Further opportunities for refugees (Link collection)

• Allgemeines zum Asyl – HELP.gv.at
• Angekommen – Wissenswertes zu Demokratie und dem Land Österreich in einfacher Sprache
• UNHCR-Bildungswegweiser für junge Flüchtlinge
• The Austrian Education System
  
• ÖIF Fact Sheets
• Refugee Phrasebook provides useful phrases and information for newcomers
• Aktionstage refugees – migration – democracy 2016 – video collection
  
• PlayTogetherNow – Integration through sports
  
• Council of Europe: International Migrants Day – December 18
  
• Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants (LIAM)
• norrag – Network for international policiesand cooperation in education and training
• MORE THAN ONE PERSPECTIVE
  
• Blickwinkel – Comics schaffen Mut zur Perspektive
• projektXchange – Austausch macht Fremde zu Freunden
• refugee.tv – The other perspective
• Free Bank Account for Asylum Seekers

Recognation of Academic Degrees (Nostrifizierung)
Recognition Information Application System (AAIS)
AST Vienna - Contact point for people with qualifications acquired abroad
AST in other provinces
ENIC NARIC Recognition guide for Austria
PERSPECTIVE - Recognition and training advice center for asylum seekers and new immigrants

• AMS
  The Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) is Austria’s leading provider of labour-market related services.
  
  

• Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF)
  The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) is a fund of the Republic of Austria and a partner of numerous organizations and leaders in the field of integration and migration in Austria. In its integration centers in all state capitals, the ÖIF offers integration measures for asylum seekers and persons entitled to subsidiary protection as well as immigrants and provides information on current developments in the field of integration and migration.
  
  

• More than one perspective (MTOP)
  MTOP connects companies and highly-skilled, recognized refugees on the Austrian labour market and demonstrates the potential of integration into the workplace
  
  

• Mentoring for Migrants
  “Mentoring for Migrants” is a joint initiative of the ÖIF, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, and the AMS job market service. The goal is to bring together experienced individuals from the business world – mentors – and people from a migrant background – mentees – and help them become integrated into the Austrian labor market. Mentors and mentees spend about six months working through activities together to enter the labor market. As experienced business people, mentors can give their partners valuable assistance, advice, and put them in touch with the right people.

• Die Wiener Bildungsdrehscheibe
  Organisation: AWZ
  Short Description: Die Wiener Bildungsdrehscheibe offers individual orientation, educational advice as well as mediation for German courses, educational offers and charitable activities.
  Duration of offer: Consultation appointments by telephone or personal arrangement;
  Opening times: Mo-Fr 8:30 - 16:00
  Target group: from 15 years of age (after completing compulsory schooling)

• Lernbuddy-Programm
  Organisation: Vienna University of Economics and Business - Volunteering@WU 
  Brief description: In weekly meetings, students support children and young people in their school and social development (learning aid and leisure activities); Preparatory seminars & supervision for students, recognition as a free elective subject for WU students possible;
  Duration of the offer: at least one semester, long-term participation possible
  Target group: children and young people cared for by Caritas Vienna; WU students as learning buddies
  Age group: 6-18 
  Required criteria: Caritas Vienna looks after the children
  Website
  Contact: Steffi Mackerle-Bixa (Leitung Volunteering@WU) 
  Email: sbixa@wu.ac.at
   

• Musikbuddy-Programm
  Organisation: Vienna University of Economics and Business - Volunteering @ WU
  Brief description: Students and children meet weekly within the Caritas initiative Brunnenpassage, work within the framework of a choir and perform several times during the semester; preparatory seminars & supervision for students, recognition as a free elective subject for WU students possible; 
  Duration of the offer: at least one semester, long-term participation possible
  Target group: music-loving children; WU students as music buddies
  Age group: 6-10
  Required criteria: Children must be register with Caritas Vienna (Brunnengasse)
  Website
  Contact: Steffi Mackerle-Bixa (Leitung Volunteering@WU) 
  Email: sbixa@wu.ac.a

Recognised refugees and people who have been granted subsidiary protection have access to public funding for language courses. Please note that language courses are offered by various providers, many of them for profit.

