International Relations and European University

Before your arrival: Everything you need to know before coming to Leoben

APPLICATION

I want to come as an incoming student to MUL

To be an incoming student at MUL, you must first be nominated by your home university. Please contact your International Office at your home university to receive more information regarding your application.

Once your nomination is received by MIRO, you will be nominated on Mobility Online and will receive a link to complete your initial application, along with your pre-registration in MUonline application portal so that you can be registered at the MUL. Please refer to the instructions.

Remember: Mobility Online and MUOnline are different platforms, and you must complete your registration on both platforms.

If you want to come as an incoming student to MUL you have to complete a pre-registration in our MUonline application portal so that you can be registered at the MUL. Please refer to the instructions.

Insktriptionsbestätigung / confirmation of registration: what document is required for this part of my application on Mobility Online?

This is a document that proofs your registration at your home university. You can contact with your IRO or Student Affairs Office to receive the confirmation of registration. Please remember that we accept documents issued only in English or German.

My study program is taught in English. Do I still need to upload a proof of English proficiency?

A confirmation from your home university regarding the medium of instruction of your study program will be accepted as a proof of language certificate.

Why am I nominated as a Master student, even though I am a PhD student at my home university?

The Study Support Center of MUL is required to enrol exchange students at PhD level in a Master’s programme. This was decided by the Rectorate and the Dean of Studies of MUL.

VISA AND INSURANCE

What types of visas and residence permits are available to international students?

• C Visa (“Schengen Visa”) for stays of up to 90 days
• D Visa (“National Visa”) for short-term stays of 91 days to 6 months.
• “Residence Permit - Student” for study stays longer than six months.

I plan to do an internship at MUL. Which type of Visa do I have to apply for?

• If you plan to do a three-month internship you have to apply for a Visa C for employment purposes (Visum C Erwerb)
• If your internship is longer than three months you have to apply for a Visa D for employment purposes (Visum D Erwerb)

Please note, that you are not allowed to work in Austria (not even in an Internship) if you do not possess the correct type of visa.

Bear in mind, that you cannot apply for a visa within Austria and a visa cannot be extended!

I am an incoming student with a D visa and would like to stay longer.

If you wish to extend your incoming status beyond the initial 6 months, you will need a student residence permit. Since you are already in Austria, you can apply for the student residence permit at the relevant authority in Austria.

However, due to the evidence that must be provided and the legalized documents that must be submitted, you should allow sufficient time so that your application can be processed, the residence permit can be issued and picked up before your visa expires. A visa cannot be extended!

Please notify the International Office of your intention to extend your stay at MUL for the following summer semester by mid-December at the latest.

Validity period of visa:

The validity period of a visa is not automatically set for the maximum possible duration, but is always adjusted to the length of the planned stay. This stay must be documented with supporting evidence (e.g. flight tickets (outbound/return), etc.).

Please note that the invitation letter is not primarily used as proof of your actual duration of stay; instead, it is the return flight ticket.

I come from a country whose citizens can enter Austria/Schengen without a visa and stay here for 3 months. Do I still need to apply for a visa for my semester abroad?

Yes, you have to apply for a visa D at the competent representative authority abroad (e.g. Austrian embassy) in (charge of) your home country, as visas can not be applied for in Austria and can‘t be prolonged.

I applied for a visa/residence permit more then three weeks ago and did not get any update. What should I do?

Please contact the respective authorities to which you have submitted your application. Make sure to update your incoming exchange student coordinator at MUL about any possible issues with your stay here in Leoben.

We can support you with further guidance.

Do I need health insurance during my stay?

Yes, erveryone staying in Austria is required by law to have valid health insurance. As a non-EU student, you already had to proof a travel health insurance covering Austria for your Visa application. Students, who applied for a residence permit for students also have to provide proof of health insurance covering all risks.

For students from the EU and some non EU-countries it is possible that there are special agreements between Austria national insurance and the national insurance of your home country. In these specific cases additional health insurance is not necessary.

Please contact your health insurance company to find out, if they have an existing agreement with Austria.

Are there any products that I am not allowed to bring to EU due to custom regulations? What is important to know, if I want to bring local food/snacks from my country?

If you are traveling to the EU from a non-EU country, you are not allowed to bring any meat or dairy products with you. For specific details and the number of products allowed, please check the EU custom regulations and Austria custom regulations. 

ACCOMMODATION

How can I find accommodation in Leoben?

