You have to apply for a national visa type D. It can be issued for up to 180 days.

Download form​​​​​​​

In order to submit a complete application, you must bring along the following personal documents:

• Valid passport
• Passport-sized photograph, not older than 6 months and following the ICAO-criteria

You have to conclude a health insurance fulfilling the visa criteria. You can find more information on the website of the Austrian embassy in charge of your application.

Proof of sufficient financial means to cover the costs of living in Austria for the visa duration. The funds have to be in a savings or bank account that must be on the applicant’s name and be accessible from Austria. Upon request you should be able to prove the origin of funds. In case of questions, please contact the Austrian embassy.

For example: bank statement with full transactions of the last three months incl. name and address, pay stubs, scholarships, letter of grants, tax returns, proof of pension, other proof of income,...

You must provide the embassy with a flight reservation or ticket (roundtrip) when applying from your country of origin.

Note: US/CA students applying at the Austrian embassy in Ljubljana do not need to show a their flight tickets.

You  must have an accommodation proof in Austria (e.g. booking confirmation for a student dorm, rental agreement etc.)

You must have an acceptance letter from the International Office of the University of Graz stating the duration of your stay and your status at the University of Graz. You can download this letter via our application platform and database Mobility-Online.

You have to hand in a proof confirming your family and/or economic ties with the country, such as a proof of employment, proof of being a student in the country of origin, spouse, children etc.

Download checklist for visa documents (valid for both options)

Option 1) At the Austrian embassy or visa application center in the US/Canada (recommendable due to COVID)
see: https://www.austria.org/consular-services
 

Option 2) At the Austrian embassy in Ljubljana, Slovenia after the arrival
If you hold a US or Canadian passport and study at a US or Canadian university, you can submit the visa application at the Austrian Embassy in Ljubljana (Slovenia) after arriving in Austria. Ljubljana is located 3-4 hours by train or 3,5 hours by bus from Graz.

Important - read carefully when considering option 2:

• Austria must be your first entry point into the Schengen area without any layovers in other Schengen countries
• You must bring your complete application, including all supporting documents with you when travelling to Graz and you must complete the visa process before your 90-days visa-free period expires!
• Your stay must extend for at least another 91 days starting from the issuing date of the visa! For this reason, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible after the arrival.
• This option may require to make two trips (application and pick-up) or you stay in Ljubljana for at least 2 working days (=1 night)
• You need to submit 1 pack of originals + 1 pack with copies of your documents, please ensure you have copies before travelling to Slovenia and provide separate packs of copies and originals!
• You need to schedule an appointment with the embassy in advance - if you travel as group, you need to inform the embassy how many students will submit an application.

Contact

Austrian Embassy in Ljubljana, consular department
ddress: Veselova ulica 10, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Email: laibach-ob(at)bmeia.gv.at
Web: www.bmeia.gv.at/laibach
Phone: +386 1 479 07 00
Opening hours of consular department: Monday - Thursday 8.30 am - 12 noon, Friday 8.30 - 11 am (closed on Austrian and Slovenian public holidays)

Check with the Austrian Embassy in Ljubljana or Bratislava or the Austrian General Consulate in Munich whether this document covers your full stay at Uni Graz or whether you will need to apply for an Austrian visa / residence permit.

Make sure you include all relevant information about yourself and your planned stay at Uni Graz along with scans of all relevant documents, when contacting the Austrian representations. In case an additional application for an Austrian visa/residence permit is necessary, those three institutions will also be able to advise you on the relevant process.

Also inform your contact person at Uni Graz of your residence permit in another EU member state – send along the scan of the document.

You have to apply for a visa at the Austrian embassy or consulate in your country of origin.

For general information on applying for a visa, and the documents required, see this page. Please contact the relevant authority for further information!

Unfortunately it will not be possible to work with your visa D. A special visa is always required to work in Austria - this applies to paid, unpaid and voluntary work!

In case of questions about the visa requirements or application procedure, please contact the Austrian embassy in your country of origin.

If you have questions about your mobility stay, please contact your contact person in the International Office: incoming.exchange(at)uni-graz.at | erasmus.incoming(at)uni-graz.at

See: Health & vaccinations in Austria