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

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For more information, you can contact AST (contact points for people with qualifications acquired abroad) or register your situation using 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 "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 your apprenticeship qualification to be converted.
02
Nostrification of Academic Degrees/Diplomas

Nostrification is the process which 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 Women, Science and Research provides 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 advice on the recognition and assessment of qualifications acquired abroad. The aim is to provide free, multilingual information, advice and support throughout the entire assessment and recognition process in order to enable qualified persons to enter the job market. The target group are people with formal qualifications acquired abroad who have questions about the recognition or professional utilisation of their skills and who are already resident in Austria.
04
Recognition of Qualifications if you Would Like 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 taking supplementary examinations. There are also bilateral agreements under which certain school-leaving certificates are recognised as the equivalent of the Austrian school leaving certificate. In these cases, the content of the curricula no longer needs to be checked, however an official confirmation is still required for the qualification to be recognised. The official confirmation is issued directly by the university, university of applied sciences or teacher training college at which you wish to study.