Competency Assessment
There are more than 200 regulated professions in Austria, most of them in the health and social services sector. If you belong to one of these professions, you must submit certified copies and notarized translations of all relevant documents.
These can be examination certificates, training certificates, proof of practical experience or a master craftsman's certificate.
Further Information
For more information, you can contact AST (contact points for people with qualifications acquired abroad) or register your situation at this link
Types of accreditations
If you have completed your studies in one of the 49 member states of the European Higher Education Area, your degree should be easily recognised under the ECTS system (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
European Professional Card (EPC) holders can also work in any member state as a nurse, physiotherapist, pharmacist, estate agent or mountain guide without having to have their qualifications re-accredited in the respective country.
Due to the free movement of persons and services, skilled workers within the EU are in principle allowed to work, practise their profession or offer services across borders.
However, a special qualification or title is required for certain so-called "regulated professions". The requirements may vary from country to country.
- 01
Apprenticeship qualifications
If you can provide proof of relevant skills and experience, you can apply for equivalence of your apprenticeship qualification.
- 02
Nostrification of academic degrees/diplomas
Nostrification equates your academic qualification with an Austrian one. Nostrification can be applied for by persons from the EU/EEA as well as third-country nationals. The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) issues assessments for qualifications from recognised universities from all over the world. The Recognition Application and Information System (AAIS ENIC NARIC AUSTRIA) offers the possibility to submit an application online.
- 03
Contact points for people with qualifications acquired abroad
There are four contact points (AST) throughout Austria in Vienna, Linz, Graz and Innsbruck. These offer counselling on the recognition and assessment of qualifications acquired abroad. The aim is to provide free, multilingual information, advice and support throughout the entire recognition and assessment process in order to facilitate integration into the labour market in line with qualifications. The target group are people with formal qualifications acquired abroad who have questions about the recognition or professional utilisation of their skills and are resident in Austria.
- 04
Recognition of qualifications if you want to study in Austria
If you would like to study in Austria, you can also apply for nostrification of your foreign school certificate or school-leaving certificate. The nostrification of foreign school certificates and school-leaving certificates aims to ensure that the contents of the certificates submitted are as similar as possible to the Austrian curricula. Major deviations must be compensated for by supplementary examinations. There are also bilateral agreements under which certain school-leaving certificates are recognised as equivalent. In these cases, equivalence no longer has to be checked in terms of content, but only confirmed administratively. The administrative confirmation is issued directly by the university, university of applied sciences or university college of teacher education at which you wish to study.
Further Information
In case of apprenticeship qualifications, you can find more information here.
More information on professional recognition.
Further information can be found here for diplomas.
Contact points for people with qualifications acquired abroad.
The competent authority is the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research.
More information on the OeAD.
