If you are a student in Austria, you can work up to 20 hours a week under an employment permit that your employer obtains for you. No labour market test is needed for that permit. The work must not get in the way of your studies, which is your main reason for being here. The rules differ slightly depending on your residence status, so read on for the details.
Who can work 20 hours a week?
Third-country students who hold a Residence Permit, Student may work up to 20 hours per week, according to the OeAD. The permit is not something you arrange yourself: your employer applies for it at the labour market service (AMS). The same 20-hour limit applies more broadly to students who need an employment permit, and again the employer makes the application. During the summer and winter months, you can usually work more hours, the OeAD says. That does not mean you can ignore the 20-hour cap at other times.
The key condition is that any job must not impair the primary purpose of your stay, which is your studies. So think of work as something that fits around your course, not the other way round.
How the permit works in practice
You do not apply for the employment permit yourself. Your employer applies to the AMS. That means you need to tell a prospective employer that the permit exists and that they need to request it. Some employers know the drill; others do not. Be ready to explain it.
Once you have the permit, stick to the hours. The 20-hour weekly limit is the default. The extra hours in summer and winter are usually allowed, but check with the AMS or your institution before you rely on that for a particular job. The residence authority decides on your residence permit, and the institution decides on admission. Neither of those decisions is affected by your job, as long as you keep the work within the rules.
What about EU/EEA students and scholarship holders?
The facts here focus on third-country students. If you are from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you have a different residence situation, so check your specific conditions with the institution or the authorities. One group that needs to be careful: Aktion Austria-Czech Republic scholarship holders may not take gainful employment in Austria alongside their academic duties. If you hold that scholarship, work is not allowed on the side.
For everyone else, the ÖH (the Austrian Students' Union) gives information and counselling on working and funding. That is a good place to ask about your particular case.
Getting your residence permit first
Before you can work, you need to be legally here. Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland need a Residence Permit, Student for a stay of more than six months. The application fee on oesterreich.gv.at is EUR 218, and the authority decides within 90 days. You apply before you come or shortly after you arrive, depending on your situation, and you cannot start work until you have the permit that allows it.
If you are still choosing where to study, our guide for international students covers the basics. You can also browse all universities in Austria to compare what is on offer. Admission is handled by each institution, not centrally. The OeAD does not process study applications, and there is no central application portal. So apply directly to the institution. Deadlines vary: at public universities the general application deadline for most bachelor's programmes is 5 September for the winter semester and 5 February for the summer semester, but other programmes and applicants from outside the EU/EEA can have different deadlines.
Our catalogue lists 65 Austrian higher education institutions and 589 programmes with English among their languages of instruction, taken from the Austrian national register. Of those, 455 are taught in English only and the rest in German and English. That gives you a sense of the scale, but always confirm details with the institution.
Money matters: fees and funding
Your student union fee (ÖH-Beitrag) is EUR 26.20 per semester and is compulsory for all students. At public universities, EU/EEA students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters. Most other students pay EUR 726.72 per semester. These figures come from the Austrian national register as of October 2026; confirm them with your institution before you budget. Work can help cover your costs, but the 20-hour limit means it is unlikely to fund everything. Plan your finances around your studies first.
Where to check the details
Rules and fees can change. For the most current information on the 20-hour rule and the employment permit, check with the AMS, the OeAD, or your institution's student services. The ÖH is also a good source for advice on working and funding. For residence permit details, the official pages are oesterreich.gv.at and migration.gv.at. For study programmes and admission, go straight to the institution or studyinaustria.at.
Sources
- migration.gv.at, studying in Austria (residence and employment permit rules)
- OeAD, FAQ entry on residence for third-country students
- oesterreich.gv.at, Residence Permit, Student
- oesterreich.gv.at, admission of foreign students
- OeAD, application and admission
- Austrian national register (BMFWF open data and studienwahl.at), as of October 2026
- sch__dzs-aktion-czech (Aktion Austria-Czech Republic scholarship conditions)
Frequently asked questions
Can I work more than 20 hours a week as a student in Austria?
The standard limit is 20 hours a week. The OeAD says that in the summer and winter months you can usually work more hours. But the 20-hour limit applies the rest of the time, and the work must not impair your studies. Check with the AMS or your institution before taking on extra hours.
Do I need a labour market test for a student job in Austria?
No. As a student you can obtain an employment permit for up to 20 hours a week without a labour market test. Your employer applies for the permit at the AMS. You do not apply for it yourself.
Who applies for the employment permit for students in Austria?
Your employer applies for it at the labour market service (AMS). You need to make sure your employer knows this. The residence authority decides on your residence permit, and the institution decides on admission, but the employment permit is handled by your employer.
Can Aktion Austria-Czech Republic scholarship holders work in Austria?
No. Aktion Austria-Czech Republic scholarship holders may not take gainful employment in Austria next to their academic duties. If you hold that scholarship, you cannot work alongside your studies.