# Study costs & money in Austria

> Tuition, living-cost context, banking, taxes and practical money guidance for students planning to study in Austria.

Source of record: https://versityspot.com/study-abroad/austria/costs
Confirmation: 16 of 16 sections confirmed against their official source (last 2026-08-08).

## Bank Accounts

Opening an account takes passport, Meldezettel and enrolment confirmation; student accounts are free at most banks. The account matters beyond convenience: your proof-of-funds account must be accessible from Austria, and a local account simplifies every renewal.

Cash remains genuinely popular in Austria; cards work everywhere in cities, but carry some euros for the Würstelstand.

*Source: https://www.oenb.at/en/*

## Taxes

Austria’s marginal-employment threshold (Geringfügigkeitsgrenze) is EUR 551.10 per month in 2026. For a regular employment relationship at or below that threshold, the employee is generally accident-insured but does not pay employee social-insurance contributions or wage tax; voluntary health and pension insurance may be possible. Above the threshold, ordinary employment and social-insurance rules apply.

For third-country students, do not confuse this social-insurance threshold with immigration permission: even small-scale marginal employment that falls under the Foreign Nationals Employment Act requires the employer to obtain the student’s AMS employment permit before work starts.

If tax has been withheld, an annual employee assessment (Arbeitnehmerveranlagung) can be worthwhile, particularly for part-year or low-income work. Use the official tax portal or advice service for your own position.

*Source: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/lexicon/G/Seite.990083*

## Common questions

### What should international students know about banking in Austria?

Free student accounts; Meldezettel required; cash still circulates.

### What should international students know about taxes in Austria?

The 2026 marginal-employment threshold is EUR 551.10/month; below it employees generally have no employee social-insurance contribution or wage tax.