In the city of Leoben, students have a wide range of welcoming and comfortable residence halls at their disposal. (https://www.unileoben.ac.at/starter/en/housing)

On the website of the Austrian Students' Union (ÖH Leoben), in addition to housing advertisements, you can also find valuable information about campus life in Leoben, the latest news, events and job offers. (https://www.wohnen-leoben.at/)

Registration and start of semester: Complete the required university registration and enrolment steps

MUonline ACCOUNT

Validity period of PIN Code to create a password.

Your PIN is valid for two weeks. Once the validity period has expired, please contact the SSC to obtain a new PIN.

How long is my MUonline account active?

Winter Semester: until 31.03. the latest

Summer Semester: until 30.09. the latest

If you receive an email that your password will expire, please create a new one. Otherwise you will not be able to access your account.

Where can I find my matriculation/student ID number?

You can find your student ID number on your payment slip and on your student ID card.

My PIN is not working and I can‘t register in MUonline.

Your PIN will only work after the tuition fee payment has been received by the university.

Fee Payment

Payment reference number – where can I find it and why is it important?

The payment reference number helps to allocate your payment to your student account. You can find the payment reference on the payment slip.

Without this number, the payment might not be credited to your account and therefore your enrollment would not be complete. 

How can I pay my tuition fees? Is payment by credit card possible?

You can make an online payment. Credit card or cash payment is not possible.

• Online Banking alternatives we can suggest:

  You can use online banking alternatives or apps like Revolut, PayPal, Wise, Western Union, N26 etc. to minimize the transfer costs. 

• Payments from abroad

  Ensure that all international fees are covered and the tuition fee amount is fully transferred to the universiy bank account.

Can I register the courses without paying the fees? 

Course registration is only possible after full payment of the tuition fee.

I have paid the fees more then a week ago but I still can‘t access my account. What can I do?

If you did not receive an automatical email saying that you are officially enrolled at MUL, your payment has not yet been received. In most cases the students did not use the payment reference number for their payment or made a payment from abroad and forgot that there are additional international fees to cover.

For support please use this form and follow the instructions given or contact ssc(at)unileoben.ac.at or admission(at)unileoben.ac.at.

During your stay: Information and support through your exchange semester

How many ECTS credits should I complete per semester?

If you are an Erasmus+ student, you are expected to complete 30 ECTS credits per semester.

If your exchange is funded through another scholarship programme, you must complete at least 20 ECTS credits per semester.

Where can I get my student ID card?

You will receive your student ID card at the Miro office after you have officially been enrolled as an incoming student.

Is free Wi-Fi available on campus?

Yes, students can use free Wi-Fi on campus. Connect yourself to eduroam by login in with your university account information and use the  Wi-Fi not just on the university campus but also in a lot of other places, even abroad. You can find all the relevant information on the ICT and Digitalization Department’s website.

I have issues loging into my student email.

Follow the instructions on this website to successfully access your student email account.

Do I need an Austrian bank account?

If you are an Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (KA171) student, you are required to open an Austrian bank account, as your grant will be transferred to this account.

Students from other exchange programmes generally do not need an Austrian bank account if they can easily access funds from their home country. Alternatively, you may consider an online banking service such as N26, if available in your country.

If you have any questions, please contact your MIRO coordinator.

How do I change my Learning Agreement?

You can update your Learning Agreement via Mobility Online by removing the courses you no longer wish to take and adding your new course selections.

Before submitting your changes, please make sure that:

• you meet the required minimum number of ECTS credits,
• you fulfil the prerequisites for the selected courses, and
• all changes are approved by the relevant coordinators both at home institution and MUL.

Which public transport ticket should I buy?

We recommend that students under the age of 26 purchase the Top-Ticket Steiermark for students, which offers unlimited travel on all public transport services within the federal state of Styria.

Price:  €199.50 per semester

Validity

• Winter semester: 1 September – end of February
• Summer semester: 1 March – 31 August
• The ticket is also valid during the semester break.

If you plan to travel frequently by train within Austria, you may also consider purchasing the  ÖBB Vorteilscard. It costs €73 per year and provides a 50% discount on standard ÖBB tickets.

What are the important emergency numbers?

Police: 133

Ambulance: 144

Fire Department: 122

European Emergency Number: 112

Before your departure: Things to do before leaving Austria

Don‘t forget to

• deregister your residence in Leoben
• close your bank account in Austria
• pay any outstanding bills (e.g. to dormitory)
• download your transcript of records (ToR) from MUOnline
• upload your ToR to Mobility Online
• obtain your Confirmation of Stay from MIRO

IMPORTANT: If you are planning to extend your exchange semester, please inform MIRO before the end of the semester.