Academic credentials go through OeAD's ENIC NARIC Austria for an evaluation; regulated professions (physician, nurse, teacher) need Nostrifizierung or EU recognition — engineers are largely unregulated.
Overview
Austria divides qualifications recognition into two distinct tracks: academic credential evaluation and professional recognition. ENIC NARIC Austria, hosted by OeAD (Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation), is the national information centre for academic recognition — it provides credential evaluations (Bewertungen) comparing foreign degrees to Austrian qualifications and issues official assessments for professional and academic purposes. The evaluation service is available via aais.at and is subject to a fee. Professional recognition (Berufsanerkennung) for regulated professions is handled by the specific professional regulator: the Österreichische Ärztekammer (ÖÄK) for physicians, the relevant Landessanitätsbehörde for nurses, the Landesschulbehörden for teachers, and the Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (WKO) for certain trade licences. Nostrifizierung — formal equivalence of a foreign university degree granted by an Austrian university — is required for admission to most regulated healthcare and teaching professions from third countries. Engineers are largely unregulated in Austria; no licence is required to work as an engineer, only professional body membership (e.g. Ziviltechniker requires a separate licence for statutory engineering roles). Verified against oead.at, oesterreich.gv.at, and berufsanerkennung.at as of June 2026.
Recognition Pathway by Qualification Type
| Qualification Type | Route | Body | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| University degree (academic use) | Credential evaluation (Bewertung) | ENIC NARIC Austria at OeAD via aais.at | For employment, further study; not a formal equivalence |
| University degree (regulated profession, EU/EEA) | EU Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC) | Competent professional authority for each profession | Automatic or adapted recognition within EU/EEA |
| University degree (regulated profession, non-EU) | Nostrifizierung at Austrian university | Relevant Austrian university in the subject area | Formal equivalence; may require supplementary exams |
| Medical degree (physician) | ÖÄK recognition + Nostrifizierung (non-EU) | Österreichische Ärztekammer (ÖÄK) | Language test (B2 German minimum) required |
| Nursing / allied health | Recognition via Landessanitätsbehörde | Provincial health authority in each Bundesland | Post-2013 EU Directive framework for EU; Nostrifizierung for non-EU |
| Teaching qualification | Recognition by Landesschulbehörde or BMBWF | Federal Ministry of Education (BMBWF) or provincial authority | May require Austrian education supplement courses |
| Engineering degree | No regulated profession licence required in most cases | Engineering Austria (voluntary body) | Ziviltechniker licence needed only for statutory engineering |
| Vocational / trade qualification | Assessment via WKO or Berufsschulbehörde | Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (WKO) | Recognition under Berufsausbildungsgesetz |
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
What does ENIC NARIC Austria at OeAD actually do, and when do I need its evaluation?
ENIC NARIC Austria issues credential evaluations (Bewertungen) comparing foreign higher education degrees to Austrian qualifications — it states the equivalent Austrian degree level, NQR level, and subject area. You typically need this when: an Austrian employer asks for verification of your foreign degree, you are applying for a role that uses the degree as evidence of qualification for the RWR Card points assessment, or you want to demonstrate your qualification level for further study in Austria. Applications go through aais.at. A free Kurzbewertung (short assessment) is available for many standard university degrees. The evaluation is advisory and does not grant professional rights.
I am a physician trained outside the EU — what steps do I need to practise medicine in Austria?
Three sequential steps: (1) Nostrifizierung — apply at an Austrian medical university (Medizinische Universität) to have your degree declared equivalent to the Austrian Magister/Doctor medicinae. The university may require supplementary exams if your curriculum differs substantially; plan for 6–18 months. (2) Language proficiency — demonstrate German at B2 level (some Bundesländer require C1) to the satisfaction of the Ärztekammer. (3) Ärztekammer registration — register with the Österreichische Ärztekammer (ÖÄK) in the relevant Bundesland. Only after all three steps are complete can you legally practise medicine in Austria. EU-qualified physicians use the EU recognition route (Directive 2005/36/EC) via the ÖÄK, bypassing Nostrifizierung.
Do engineers need a licence or formal recognition to work as engineers in Austria?
Generally no. Engineering is largely an unregulated profession in Austria. You can work as a mechanical engineer, civil engineer, software engineer, or most other engineering specialties without a professional licence or formal recognition of your foreign degree. An ENIC NARIC evaluation from OeAD is useful to demonstrate your qualification level to employers but is not legally required. The exception is the Ziviltechniker (chartered engineer/architect) — a licensed profession required for specific statutory tasks such as land surveying, official inspections, and construction certifications. The Ziviltechnikerkammer manages Ziviltechniker licensing.
How is Nostrifizierung different from an ENIC NARIC credential evaluation?
ENIC NARIC evaluation (Bewertung) is an advisory expert opinion — it tells you and employers how your degree compares to Austrian qualifications, but it grants no formal rights and does not change your legal status. Nostrifizierung is a formal administrative decision (Bescheid) issued by an Austrian university declaring your foreign degree equivalent to the corresponding Austrian degree. It gives you the legal right to use the Austrian academic title and is a prerequisite for entry to most regulated healthcare and public-sector teaching professions for non-EU nationals. ENIC NARIC evaluations are quicker and cheaper; Nostrifizierung is lengthier and required only for regulated professions.
Where do I find out which authority handles recognition for my specific profession in Austria?
Use berufsanerkennung.at — the Austrian national single point of contact (SPOC) for professional qualifications, operated under the EU Professional Qualifications Directive framework. Search by profession name to see whether it is regulated in Austria, which authority handles recognition, what documents are required, and what the procedure is. For academic credentials not tied to a specific regulated profession, go to ENIC NARIC Austria via oead.at/en/to-austria/studying/recognition or apply through aais.at. For healthcare professions, contact the relevant Bundesland health authority (Landessanitätsbehörde) directly.
Is the Lisbon Recognition Convention relevant to recognition of my foreign university degree in Austria?
Yes. Austria ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention (Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region, 1997). Under this Convention, Austrian higher education institutions are obliged to recognise foreign higher education qualifications unless they can demonstrate substantial differences between the foreign and Austrian programmes. The burden of proof for non-recognition lies with the Austrian institution. This means that a foreign university degree should be recognised for academic purposes unless the institution identifies and documents significant curriculum gaps. ENIC NARIC Austria applies Lisbon Convention principles in its evaluation work.