Student Employment | Central European University

Student Employment within CEU

Students sometimes find part-time work within the university. Employment at CEU by students who are not citizens of EU countries is subject to the same labor regulations as all employment within Austria by non-EU citizens on a student residence permit. This includes limits on the amount of time an individual can work per week and the requirement that the employer obtain a work permit. (Please see below for more details and links to official sources of information.)

CEU’s academic programs are rigorous, with extensive time in the classroom and high expectations for student engagement in reading and other assignments outside the classroom, as well. Students are therefore strongly advised to take this into account when making decisions about engaging in any employment in parallel with their studies, whether within or outside CEU.

The primary focus of CEU's Career Services Office is on supporting students as they prepare for professional success after completing their CEU education. Information about Career Services Office offerings and resources is available here.

In case of employment within the EU region, the Student Center is also needed to be informed at studentcenter@ceu.edu (Vienna) or studentlife@ceu.edu (Budapest) since the employment may have effects on the insurance or health care situation of the student.

Before entering into any employment relationship inside CEU, please read through the Student Employment Policy of CEU.

If you have any questions or need any further information, please turn to the responsible HR Officer.

If your question is related to your current health care situation, please turn to Student Center at studentcenter@ceu.edu (Vienna) or studentlife@ceu.edu (Budapest).

Student Employment and Internship outside of CEU

Disclaimer: these FAQ are provided for general information purposes only and shall not constitute legal advice.

1. I would like to work in Vienna while studying. What do I need to know?

If you aspire to work in Vienna while studying, there are legal regulations you must be aware of, including different requirements depending on nationality.

Namely: Students from Non-EU/EEA countries are subject to the Act Governing the Employment of Foreign Nationals, which prescribes a work permit. The application for the work permit is filed by the employer to the Public Employment Service or Arbeirsmarktservice (AMS). Please note, students from Non-EU/EEA countries are allowed to work for 20 hours for week with a work permit for employment without a labor market check.

Students from EU/EAA countries and Switzerland do not require a work permit, as a general rule.

Additionally, you must adhere to CEU’s Student Employment Policy, which includes a limit on the number of hours students may work, and the requirement that you secure permission from your academic department to do so.

2. I would like to work remotely while studying. What do I need to know?

If you aspire to work remotely while studying, you are still required to observe both university and legal regulations.

For the purposes of this FAQ, a remote scenario is understood as the following: the student is based in Austria and working remotely with an organization based outside of Austria. (If a student based in Austria works remotely with an organization based in Austria, then the situation is the same as in the scenario outlined above.)

In these two scenarios you are still limited to 20 hours/week by CEU’s Student Employment Policy during your academic studies and must obtain permission from your department.

The general rule is that law applies where the student physically performs the services. Therefore if the student is in Austria, the same rules apply as in the scenario above.

The student is obliged to make its annual tax declaration in case of earning above the annual threshold, please check the website of the Ministry of Finance (link here), for more information.

3. I would like to do an internship/traineeship or volunteer while studying in Vienna. What do I need to know?

Students who would like to do an internship/traineeship or volunteer with an Austria-based organization must also follow specific regulations which vary depending on the type of internship and the student’s nationality.

In Austria there are two main legal categories for internships: paid internships, which are considered ‘work as employee’, and unpaid internships, also referred to as ‘voluntariat’.

In case of paid internships:

Non-EU/EEA citizens can work a maximum of 20h/week, and the employer must obtain a work permit before the employment can commence. (This process can take as long as 8 weeks or more.) The application for the work permit is filed by the employer to the Public Employment Service (AMS).
There are no restrictions for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens.

In case of unpaid internships:

For non-EU/EEA citizens, there is no legal restriction on number of hours spent with the host organization as of the level of engagement. However, the internship must be registered by the employer with the Public Employment Service (AMS). (This process generally takes 2-3 weeks.)
For EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, there are no restrictions.
For all students (non-EU/EEA citizens and EU citizens), the maximum duration of an unpaid internship is three months and the internship shall be connected to the field of studies.

As with other forms of work while studying, you must adhere to CEU’s Student Employment Policy, which includes a limit on the number of hours students may work and the requirement that you secure permission from your academic department to do so.

4. I would like to stay in Austria to find work after completing my studies. What do I need to know?

The following rules apply for students who would like to stay in Austria after graduation with the purpose of finding employment or start a business:

For EU/EEA and Swiss citizens there are no restrictions.
Non-EU/EEA citizens who have completed a degree program in Austria have the option to prolong their study residence permit once, for a duration of 12 months, for the purpose of finding employment or starting a business. During this period, Non-EU/EEA graduates may work up to 20 hours on their student residence permit with a work permit. If, within these twelve months, the graduate is offered employment which matches their professional qualification and is based on a work contract, an application for the Red-White-Red card should be made instead. In this case, graduates can apply for the Red-White-Red card without a labour market check, in case the following requirements are fulfilled.