the first year, which can block renewal of your permit.
Paying agents for "guaranteed" admission. Public universities apply directly and for free. Read our guide on avoiding scholarship scams.

Official links

Study in Austria (OeAD): https://studyinaustria.at/en/
OeAD scholarship database: https://grants.at/en/
OeAD entry and residence information: https://oead.at/en/
Austrian government migration portal: https://www.migration.gv.at/en/
University of Vienna tuition fees: https://studieren.univie.ac.at/en/tuition-fees/
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, non-EU residence information (2026 figures): https://www.akbild.ac.at/en/studies/general-study-information/visas-and-residency/non-eu-citizens
Austrian Embassy Islamabad: https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/austrian-embassy-islamabad
Erasmus Mundus catalogue: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships/erasmus-mundus-catalogue_en

For your application, see our master's motivation letter sample and IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo guide.

Figures checked on 10 October 2026. Always confirm on the official sites before applying.