Health insurance for international students in Austria — MA 35 proof from €51/month

Plan: Apply online → PDF in minutes → Submit at inscription & MA 35.

Quick answer: Care Austria Education from €51/month (ages 12–35, 364-day variant) issues a DE/EN Versicherungsbestätigung by email in minutes that is, in most cases, accepted for inscription at Austrian universities and at MA 35 / Bezirkshauptmannschaft for the § 64 NAG student permit — individual caseworker practice may vary, not legal advice.

Editorial note: figures and acceptance rules reflect typical practice for international students in 2025–26. Final eligibility (ÖGK self-insurance, § 64 NAG, Erasmus EHIC) depends on your individual case and the decision of the competent Austrian authority.

Indicative: around €800 in lost gross weekly wages at the Austrian median per week of residence-permit delay (source: indicative AT median earnings 2024/25) — Care Austria premium for the same week: about €12.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-07 · by Steffan Grund (insurance expert, Krankenversicherung-Auslaender.de) · sources: oesterreich.gv.at, wien.gv.at, gesundheitskasse.at, bmsgpk.gv.at, HanseMerkur AVB 2025, § 64 NAG.

Sources: oesterreich.gv.at · wien.gv.at · gesundheitskasse.at · bmsgpk.gv.at · HanseMerkur AVB 2025 · Care Concept AG · § 8 / § 11 / § 51 / § 64 NAG · Universitätengesetz 2002

No insurance proof — no inscription, no § 64 NAG permit. That is the practical rule at MA 35 Wien and Bezirkshauptmannschaften across Austria — Uni Wien, TU Wien, WU Wien, BOKU, MedUni Wien, Uni Graz, TU Graz, JKU Linz, Uni Salzburg, Uni Innsbruck and Uni Klagenfurt typically require a comprehensive Austrian Versicherungsnachweis at matriculation. Care Austria Education from €51/month (ages 12–35, 364-day variant) issues a German/English PDF certificate by email within minutes — no medical questionnaire, monthly cancellation, switchable to ÖGK student self-insurance once eligible.

Trusted by international students from Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore), India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai), Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nigeria, Türkiye, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil — preparing the Austrian student visa, OeAD scholarship file or § 64 NAG application for Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck or Klagenfurt.

Below: who needs which insurance (eligibility table for 6 student cases), Care Austria vs ÖGK self-insurance vs EHIC, Wahlarzt reimbursement explained, university acceptance overview, plus an Austrian glossary (MA 35, ÖGK, e-card, ELGA, ÖH Beitrag) and an FAQ for Erasmus, PhD, over-30 students and applicants from Pakistan, India, the Philippines, Nigeria and Türkiye. Brief German term references are kept inline because Austrian universities use them on official forms.

One wrong insurance choice can cost you money, time and your application deadline

A medical incident can become expensive fast — but the wrong certificate can also delay your visa, enrollment, residence permit or work start.

• Wrong or incomplete proof can delay your visa, enrollment or authority process.
• Cheap home-country policies may miss the exact coverage, dates or repatriation wording required.
• The cheapest policy can become expensive if it is the wrong proof for your situation.

Before you apply, check: coverage amount, validity dates, destination area and repatriation cover.

Why act before Austrian residence paperwork

Austria has its own residence-process requirements. A Germany-focused insurance route may not fit MA35 or magistrate documents.

Recommended student insurance for Austria — by case

Care Austria Education — all prices by age & duration

Quick answer: Care Austria Education starts at €51/month for ages 12–35 in the 364-day variant; the open-ended variant runs higher and scales with age. Designed for inscription at Austrian universities and for the student residence permit (§ 64 NAG); final acceptance depends on the responsible university and on MA 35 Wien or the Bezirkshauptmannschaft.

Which Austrian student case fits which insurance?

Care Austria vs ÖGK student self-insurance — side by side

Quick answer: Both options give MA 35-compliant proof. ÖGK gives an e-card and ELGA access but requires Studienerfolg; Care Austria is open from day one, cancellable monthly and reimburses Wahlarzt without Selbstbehalt within the policy terms.

