Students (with letter of admission or confirmation of enrolment) and researchers can currently enter Austria. You should have a document confirming your status as student/researcher with you when travelling. 

Depending on the COVID situation in the country of residence, a negative PCR or antigen test result and/or home quarantine may be necessary in addition to this.

If you have questions about entry requirements (visa, residence permit...), please contact the Austrian representative authority in your country of residence. You will receive legally valid information by the Austrian embassy/consulate.

^{Last updated: 10 February 2021, 12:30 | Source: https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus.html /}

Every person who travels to Austria (there are a few exceptions such as unforeseeable and urgent reasons within the family context) must fill out a pre-travel-clearance form online before entering the country:

• Form in German
• Form in English

Important: the registration can be completed the earliest 72 hours before the planned entry!

You will then receive a PDF document as confirmation via email. Upon entry, you must be able to present this confirmation in digital or printed form, if requested by the authorities. The information provided in this form will be transmitted to the responsible health authority and automatically deleted after 28 days.

Further details and FAQs can be found on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs:  https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus/Coronavirus---Haeufig-steller-Fracht/FAQ--Reisen-und-Tourismus.html 

_{Latest update:. 29 March 2021, 10am | Source}

If you are allowed to enter Austria (see also question "who can currently enter Austria?"), you have to present a negative COVID test result on a medical certficiate (use templates: German / English) when crossing the Austrian border, unless your country of origin is Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or Vatican and you have only stayed in these countries 10 days prior to entering Austria.

The sampling must not be older than 72 hours (PCR-test) or 48 hours (antigen test) when entering Austria. If you cannot present a current negative test result upon entry, you may be allowed to take a test in Austria immediately (max. within 24 hours).

^{Last update: 31 March 2021, 08:00 / Source}

If you need a negative COVID test result for entering Austria (see question: "Do I have to take a COVID test before entering Austria?") you have to stay in quarantine for 10 days.

You must have previously arranged a suitable accommodation for the quarantine at your own expense. You can take a test at the earliest 5 days after entry* to end quarantine. Both types of tests (PCR and antigen tests) are accepted. In Graz (City of Graz), you do not have to submit your negative test result to the health authority to end quarantine earlier.

You can find (free) test possibilities in Graz further down.

*day of entry = day 0.

^{Latest update: 15. February 2021, 8 am | Source: https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus/Coronavirus---Haeufig-gestellte-Fragen/FAQ--Reisen-und-Tourismus.html} 

If your country of origin is Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the Vatican, and you have only stayed in these countries 10 days prior to entering Austria, you are allowed to enter Austria without a negative COVID test result and without additional quarantine.

Attention: you must fill out the pre-travel-clearance form!

^{Latest update: 31 March 2021, 08am | Source}

Note: All of the information below refers to information at websites from the Austrian Government. We cannot guarantee for accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information.

1. Minimum distance 2 meters
   A two-meter minimum distance must be kept from non-household persons.
    
2. Retail & services & museums
   Body-related services (hairdressers, cosmeticians,...) and retail are open again from 8 February onwards. You must wear an FFP2 mask and the number of people allowed in shops is limited. Museums and zoos are open as well.
    
3. FFP2 masks
   Wearing FFP2 masks is mandatory for example in shops, at doctor's appointments and at pharmacies. You also have to wear an FFP2 mask when going to the hairdresser or any other body-related service. These masks are offered in supermarkets at cost price.
    
4. PCR or antigen test result for body-related services
   In addition to wearing an FFP2 mask, you must bring a negative PCR or antigen test result not older than 48 hours with you when using body-related services. If you have been infected with COVID in the previous 6 months, you do not have to take a test (make sure you bring a document as confirmation).
    
5. Night-time curfew from 8pm until 6am
   Between 6am and 8pm, a maximum of 4 adults from up to 2 households and up to 6 children are allowed to meet.
   During the night-time curfew, you may only leave your own apartment/home for the following reasons:
   - Averting a danger to body and soul, life and property
   - Care for relatives and people who need help
   - Professional activities and educational purposes
   - Physical and mental recovery
   - Immediate official channels and court dates
   - Basic needs of life such as:
   • contact with the life partner who does not live in the same household, as well as with individual closest important reference persons
   • basic supply (grocery shopping etc)
   • healthcare service
   • coverage of a housing need
   • religious basic needs
   • supply of animals
     
     Note that measures may be different in other federal states of Austria!