General information about language levels can be found on the website of the Austrian German Language Diploma ÖSD, a state-approved examination and assessment of German as a Foreign Language / German as a Second Language:

• The ÖSD and international standards (in German)
• Examination centres and examination dates (in German)
• Sample exams and practice materials (in German)

The Austrian Integration Fund ÖIF

The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) supports recognised refugees and people who have been granted subsidiary protection through funding for literacy, elementary (A1, A2) and advanced courses (B1). Please note that you must apply for funding before the course begins. The ÖIF offers personal counselling at guidance centers in Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, St. Pölten and Klagenfurt, as well as at 18 mobile counseling centers in different regions of Austria. For more information please consult the website of the OIF.

• Information about language courses
• Overview of the ÖIF sites and Welcome Desks
• ÖIF sites and consuling centres

The ÖSD

The ÖSD offers language exams at levels A1 – C2. They are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Language course funding by the Public Employment Service Austria AMS: The AMS supports recognised refugees and people who have been granted subsidiary protection. For more information please contact your regional AMS.

ALFATELEFON Österreich: The central advice center for basic education and literacy offers free telephone information and advice on courses on all aspects of basic education in Austria. This course database also lists courses for refugees.

Other possible funding sources for language classes Vienna/Lower Austria:

• Free German courses for recognised refugees in Vienna and Lower Austria
• The Vienna education booklet
• Jugend College: Training for young immigrants aged 15 to under 21 years who have a German level of A2 and free access to the labor market; includes German language courses up to B1 (in German)

Other possible funding sources for language classes Tyrol:

• Language courses in Tyrol (in German)

Language certificates for students

Austrian higher education institutions usually teach in German (some programmes are available in English. An overview can be found at www.studienwahl.at). Admission to a degree programme usually requires a language level of at least B2, for some programmes even C2. Please contact the respective institution for information on conditions and accepted language certificates.

University Preparation Programmes are offered in the cities of Vienna, Graz and Leoben.

Vienna: University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities
Graz: University Preparation Programme of the Graz Universities
Leoben: University Preparation Programme Leoben

Preparation Programmes by Universities of Applied Sciences

Several Universities of Applied Sciences offer preparation programmes as well.

St. Pölten: The FH St. Pölten offers German classes for their students up to B2.

Further opportunities:

• miteinander.Bildung.leben - Deutsch- und Integrationskurs
  Organisation: FH Campus Wien - Gender und Diversity Management 
  Brief description: German and integration course (language level B2 and C1) for asylum seekers with a tertiary educational background. The aim is that the participants can achieve the prerequisites for a nostrification in the field of health/social work or for the continuation of technical and scientific studies. Intensive German lessons, ÖSD exams included, social work support, educational advice, workshops, inclusion activities (excursions, exchange meetings with students, tandem network at the FH campus Vienna)
  Target group: Asylum seekers and asylum seekers with a tertiary educational background Age group: no age limit, but university access and tertiary educational background is mandatory
  Other: Registration only possible via the Vienna Education Hub.
  Website
  Contact: Katrin Oberhöller und Sarah Wolf 
  Email: mbl@fh-campuswien.ac.at
  Tel.: +43 1 606 68 77 - 6146

• START-Stipendium
  Organisation: START scholarship for committed schoolchildren with a migration background Brief description: Scholarships for young people with migration or refugee experience.
  Starting age: 16-21. A maximum of 3 years of financial and non-material support, coaching and advice.
  Aim: Higher education or apprenticeship. Application is possible once a year, always in spring.
  Duration of offer: a maximum of three school years. Time required: at least 1 workshop per month, mostly on the weekend/evening, two training seminars per year (weekend); regular contact with the team; 
  Target group: regardless of residence status: asylum seekers, persons entitled to asylum, subs. protection, permanent residence, citizenship
  Age group: 15 to 21 (entry age)
  Required criteria: Migration background, financial need, commitment, enough time and interest to be able to participate in the extensive educational program.
   Young people should be able to communicate in German
  Website
  Contact: Katrin Bernd
  Email: bernd@start-stipendium.at
  Tel.: +43 664 8860 5582 or +43 1 890 8011
   
