1. What type of rooms does the OeAD Housing Office (OeAD-Wohnraumverwaltung – WV) arrange?

The OeAD Housing Office arranges rooms in its own halls of residence as well as places (according to allocated quotas) in halls of other organisations. Thus the number of available places can change from one year to the other.

2. I am an Austrian and I would like to apply for a place in a student hall of residence via the OeAD Housing Office (WV). Can I do that?

Unfortunately not. The service of arranging places in a student hall of residence by our organisation is only available to foreign students (without Austrian nationality).

3. How do I apply for accommodation?

Please note that we can only accept online applications. These have to be completed fully and accurately. In „Application“ on the menu bar the individual steps are described in detail.

4. What room preferences can I state?

We have several room categories, which you can select in the application form. Further preferences can be entered in the “Further Information” field.

5. Do Austrians also live in the student halls?

In the halls of residence of the OeAD only international students, researchers or visiting professors live. Some places are rented from Austrian student hall carrier organisations, in these halls Austrians live, too.

6. What is the equipment of the rooms like?

All rooms are fully furnished. Additional equipment can vary from one hall to the other.

7. Why do I have to pay a deposit?

The deposit serves as a “security for your booking”, without it accommodation cannot be booked, and to secure the common business connection. You will receive back the deposit minus the administration fee at the end of your stay (see Terms and Conditions), if we get back your room/flat in a good condition (please bring the confirmation of the room/flat check to the OeAD Housing office). In some cases a final cleaning fee has to be charged (more information is provided in the information sheet).

8. How much is the deposit?

As from the winter semester 2011 the reservation deposit amounts to € 700.00 for ERASMUS students and visiting students.

(In case of a special flat offer usually one month’s rent is charged as deposit.)

OeAD scholarship holders have to pay a deposit of € 250.00 after arrival (if they are going to stay for more than one month).

In some student halls of residence an additional deposit may be charged – information about this can be found in the information leaflet which you will receive together with the confirmation of your booking.

9. What happens to the deposit if I do not arrive on time?

If you contact us too late or not at all, the full deposit will be kept by us. If somebody else can be found to move into your room, you will get back the amount less the administration fee. Please contact us per e-mail in such cases.

10. How and when will I get my deposit back?

Your deposit will remain with the OeAD Housing Office until the end of the period booked by you. In case you have to pay another deposit in the hall you booked (except key deposit!) you will get back the OeAD deposit after paying the deposit in the hall.
In some cases the reservation deposit less the administration fee will be remitted directly to the hall of residence after your arrival.
After you move out the deposit can be remitted to your account (also to an account in your home country) or collected at our office by means of an Austrian cheque. Please bear in mind that at the time of the reimbursement all rent instalments must have arrived on the account of the management of the hall of residence and that your room must have been checked already! In some halls this cannot be guaranteed on the day on which you move out.
For a reimbursement of the deposit please send your correct bank data to the branch office of the OeAD Housing Office at your place of study.

11. Can a friend collect the deposit on my behalf?

This is possible with a written confirmation (an e-mail also suffices) with which you authorise this person the collect the money on your behalf.

12. Is the room booking 100% guaranteed after remittance of the deposit?

Unfortunately a room booking cannot be guaranteed. In principle it is advisable to apply as early as possible because this will increase your chances for a place.

13. What happens after I have sent the application and paid the deposit?

The OeAD Housing Team will check the available rooms for the desired period after receipt of the deposit and the valid application.

14. How will I be informed about my accommodation booking?

We will inform you as soon as possible by e-mail about the place booked for you! We, however, ask you to be patient because due to the big number of applications we are not always able to send all reservation letters immediately.

15. Can I cancel my accommodation booking if I cannot come?

If you do not need your room after all please inform us immediately by e-mail!

As soon as you have been informed by e-mail about your accommodation you can cancel your booking free of charge within 7 working days of receipt of the e-mail and reclaim your deposit. If you cancel your booking after these 7 working days you will have to pay a cancellation fee!

16. Can I shorten my stay?

In this case our general cancellation conditions apply (see Terms and Conditions).

17. What can I do if I am not satisfied with my accommodation?

Please send an e-mail to the branch office of the OeAD Housing Office at your place of study (you can find the e-mail address under “Contact”) – we will then put your name on a waiting list. If a suitable room becomes available we will contact you immediately. (Attention: This is only possible if you have booked your room via the OeAD during the waiting period and not if you have been allocated your room by your university!) In case of a change of your room booking a fee of EUR 40.00 will be charged for the additional administration work.

