Whether you need a visa or a residence permit depends on which country you come from and how long you intend to stay in Austria:
- Citizens from the EU/EEA or citizens from Switzerland require neither a visa nor a residence permit. Students from these countries who wish to stay for more than three months in Austria have to apply for a registration certificate. This application can be made within the first four months after arriving in Austria at the responsible residence authority (province administrative authority, municipal authority, district administrative authority).
- Third-country nationals (all those who do not come from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland) who enter Austria to study require a Visa C (stay of up to 90 days), a Visa D (stay of up to 180 days) or a residence permit for students (for stays of up to six months).
You can read up on the portal of OeAD (Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation) to find out what applies for you specifically and which requirements you have to fulfil for a visa and/or a residence permit.