Accommodation
Austria does not have a tradition of on-campus accommodation. Students in Austria either live in a hall of residence or in private accommodation. In contrast to many other countries, Austrian universities or UAS (Fachhochschulen) do not automatically allocate a room when you register for your course. Rather, you have to search for accommodation yourself.
Finding a flat
There are many options for arranging accommodation that suits you best, but make sure you start looking for a room as soon as possible. It is also important to check at your university as to whether they can arrange a room.
OeAD student housing
OeAD student housing offers accommodation for about 12,000 students annually in OeAD-Guesthouses and other student accommodations in Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Linz, Klagenfurt and Leoben. 2/3 of the students are based in Vienna with more than 2.500 staying in passive houses. It is our objective for them to feel comfortable while experiencing an adequate price-performance ratio. As an indispensable partner for the universities, universities of applied sciences and university colleges of teacher education in the field of international students mobility, OeAD student housing provides fully furnished accommodation during the academic year as well as during the summer months (July – September).
Further information and application details are available on the website: www.oeadstudenthousing.at
Living in a shared flat (so called "WG")
Private shared flats (called Wohngemeinschaften in German, or just WG) are probably the most popular form of accommodation. Several students share a flat together and each has their own room, while sharing a kitchen and bathroom. The occupants also share the rent. Depending on where you study, you should assume spending about 250 to 450 euros per month for rent.
Living in a hall of residence (or dormitory)
In general, dormitories offer different types of apartments (single apartments and living communities for two, three or four students). Accommodation of this type is situated in a living community, but has a private bathroom and toilet. The kitchen is a communal room for tenants of one flat. On the website of the Austrian Student Union you can find an overview of student accommodations all over Austria.
Check your contract
Before signing a contract, make sure to check what bills are included in the rent, as this may have a large impact on your budget. Some accommodations include gas, electricity, TV and Internet in the rent, for others, they are additional expenses on top of the rent.
Make sure to also read your rental contract before signing. Check what you are allowed to do with your room; for example, you may not be allowed to paint the walls. Also, ask whom you should speak to if you have a problem, for example, a blocked drain. If you have a complaint about your accommodation, you should speak first to the person directly responsible. If you need help, you can ask the housing officer or accommodation coordinator at your university.