To practice certain professions in Austria, formal recognition of your education or studies is required. Recognition involves an assessment of whether your education/studies meet the requirements in Austria. Whether you need recognition depends on your profession and your qualifications. The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) provides information and guidance.
The first step: Find information about your profession
At berufsanerkennung.at you will find information on recognition of qualifications and on advisory centers. There you can find answers to important questions:
- Do I need recognition for my profession?
- How does the process work?
- Which department is responsible for me?
The information is available in several languages.
This is how the ÖIF supports you
Do you have questions or don't know where to start? The ÖIF Integration Service for Skilled Workers supports international skilled workers and their families. It informs you about the next steps in the professional recognition process. For further questions, it helps you find the right advisory service.
To arrange a consultation appointment, please contact the integration service at 050 46 89.
Here's how to prepare
These steps will help you get started:
- Gather your certificates of education and proof of work experience.
- Include translations if available.
- Write down your questions for the consultation and arrange an appointment at fachkraft@integrationsfonds.at .
Seek advice before spending money on translations or a recognition procedure. This will help you avoid unnecessary costs. The exact documents you need depend on your profession and the specific procedure.
Financial assistance with costs
Recognition of your qualifications may incur costs. Under certain conditions, the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) can reimburse you for a portion of these costs. This includes, for example, fees for the recognition or evaluation of your qualifications and necessary certified translations (costs of sworn or certified translations for the documents required in the recognition process).
In addition, examination fees for passed German language tests from the relevant chambers for practicing the following professions are subsidized:
- Doctors
- Dentists
- Pharmacists
You must pay the costs yourself first. Afterwards, you can apply for a refund. Whether you receive funding depends on the applicable funding guidelines. There is no entitlement to funding.
Tuition fees for certain healthcare professions
Do you have a degree from abroad in a healthcare profession? For recognition, you may need to complete additional exams or courses at an Austrian university or university of applied sciences. This process is called "nostrification".
For certain healthcare professions, the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) can reimburse tuition fees already paid. For this, you need a valid certificate of nostrification. This certificate specifies which additional requirements you must complete for recognition. The other funding conditions must also be met.
Important: You must apply for repayment during the current semester. Therefore, find out about the requirements and deadlines well in advance.
Further information and contact
Information on advice, funding and applications can be found at integration.at .
ÖIF Integration Service for Skilled Workers: 050 46 89
Questions regarding funding for professional recognition: berufsanerkennung@integrationsfonds.at
Questions regarding the repayment of tuition fees: studienbeitrag@integrationsfonds.at