• Stipendien für Asylwerber/innen und Asylberechtigte zum Ersatz des Lehrgangsbeitrags des Vorstudienlehrgangs der Wiener Universitäten (VWU)
  Organisation: University of Vienna (Admission office/Office Studienpräses)
  Short description: Reimbursement of the VWU German course fee for asylum seekers and persons entitled to asylum.
  Duration of offer: Applications are possible until the summer semester 2020. The offer has already been extended several times.
  Target group: Asylum seekers and persons entitled to asylum whose asylum application was submitted after December 31, 2014 in the Republic of Austria and who want to study in Austria.
  Age group: No specific age group.
  Required criteria: Admission requirements for studying at the University of Vienna have to be met. More information is available on the respective website.
  German language skills at A2 level are required 
  Website Admission office
  Contact
  Email: refugees.studentpoint@univie.ac.at (Admission office) 
  claudia.fritz-larott@univie.ac.at oder stipendium@univie.ac.at (Büro Studienpräses)
   

• UniFreunde/Stip Ment
  Organisation: Fremde werden Feunde/Verein 
  Short description: Course scholarships for asylum seekers at VWU/face to face peer mentoring for asylum seekers and VWU graduates in their first semesters;
  Duration of offer: since the academic year 2019/20 
  Age group: no age limit
  Required criteria: first semester students registered at VWU  
  Website
  Contact: Sonja Winklbauer, Kathrin Limpel, Grete Kernegger
  Emails: sonja.winklbauer@vwu.at, kathrin@fremdewerdenfreunde.at,

Other funding opportunities

• Federal aid for students in Austria
• Liese Prokop Scholarship of the Austrian Integration Fund
• Austrian Database for Scholarships and Research Grants
• Förderungen für Aus- und Weiterbildungen im Bereich der Erwachsenenbildung
• Deutschstipendien für Asylwerberinnen des UKI
• Deutschkursförderung für Einzelpersonen des ÖIF
• Förderpilot

• Coursera
  Free online courses

• Kiron
  Open Higher Education for Refugees Kiron enables access to higher education and successful learning for refugees through digital solutions.

• asylkoordination österreich
• Asyl.Tirol
• Austrian Employment Service
• Austrian Integration Fund ÖIF
• Mein Sprachportal – ÖIF
• AST - Anlaufstelle für Personen mit im Ausland erworbenen Qualifikationen
• Berufsanerkennung in Österreich
• Science4Refugees – jobs for refugees and asylum seekers with a scientific background
• Science in Asylum unterstützt WissenschafterInnen, die aus Kriegs- und Krisengebieten geflüchtet sind und in Europa um Asyl ansuchen
• ZEBRA – Interkulturelles Beratungs- und Therapiezentrum
• wienXtra – Informationen, Aktionen und Fortbildungen zum Thema Flucht & Asyl

• MORE Programme
  Organisation: Universities Austria - uniko
  Brief description: MORE courses are aimed at refugees who need orientation for possible studies and want to improve their language skills. Participants may be able to take up or continue a regular degree later.
  MORE Perspectives is an offer aimed at refugees with an academic background. The platform connects refugee scientists and artists with members of Austrian universities.
  MORE Activities represent a low-threshold offer that goes beyond the range of courses and promotes intercultural communication and integration.
  Duration of offer: Universities Austria itself does not offer any courses etc. but is the initiator of the project. The activities are offered at the university level.
  Target group: eligible for asylum + subsidiary protection + asylum seekers
  Age group: from 18 years
  Required criteria: studies or previous education in the home country
  Contact: Stephanie Zwießler
  Email: stephanie.zwiessler@uniko.ac.at
  Website