Costs at a glance — Austria student health cover 2026

Quick answer: Four realistic budget anchors for international students in Austria: Care Austria Education from €51/month (ages 12–35, 364-day variant), ÖGK student self-insurance at €67.10/month (Stand 2025, gesundheitskasse.at), Care Economy from €30 per 30 days for Erasmus and short stays, and EHIC at €0 for EU/EEA students through their home insurer. Final acceptance depends on the responsible university and on MA 35 Wien or the Bezirkshauptmannschaft.

Prices Stand 2025/2026; sources: HanseMerkur AVB 2025, Care Concept AG, gesundheitskasse.at, ÖGK Honorarordnung 2025.

Which Austrian universities accept Care Austria for inscription?

Care Austria Education is recognised as comprehensive Austrian health insurance and is regularly accepted as Versicherungsnachweis for inscription at the universities listed below. Final acceptance is decided by the individual matriculation office.

How Wahlarzt reimbursement works in Austria (Vienna example)

A Wahlarzt is a doctor without an ÖGK contract — common among Vienna specialists (internists, dermatologists, gynaecologists, psychotherapists). You pay the invoice first and submit it for reimbursement. With ÖGK you typically receive around 80% of the very low contract tariff — for a €200 first-visit invoice that means €38–55 back. With Care Austria the Wahlarzt fee is reimbursed within the policy terms without Selbstbehalt, which usually gives a higher net refund. Submit invoices through the Care Concept customer portal; ÖGK members use meine ÖGK / meinesv.at.

EHIC for EU/EEA students in Austria — what it covers

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) — printed on the back of your home country's insurance card (AOK, TK, Barmer in Germany; ZUS in Poland; INPS in Italy; CPAM in France) — covers medically necessary treatment during short stays in Austria. For an Erasmus semester this is often enough together with a short top-up. For a full degree most Austrian universities still expect a comprehensive Austrian Versicherungsnachweis, and the Anmeldebescheinigung under § 51 NAG normally lists insurance proof as a required document. Care Austria closes the gap from €51/month.

Insurance by student profile — Austria

Tuition fees Austria — Studienbeitrag and ÖH Beitrag (context)

Beyond insurance, international students plan for two Austrian study fees: Studienbeitrag (tuition) of €726.72 per semester for non-EU students and €0–€363.36 for EU/EEA students depending on Toleranzsemester, and the ÖH Beitrag (student-union contribution) of about €22 per semester. Both are paid via the student portal (KUSSS at JKU, u:space at Uni Wien, TISS at TU Wien, MyTUG at TU Graz) alongside inscription — independent of your insurance choice.

Austrian insurance and residence terminology — quick glossary

Krankenversicherung

Health insurance — mandatory for every student in Austria.

ÖGK

Österreichische Gesundheitskasse — statutory health-insurance fund.

e-card

Electronic chip card issued only by ÖGK, BVAEB, SVS, KFA.

Wahlarzt

Doctor without an ÖGK contract; reimbursement only.

Selbstbehalt

Deductible. Care Austria reimburses Wahlarzt without Selbstbehalt within policy terms.

ELGA

Elektronische Gesundheitsakte — tied to ÖGK access.

Inskription

Formal enrolment at an Austrian university.

Zulassungsbescheid

Admission decision required for inscription and § 64 NAG.

MA 35

Vienna foreigners' authority for residence permits.

Bezirkshauptmannschaft (BH)

District authority outside Vienna — equivalent of MA 35.

§ 64 NAG

Aufenthaltsbewilligung Studierende — student residence permit.

§ 51 NAG / Anmeldebescheinigung

EU/EEA student registration certificate.

Studienerfolg

Proof of 16 ECTS per semester — required for ÖGK self-insurance.

ÖH Beitrag

Mandatory student-union contribution (~€22/semester).

Studienbeitrag

Tuition fee — usually €726.72/semester for non-EU students.

EHIC

European Health Insurance Card — emergencies for EU/EEA students.

Frequently Asked Questions