Important websites & download:

• Ministry of Social Affairs (German - use browser translation function to read this page in English)
• City of Vienna (English)
• Information about current measures in 17 languages

^{Last updated: 31 March 2021, 08:00}

Exceptions (entry with health certificate* possible):

• humanitarian workers
• people who enter for business purposes
• an accompanying person as part of the entry for medical reasons
• persons who enter the country for the purpose of fulfilling a mandatory judicial or official duty, such as summoning to court hearings
• people with a photo ID according to § 95 FPG 2005 (diplomats accredited in Austria)

There are special regulations for regular commuters. For details, please contact the Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection .

* To enter Austria, a medical certificate ( download: template medical certificate in  German / English ) confirming a negative COVID test result must be presented.

^{Last updated: 31 March 2021, 8am | Source}

Basically every person has to go into a quarantine after entry, but there are exceptions - see questions "Do I have to be in quarantine after arrival?" and "Are there any exceptions from the quarantine?".

If you meet one of the reasons, you must provide the immigration officer (border police officer) with credible evidence upon request when you enter Austria. The final decision as to whether you have to be in quarantine is up to the border officer and is an individual decision.

You have to book a suitable accommodation for quarantine at your own expense.

As you are not allowed to leave your accommodation for 5-10 days, everything you need should be available on site upon arrival. Get familiar with the following topics at an early stage to prepare the home quarantine in the best possible way:

• Is the accommodation suitable for quarantine? See WHO regulations for quarantine
   
• Communication :
  • WiFi or internet access that can be used immediately after arrival
  • SIM card or phone
  • Laptop / computer
  • For employees: access to Graz University resources for home office (VPN access, email account etc.)
     
• Facility : Are all necessary items in the accommodation? Also think of bedding, sheets, towels, ...
   
• Food supply: Do you have acquaintances / friends / family in Graz who can take care of you during the quarantine, i.e. grocery shopping?
   
• Medical care: What medication do you need during quarantine and can you bring it with you?
  • Clinical thermometer: if possible, bring a clinical thermometer with you so that you can check your temperature to document it, if necessary.

Keep in mind that if you are quarantined, you must not leave your accommodation. We therefore recommend that you bring the following from your country of origin to Graz in addition to the documents and objects that you would take with you anyway:

• Medication that you take regularly (if necessary, observe import regulations - if you have any questions, please contact the Austrian representative authority)
• If possible: clinical thermometer
• FFP2 mask
• If possible: hand and surface disinfectant
• Austrian sim card / phone card to use public quarantine services such as Team Österreich ("Team Austria") to get groceries etc.
  Note: you can buy an Austrian sim card (pre-paid) in most supermarket chains like Spar, Billa, Hofer, Merkur, Lidl,...

If your "buddy" (only for exchange students!), neighbors, acquaintances or relatives can not supply your food or necessary medication during quarantine, you can use the following services:

• Team Austria 
  ^{This website is in German only, please use automatic translator function of your webbrowser to navigate.}
  An initiative within the framework of neighborhood aid, organized by the Red Cross and volunteers. On the website you can fill in your contact details and that you are in quarantine, you will then be contacted within 24 hours. 
   
• Veloblitz (delivery costs vary)
  ^{This website is in German only, please use automatic translator function of your webbrowser to navigate.}
  Bicycle courier service in Graz. Charges are made per kilometer traveled, weight of the goods to be transported and a stop charge.
   
• Delivery services:  Lieferando , Mjam or Velofood (delivery costs vary)
  ^{These websites are in German only, please use automatic translator function of your webbrowser to navigate.}
  Contactless delivery partially possible.

Yes, the police or the health department can carry out checks at the specified place of residence. If you fail to comply with the quarantine and thereby endanger others, a severe sentence has to be expected. If you are not at the specified location during a check, fines of up to €1,450 are possible.

During your time in quarantine, you must not leave your place of quarantine, no visitors are allowed. The required supplies (groceries,...) should be delivered contactless.

You can end quarantine five days after entry the earliest, the day of entering Austria counts as day 0. PCR or antigen tests are accepted to end quarantine earlier (at your own expense). Note that the test has to be carried out by an official testing place or lab (e.g. pharmacies, doctors, public test street). There you will also receive a confirmation of the result in paper that you should carry with you until the end of the 10 days period.

In Graz (City of Graz) you do not have to submit your negative test result to the health autority to end quarantine. If you live outside of Graz, please get in touch with the respective health authority of your district ("Bezirkshauptmannschaft").