• MORE TU Wien
  Organisation: Vienna University of Technology
  Brief description: MORE is an extraordinary two-semester curriculum consisting of 4 modules: Living and working in Austria, mathematics, computer-aided technical drawing (CAD) and programming / IT
  Duration of the offer: Applications are accepted in August/September, the curriculum lasts from October to June, 2-3 afternoons per week - from 3 pm-6 pm;
  Target group: eligible for asylum + subsidiary protection + asylum seekers
  Age group: 18+ years required 
  Criteria: Interest in technology or technical studies or previous education in the home country
  Other: German skills at the level of B2 will be of an advantage
  Website
  Contact: Louisa Holub 
  louisa.holub@tuwien.ac.at
  Tel.:+43 (0) 588 01 410 862
   
• Refugee Educational Initiatives Erasmus+
  Organisation: University of Vienna 
  Brief description: The University of Vienna offers scientific courses for asylum seekers, persons entitled to asylum or persons entitled to subsidiary protection in Austria and other countries of the European Economic Area who are aiming to study at a European university. The courses are funded by the European Commission's ERASMUS+ program.
  Duration of the offer: Since 2016 
  Target group: persons entitled to asylum, asylum seekers
  Age group: 16 years and older
  Required criteria: German from B1 / B2
  Website
  Contact:
  Katharine Sarikakis, Gert Tomita
  Email: katharine.sarikakis@univie.ac.at, Gert.tomita@univie.ac.at

• Initiative Minderheiten
  Organisation: Peerment 2019-21 
  Brief description: Support through advice, accompaniment and individual mentoring. Biography work with selected people.
  Duration of the offer: The project lasts from 2019-2021, with around 3 mentoring meetings at individually agreed intervals planned for each mentee.
  Age group: Adults 18+
  Criteria: Interest in higher education. In other words: everyone who is aiming for a degree or has already started studying and would like support.
  Website
  Contact: Mikael Luciak
  Email:office@initiative.minderheiten.at
  Tel.: +43 1 966 9001

• Open Learning Center - OLC
  Organisation: Diakonie refugee service
  Brief description: The OLC supports (educationally) disadvantaged people from the age of 16 on the second educational path to higher qualifications (secondary level II or higher). Offers include tutorials in German, English, mathematics, workshops, individual support and peer mentoring.
  Opening times: Mon-Thu 09-18
  Duration of the project: Until 12/2021 
  Target group: people with (educational) disadvantage
  Altersgruppe: from 16 years
  Required criteria: completed compulsary education. Concrete & realistic educational goal
  Website
  Contact
  Sabine Racketseder 
  Email: sabine.racketseder@diakonie.at
  Jan Widtmann 
  Email: jan.widtmann@diakonie.at, olc@diakonie.at
  Tel.: +43 664 88 63 28 55
   
• Mentoring
  Organisation: ÖH federal representation 
  Brief description: Support with study admission; advice on residence and employment law; advice in several languages; legal advice: brochures and information material for foreign students, lectures and workshops for foreign students; political work to improve the situation of students; 
  Target group: all students. 
  Age group: no age limit
  Required criteria: none
  Website
  Contact:
  Yuliya Varsh 
  Email:yuliya.varsh@oeh.ac.at
  Tel.: + 43 1 310 88 80-65

• Schreibmentoring
  Organisation: University of Vienna (Center for Teaching and Learning)
  Brief description: Students trained by the CTL become writing mentors and offer 1.5-hour writing groups once a week at all participating institutes. Advice is given on: dealing with literature, structure, argumentation, text production, revision of texts, scientific language and much more. 
  Duration of the offer: every semester, as soon as the dates are available (i.e. from about mid / late March to late June) the exact dates of the individual groups can be found on the website.
  Target group: students of the University of Vienna 
  Age Group: no Age Limit
  Required Criteria: positively completed StEOP phase
  Website
  Contact:
  Eva Kuntschner (Koordination des Schreibmentorings),
  Klara Dreo (Mehrsprachigkeit/DaF/DaZ) 
  Email:ctl.schreibmentoring@univie.ac.at
   

