The legal parameters covering student support, as stipulated in the Student Support Act of 1992 and enacted in numerable ordinances relating to this act, are a very special legal matter with three specifically remarkable aspects:
- The large group of students for whom a study grant, in addition to financial support payments, constitutes a considerable part of the financial resources required for their studies.
- The function of the Student Support Act within the framework of the Austrian legal system, which is being increasingly harmonized with other social policy legislation (family allowances, social insurance), and which thus reaches beyond the immediate scope of financial aid for students. This is why the Student Support Act assumes a key role among pertinent social policy legislation for students.
- The law on student support as a test case for public transfer payments -- a perspective which generates basic reflections on student aid.
The present paper on the legal parameters covering student support first addresses the federal programs which are in place for the financing of university studies. Subsequently, it outlines the specific regulations of the Student Support Act of 1992.
Eligibility Criteria
- General preconditions for eligibility for study grants.
- One diploma exam, or one doctoral exam, or, unless such major exams are not required, two
semesters of credit counting towards completion of one’s studies. For studies at universities of
applied sciences (“Fachhochschulen”) and so called “bachelor programmes” that are not divided into
sections of study (“Studienabschnitte”) only two semesters are required instead of the above
mentioned four semesters.
- Studies at the foreign university must be equivalent to studies at an Austrian post-secondary
educational institution.
- Minimum of three months (grant offered for a maximum of 20 months) abroad.
A study programme entirely conducted abroad cannot be supported through these measures.
Offered Benefits
The study abroad grant amounts to a maximum of € 582 per month. The exact determination of the
monthly amount depends on an ordinance by the Federal Minister of Science and Research and is
based on the costs of living and studying in the respective country.
Examples:
- € 73 to € 146 monthly in east-European countries,
- € 116 to € 276 in Germany, France, Italy or the Netherlands,
- Up to Euro € 429 in Great Britain and € 487 in the U.S.A.,
- € 472 to € 582 in Japan.
- EUR 73 to EUR 146 monthly in east-European countries
- EUR 116 to EUR 276 in Germany, France, Italy or the Netherlands
- Up to Euro EUR 429 in Great Britain and EUR 487 in the U.S.A.
- in Japan EUR 472 to EUR 582
Transport Cost Allowance:
Travel cost allowance may be granted for travelling to the respective university site abroad. There is no legal title to such a supportive measure.
Subsidies for Language Courses:
As a preparatory measure for a student´s study abroad, the ministry offers subsidies for adhoc language courses. These subsidies may cover part of the costs for a language course, or result in the extension of the grant for one´s study abroad by an additional month. There is no legal title to such a supportive measure.
Travel Cost allowance
Travel cost allowance may be granted for travelling to the respective university site abroad. There is no legal title to such a supportive measure.