If you need a confirmation to end quarantine according to the current entry regulations, please discuss this with the staff on site!

You can take a rapid antigen test at the University of Graz, this is free of charge for employees and students. You can only use these rapid antigen tests if you have no symptoms! It is not necessary to book an appointment. The test is free!

Where? 24/7 study area next to the university library at Universitätsplatz 3a, 8010 Graz (entry = next to the cash mashine)

Opening times*: Monday - Friday 8am to 12 noon
(no testing from 29 March - 6 April 2021!)

Only for:

• Staff of all universities in Graz
• Students of all universities in Graz

What you need for the test:

• Uni Graz Card for employees (or confirmation of employment)
• Student ID (or confirmation)
• Wear an FFP2 mask

The test is carried out using a rapid antigen test (nasal swab). This will give you a test result within 15 minutes. You will receive a written confirmation of the test result. If the result is positive, you will be isolated immediately and the specialist staff will also take a PCR test. 

*Note: a maximum of 200 tests can be carried out per day!

Austrian social security number / e-card required (free of charge):

1. Screening programme of the government at selected pharmacies: https://apotheken.oesterreich-testet.at/
2. Screening programme of the government at a public test street: https://oesterreich-testet.at

No Austrian social security number / e-card required (at your own expense)

1. For example: https://covid-teststation.at/ (registration required, costs approx. 29€, test takes place in Grazbachgasse)
2. In Graz, you can take a swab test (=PCR-test) at the following labs (see the following document "Steiermark" to see labs in Graz: WKO)
3. For example: https://www.medius.at/service/corona-test/
4. Pharmacies may also offer COVID-tests starting at approx. 25€ 

If you are a prospective student or researcher at the University of Graz, you can contact the Austrian representation in charge for an appointment for the visa or residence permit application. You should attach a confirmation of your status, such as an admission letter (students) or a hosting agreement/proof of employment (researchers). Please individually check the website of the embassy in charge for details.

In case of additional questions, you can contact the respective contact person:

• International researchers (staff & visiting scholars) & degree-seeking students: welcome(at)uni-graz.at
• Exchange students: incoming.exchange@uni-graz.at / erasmus.incoming(at)uni-graz.at / erasmusplus.intl.incoming(at)uni-graz.at

^{Last updated: 27 July 2020, 07:30 | Source: www.aussenministerium.at}

If you are an EU / EEA or Swiss national, you do NOT need a residence permit.

For stays of more than 6 months, third-country nationals must apply for a residence permit that corresponds to their planned activity:

1. If you currently live outside the EU / EEA or the Schengen area, please contact the Austrian representation authority in your country of residence.
    
2. If you are already legally residing within the EU / EEA or in the Schengen area and/or have a valid residence permit in a Schengen country, you may be eligible to apply directly in Graz.

2) First-time application in Graz
Due to the current situation with COVID, a personal application for the residence permit is only possible upon prior appointment. To receive an appointment, you can submit your documents by post - please make sure you provide a valid email address so that the authorities can contact you about how to proceed:

Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung
Abteilung  3 - Referat Aufenthalts und Sicherheitswesen
Paulustorgasse 4, 8010 Graz

If you have questions, please get in touch with your contact person at the University of Graz:

• Exchange students: incoming.exchange@uni-graz.at / erasmus.incoming(at)uni-graz.at
• Employees/researchers and students (degree-seeking students): welcome(at)uni-graz.at

^{Note: If you live outside the city of Graz, the process may be different!
Last update: January 14, 2021  4 p.m.   Source: Ateilung 3, Land Steiermark}

The websites of most Austrian federal ministries are mainly offered in German. We recommend that you download a browser e.g. Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge etc. with an automatic translation function (check the language settings). This will allow you to read German websites in English or other languages. Even if the translation is not perfect, it grants you access to up-to-date information.

• Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection: https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus/Coronavirus---Haeufig-gestellte-Fragen.html
• Ministry of European and International Affairs: https://www.bmeia.gv.at/
• Ministry of the Interior: https://www.bmi.gv.at/
  • Entry & Covid-19 (English version): https://www.bmi.gv.at/bmi_documents/2513.pdf 
• OeAD: https://oead.at/en/to-austria/entry-and-residence/entry-conditions-covid-19/ 

^{Last updated: 09 July 2020, 16:00}

>>>Covid-19 Info page by the University of Graz

>>>Download: Covid-19 information & instructions for exchange students