• Schreibberatung Organisation
  Organisation: Universität Wien (Center for Teaching and Learning) 
  Brief description: CTL writing assistants offer individual advice both at the CTL and at cooperating libraries (main library, Department of English Studies, Department of Sociology & Political Science, and Department of Translation Studies). Students with a first language other than German are preferred when making appointments. All writing assistants can also provide advice in English.
  Duration of the offer: Advice to libraries: Main library Thu, 1.30pm-4.00pm; English Studies Wed, 14: 00-16: 00, Sociology & Powi Mon, 14: 00-16: 00, Translation Studies t.b.a.)
  Advice at the CTL: by appointment 
  Age group: students of the University of Vienna 
  Age group: no age limit
  Website
  Contact: Marcela Hubert (Koordination der Beratungen)
  Klara Dreo (Mehrsprachigkeit/DaF/DaZ) 
  Email:klara.dreo@univie.ac.at oderctl.schreibwerkstatt@univie.ac.at
   

• UniClub
  Organisation: Children's Office University of Vienna GmbH
  Brief description: Learning guidance and support on the way to the Matura in all school subjects, open learning afternoons, student teachers as StudyBuddies, science and research in workshops and excursions; 
  Duration of the offer: long-term support over several years possible, participation in appointments if necessary, up to several times a week; 
  Target group: migration or refugee experience (regardless of status)
  Age group: 13-19 upon entry
  Required criteria: pupils, secondary level 2 or shortly before entering the Sekundarstufe II website
  Website
  Conact: Daniela Marzoch
  Email: daniela.marzoch@univie.ac.at oder info@uniclub.at
  Tel.: +43(1) 4277 24224
   

• Schreibwerkstätten - Kick Off Workshops
  Organisation: University of Vienna (Center for Teaching and Learning)
  Short description: Writing assistants and staff at the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Vienna offer a two-day intensive workshop for students who have registered their thesis and who have a topic and supervisor (advice on: narrowing down the topic, developing an initial structure, writing and revision techniques, planning the project, scientific language ...) On request, a workshop can be held especially for students with a first language other than German. In this workshop, the challenges of this target group will be particularly addressed.
  Duration of the offer: see Website
  Target group: Students of the University of Vienna 
  Required criteria: Students who are writing a thesis (Bachelor or Master thesis); Topic must be submitted
  Age group: no age limit
  Contact:
  Nina Adelmann (Koordinartion der Kick-Offs) 
  Klara Dreo (Mehrsprachigkeit/DaF/DaZ) 
  Email: ctl.schreibwerkstatt@univie.ac.at; klara.dreo@univie.ac.at

• ZEBRA-Beratungs und Therapiezentrum
  Offers counselling and support concerning the topic of migration (advice on the recognition of qualifications obtained in other countries, legal advice, employment counselling, educational councelling, family counselling, intercultural psychotherapy;
   
• UniFreunde/Stip Ment
  Organisation: Fremde werden Feunde/Verein 
  Short description: Course scholarships for asylum seekers at VWU/face to face peer mentoring for asylum seekers and VWU graduates in their first semesters;
  Duration of offer: since the academic year 2019/20 
  Age group: no age limit
  Required criteria: first semester students registered at VWU  
  Website
  Contact: Sonja Winklbauer, Kathrin Limpel, Grete Kernegger
  Emails: sonja.winklbauer@vwu.at, kathrin@fremdewerdenfreunde.at,

• Bildung und Vernetzung
  Organisation: IGASUS (Interessensgemeinschaft afghanischer Studenten_innen und Schüler_innen) 
  Brief description: Networking of Afghan students, mutual advice, empowerment. Workshops (educational institutions in Austria, lecture and discussion on forced marriage, ...), magazine and various other projects, like graduation ceremony and much more.
  Duration of offer: since foundation of the association in 2015 - ongoing
  Target group: Afghan schoolchildren, Afghan community, in some of the many workshops and projects the target group is the whole society
  Age group: from 16 
  Website
  Email office@igasus.org

