Living in Austria as a Pakistani student: money, housing, work and daily life
Austria has 265 English-taught programmes in our catalogue. Public universities charge non-EU students a fixed €726.72 a semester — low by European standards — and the proof-of-funds requirement is well under Germany's. Vienna is the draw; Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck are cheaper for the same degree.
All figures come from the Austrian government student portal (studyinaustria.at, run by OeAD) and the immigration portal (migration.gv.at), checked in September 2026. Rules change — we say where to re-check.
What a month costs
Austria uses the euro. The official portal puts a student month at about €1,300, with accommodation the biggest variable and Vienna at the top.
| Item | Per month |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (dormitory to private room) | €450–700 |
| Food (cooking yourself) | ≈ €300 |
| Transport, study materials, phone, everything else | ≈ €500 |
| Student self-insurance (ÖGK) | ≈ €73 |
| Official total | ≈ €1,300 |
| Realistic total in a dorm outside Vienna | ≈ €950–1,100 |
| Per semester | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition at a public university (non-EU) | €726.72 |
| Student union fee (ÖH) + accident insurance | €25.20 |
| Universities of applied sciences (FH) | often the same €726.72; some charge more — check the programme |
What you must show for the visa
Austria's figure depends on your age: students under 24 must show about €636 a month; students 24 or older about €1,153 a month. For a year that is roughly €7,600 for a younger student — plan on the higher figure if your 24th birthday falls during the stay.
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Living costs to show, under 24 | ≈ €636 / month |
| Living costs to show, 24 and over | ≈ €1,153 / month |
| Typical total for one year (under 24) | ≈ €7,600 |
| Residence permit "Student" fee | ≈ €160 |
| Also required | Health insurance covering all risks, proof of accommodation |
The permit is a Residence Permit – Student (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Studierende), applied for at the Austrian embassy before you travel and renewed each year inside Austria. Renewal needs proof that you passed enough courses — Austria checks progress.
Finding a room
- Student dormitories (Studentenheim): the official portal calls them the most affordable option. Run by OeAD Student Housing, home4students, STUWO and others; apply in spring through their websites, before your visa. Fully furnished, often with a summer option.
- Shared flat (WG): willhaben.at and the WG groups on Facebook. Deposit of two to three months is normal in Austria; a written contract (Mietvertrag) always.
- Outside Vienna: Graz, Linz and Salzburg are noticeably cheaper for the same degree.
How to not get scammed
- No deposit before a viewing — video at minimum.
- Bank transfer to a named account after the contract is signed. Never Western Union or a gift card.
- The landlord must sign your Meldezettel (registration form). One who refuses is one to avoid — you cannot register without it, and you cannot do anything else without registering.
Working while you study — 20 hours, employer applies
A Residence Permit – Student holder may work up to 20 hours a week, but needs an employment permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung) — which your employer applies for at the AMS (the labour office). The good news: for students it is granted without a labour-market test, so it is a formality rather than a hurdle. You cannot apply yourself.
| Situation | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Up to 20 h/week with an AMS employment permit | Yes — employer applies, no labour-market test |
| More than 20 h/week | Only with a full permit subject to the labour-market test |
| Compulsory internship in your programme | Yes |
| On a tourist or Schengen C visa | No |
German matters more in Austria than in the Netherlands or Scandinavia — most student jobs are in German. English-only work exists in Vienna (tech, tourism, international organisations) but is thinner elsewhere. Budget for a German course.
Your first two weeks: the three-day rule
Within 3 working days of arrival you must register your address (Meldezettel) at the district registration office (Meldeamt / Magistratisches Bezirksamt). Everything else — bank, insurance, permit collection — needs that slip.
| When | Do this | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Register your address (Meldezettel) with the landlord's signature | Legal requirement; every other step needs it |
| Week 1 | Collect your residence permit card at the immigration authority (MA 35 in Vienna) | Your legal stay and work eligibility |
| Week 1 | Enrol at the university, pay €726.72 + €25.20, collect the student ID | Semester ticket and discounts |
| Week 1 | Buy an Austrian SIM (A1, Magenta, Drei, or a cheap prepaid like HoT) | Everything runs on SMS |
| Week 2 | Open a bank account (Erste/Sparkasse, Bank Austria, Raiffeisen) with passport + Meldezettel | Rent, wages, insurance |
| Week 2 | Sign up for student self-insurance at the ÖGK (≈ €73/month) | Required cover; cheaper than any private policy |
| Week 2 | Buy the semester transport ticket | Vienna's is among the cheapest in Europe |
Weather and what to bring
Vienna in January averages 0°C (typically −2 to 4°C) with snow from November; July averages 21°C with highs around 27°C. Innsbruck and Salzburg, in the Alps, are colder and snowier. Plan like Poland.
| Month (Vienna) | Typical daytime | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Sep–Oct | 12–20°C | Jacket, closed shoes |
| Nov–Mar | −2 to 6°C | Insulated coat, thermal layer, waterproof boots, gloves, hat |
| Apr–May | 12–20°C | Jacket, layers |
| Jun–Aug | 22–28°C | Summer clothes from home are fine |
Buy the winter coat and boots in Austria in early November. See our packing guide for the rest.
Halal food, prayer, and being Muslim in Austria
Austria has a substantial Muslim community — largely Turkish and Bosnian — and Islam has been an officially recognised religion here for over a century. In Vienna this is easy; in smaller cities it takes a little more effort.
- Mosques: dozens in Vienna, and in Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck. Many universities have a prayer room — ask the international office or the Muslim student association.
- Halal butchers and Turkish supermarkets in every district of Vienna and in every larger city. In supermarkets read labels — pork (Schwein) is in most sausages and many ready meals.
- Ramadan: no timetable changes; lecturers are generally understanding if told. Iftars are organised by the Pakistani and Turkish student groups in Vienna and Graz.
- Alcohol: present at student events. Declining is not remarked upon.
Where the Pakistani students are
Vienna (University of Vienna, TU Wien, WU, BOKU) has by far the largest Pakistani student community, then Graz (TU Graz, University of Graz), Linz (JKU) and Innsbruck. If your programme is offered in Vienna and in Graz or Linz, the smaller city saves €200–300 a month in rent for the same degree.
Austria rewards the student who registers on day one and learns German in year one. The tuition is fixed and fair, the permit renews on progress, and the 20-hour job is a formality once an employer wants you. Use the Programmes page to filter Austria, and register free to see which of the 265 you qualify for.