18. Where will I get my room key?

Please see the opening hours of the office in charge (address of the student hall or of the OeAD office) in the information leaflet of the hall of residence booked by you. Please note that the key cannot always be collected directly in the student hall!

19. Can I also get my room key outside the opening hours?

In principle this is not possible. Should you arrive outside the opening hours you may, after consultation with the administration of the hall (Heimleitung), be able to send a friend who can collect the key during the opening hours on your behalf.

20. Can I also move in at the weekend or on public holidays?

Moving in on Sundays and public holidays in principle is not possible. If this service is offered by a student hall of residence it will be expressly stated on the information leaflet of the student hall booked by you. Please inform yourself in advance about Austrian public holidays.

21. Can I move out on a weekend?

Please check the possible procedure with the administration of the hall before moving out!

22. When can I collect my key?

The key can be collected at the earliest on the first working day of the period booked by you (please bear in mind the opening hours!)

23. Can a friend of mine collect my key on my behalf?

This is possible with a written confirmation (an e-mail also suffices) by which you authorise that person to collect your key.

Please do not forget to contact the administration of the hall after your arrival all the same!

24. Whom do I contact if something is damaged in my room?

Please inform the administration of the hall immediately of any damages.

25. How can I renew the rental agreement for my room?

You can send an enquiry by e-mail to the branch office of the OeAD-WohnraumverwaltungsGmbH at your place of study (you can find the e-mail address at “Contact”). After checking the available rooms we will send you a message telling you the further steps to take. (In case of bookings for a longer period the administration fee, for example, has to be paid separately since the deposit does not cover more than 12 months of administration fees!)

26. How and when do I pay my rent?

The payment of the rent differs from one hall of residence to the other. In some halls it is necessary to open an Austrian bank account in order to have the rent debited monthly. In other halls you can remit the rent.

27. Can the deposit be used as rent?

This on principle is not possible.

28. Should I open a bank account in Austria?

For some halls it is necessary to open an Austrian bank account. (Attention: Credit cards are not accepted!) Especially for those students who have a bank account in an EU country (Euro currency) we recommend Internet Banking. In this way you can also carry out cheap remittances in Austria, too.

29. What is the registration office and what do I have to do there?

An official registration and cancellation of your registration, respectively, of your current place of residence in Austria is compulsory!

When moving in you will receive a registration form (Meldezettel) – please fill it in! After it has been signed by the administration of the hall of residence you have to register with the registration office (Meldeamt) (a list of the addresses of the registration offices can be requested) within the first three working days of your stay.

Please do not forget to cancel your registration before you leave Austria! In case you move to another address you also have to inform the registration office of your new address.

30. Can friends stay overnight in my room?

This is only permitted in some student halls of residence. Please do not forget to inform yourself whether or not the house rules permit this before inviting a guest. Non-compliance with the house rules may lead to a loss of your place in the hall!

31. How and when will I get a confirmation of accommodation for applying for a visa?

After successful booking we will issue a confirmation of accommodation upon request. Just send a short e-mail to the branch office of the OeAD Housing Office at your place of study.

32. How to get my key beyond the office opening hours?

Attached to the reservation Email was an information sheet in which is written down where to pick up your key. In many cases the opening hours of the different offices are also listed in the informationsheet (you can find the opening hours of the OeAD offices on our homepage). In most cases, if you cannot make it to the office during the opening hours, you can send a person of trust to pick up the key instead of you. Therefor please write an email to the office involved including the exact name of the person and when he/she is coming to pick up your key. Of course, this person has to bring his/her ID for identification.

33. What does the rent consist of?

OeAD Housing is anxious to offer an accommodation in Vienna to as many foreign students as possible. Due to this service it may occur that the OeAD Housing has to charge slightly higher prices as competitors.
This is based on various reasons:
- Take Over Risk
In general, dormitories only lease their rooms for full years. OeAD Housing wants to offer their customers the possibility to rent a room for a shorter period. So if one room stays empty for a month OeAD Housing has to bear the rent. In our prices the lost rents are integrated.
- Improved Interior
In some dormitories OeAD Housing offers improved interior to their customers only, to raise their satisfation. So you may find, for example, bedding and dishes in your room.
- Better Service
Regular basic cleaning of the rooms by the OeAD Housing cleaning team in many of the dorms.