Teachers at Academic Secondary School, VET Schools and Colleges – Recognition

General information

In the course of the procedure for recognition of professional qualifications the applicant's formal qualifications obtained in the EU/in the EEA/in Switzerland are examined to determine whether they fulfill essentially the legal requirements in Austria for teaching at academic secondary school, secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges for higher vocational education (VET schools and colleges).

Requirements

Completion of a teacher training and where appropriate, the professional training that is required in addition to the post-secondary course

Deadlines

There are no specific time limits.

Competent authority

Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, in case of "höhere land- und forstwirtschaftliche Lehranstalten" or the "Forstfachschule" the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management

  • Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research
    Minoritenplatz 5
    1010 Wien
    E-Mail: berufsanerkennung@bmbwf.gv.at
     
  • Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management
    Stubenring 1
    1010 Wien
    E-Mail: service@bml.gv.at

Procedure

The application to practise the regulated profession must be submitted either to the point of single contact or the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. However, in the case of "höhere land- und forstwirtschaftliche Lehranstalten" or the "Forstfachschule" the application must be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management. An application in connection with an application for advertised jobs can – with the exception of cases where the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management is responsible – also be submitted online via the links of the Bildungsdirektionen (Province school boards) in the section "Form".

The Ministry of Education, Science and Research/the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management examines the application and makes a decision within four months after the date on which the applicant's complete file was submitted. The applicant can file an appeal against this decision to the federal administrative court within four weeks after the official service of the decision.

The proceedings determine if the formal qualifications of the applicant fulfill the legal requirements to pursue the relevant teaching profession. Furthermore it is determined whether or not the applicant is allowed to gain access to and pursue that profession in the state where the professional qualifications were issued. If the training of the applicant and the training required by Austria are substantially different the applicant can be subject to complete an adaptation period or to take an aptitude test. In so doing the applicant's professional experience or the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through lifelong learning are taken into account.

In case the professional qualifications were issued by a third country (neither EU-country nor EEA member country nor Switzerland), the applicants must usually submit their requests for the recognition to a university.

Required documents

  • Birth certificate and certificate of nationality or passport
  • In the case of change of name: marriage certificate or other documents which are proof of the change of the name
  • Additionally in case of third-country nationals: Residence permit and proof of unlimited access to the labor market (the latter applies to Croatian citizens too)
  • Attestation confirming the absence of temporary or final suspensions from exercising the profession or of criminal convictions
  • Diploma issued within the EU or EEA or Switzerland as well as certificates that show that any required additional professional training has been successfully completed
  • Documents providing additional information about the training concerning the total duration of the studies, subjects studied and the balance between the theoretical and the practical part
  • Professional qualifications issued by a third country (neither EU nor EEA country nor Switzerland) together with a certificate of professional experience proving three years' of professional experience issued by the competent authority of the member state which recognized the third country qualification
  • Proof of professional experience which clearly identifies the professional activity exercised by the applicant

Costs and fees

No fees

Further information

For academic secondary schools, secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges for higher vocational education with the exception of the "höhere land- und forstwirtschaftliche Lehranstalten" and the "Forstfachschule":

Job advertisements of the Bildungsdirektionen - the respective federal state (Bundesland) must be selected (→ BMBWF)

Legal bases

Expert information

No expert information is available.

Link to form

Last update: 27 February 2023

Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research