• Building Future
  Organisation: SERLO - Vereinigung Waynachischer Hochschüler Österreichs 
  Brief description: The association was founded for the purpose of education, further training, integration, interculturality and networking. One of the main concerns is to create a platform for communication, exchange and motivation for teenagers and young adults in order to promote both personal and academic development. 
  Target group: Schoolchildren, high school graduates, students or interested parties from the Chechen and Ingush community in Austria;
  Age group: from 15 (after completing compulsory schooling) 
  Instagram: serlovwh_at 
  Kontakt: Ramzan JASHURKAEV (Vorsitzender), Maryam VAGAEVA & Angela IDRISOWA (Stell.Vertr.) 
  Email: serlo_2017@hotmail.com

• Der Mentor für Studenten
  Organisation: ASÖ ( Arabische Studierende in Österreich) 
  Short description: Support for students who speak Arabic, especially for new refugees, in the phase of VWU, regarding questions on university, modification, masters, etc. through an online group on Facebook; 
  Duration of offer: since August 2018 
  Age group: from 18 
  Required Criteria: online Application 
  Website
  Kontakt: Raed Al Azawi
  Email: arabische.studierende@gmail.com

• UNHCR Community Dialog und Forum
  Organisation: UNHCR 
  Kurzbeschreibung: Networking meeting for associations and initiatives of students with refugee experience within the framework of the Community Dialog and Forum (UNHCR) and Uni Freunde (Fremde werden Freunde und Vorstudienlehrgang der Wiener Universitäten). 
  Duration of offer: since January 2020 - ongoing 
  Target group: Students with refugee experience
  Website
  Contact: Marie-Claire Sowinetz
  Email: sowinetz@unhcr.org und ausvidialog@unhcr.org

General housing

• Flüchtlinge Willkommen Österreich
• OeAD-WohnraumverwaltungsGmbH – Wohnheime für Studierende
• Studierendenheime in Österreich
• Wohnberatung der Österreichischen Hochschülerschaft
• Caritas Österreich
• Diakonie Österreich

Vorarlberg

• dowas – der Ort für Wohnungs- und Arbeitssuchende

Vienna

• Wohnen für Flüchtlinge
• Plattform "Hilfe für Flüchtlinge in Wien" der Stadt Wien, Helfer Wiens und privater Hilfsorganisationen

• ALFATELEFON Österreich
• Online Deutsch lernen
• Deutsche Welle dw - Learn German (Podcasts)
• Refugees code – coding school for integration
• Mathematik-Trainingsbuch speziell für Flüchtlinge
• STUDIEREN PROBIEREN
• Angebote Basisbildungskurse Lesen, Schreiben etc.
• Dein Weg zur Schule und Arbeit (Informationsvideo der asylkoordination österreich)
• OpenLearningCenter Diakonie Flüchtlingsdienst

Burgenland

• Bildungsinformation Burgenland

Vienna

• Wiener Bildungsdrehscheibe der AWZ Soziales Wien GmbH
• Jugendcollege Wien: Weiterbildung für Flüchtlinge zwischen 15 und 25
• Wiener Sprachen App online

• Kiron Open Higher Education – World-Class Education For Refugees
• Free online course Human Rights: The Rights of Refugees
• Coursera for Refugees
• Refugees Welcome Map – The universities' response to the refugee crisis
• University of the People
• Chance for Science – Social network for refugeed and local scientists, academics and students
• FELLOWSHIPS for THREATENED SCHOLARS AROUND THE WORLD
• Edraak –- Arab massive open online course (MOOC) platform
• MOOCs4inclusion – Free Digital Learning (FDL) for migrants and refugees
• EDUKATICO – Suchportal für Online-Kurse
• EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals
• inHERE - Higher Education Supporting Refugees in Europe: Good practice catalogue