Weiterbildungszeit and Weiterbildungsteilzeit: How to Study While Working in Austria

If you want to study without giving up your job, Austria offers two options. The former Bildungskarenz and Bildungsteilzeit arrangements now operate in a new form as Weiterbildungszeit and Weiterbildungsteilzeit. This article summarises the rules applicable in 2026.

At a glance

• Both options require a written agreement with your employer.
• You must have worked continuously for the same employer for at least 12 months.
• Complete leave can last from 2 months to 1 year; the part-time option can last from 4 months to 2 years.
• You must apply for the support, known as Weiterbildungsbeihilfe, at the AMS responsible for your main residence.
• You can make a new agreement only after a 4-year framework period (Rahmenfrist).

Who can receive the support?

When you submit your application, you must have been in an uninterrupted employment relationship with your current Austrian employer for at least 12 months. The employment must involve full pay and full insurance coverage.

Additional rules apply in the following situations:

• Seasonal work (Saisonbetrieb): You must have worked with full insurance coverage during the three months before applying and for at least 12 months in total during the previous 24 months.
• After having a child: During the 26 weeks before the training starts, you must not have received childcare allowance (Kinderbetreuungsgeld) or maternity allowance (Wochengeld).
• With a Master or Diplomstudium qualification: You need at least four years of employment in Austria with full insurance coverage, including at least 12 continuous months with your current employer.

Seasonal workers can also enter into this type of agreement if they meet the applicable conditions.

Which option can you choose?

With Weiterbildungszeit, your employment relationship continues, but you stop working completely for the agreed period. You do not receive a salary from your employer during this time. This is the successor to Bildungskarenz.

With Weiterbildungsteilzeit, you continue working fewer hours and use the time released from work for training. Your employment relationship does not have to be suspended completely.

In both cases, AMS support can help compensate for lost income. The payment is called Weiterbildungsbeihilfe for complete leave and Weiterbildungsteilzeitbeihilfe for the part-time option.

How long can the arrangement last?

• Weiterbildungszeit: minimum 2 months, maximum 1 year.
• Weiterbildungsteilzeit: minimum 4 months, maximum 2 years.
• Both options can be divided into separate periods. Each period must last at least 2 months for Weiterbildungszeit or 4 months for Weiterbildungsteilzeit.
• During Weiterbildungsteilzeit, working hours must be reduced by at least one quarter and no more than one half.
• The minimum weekly working time during Weiterbildungsteilzeit is 10 hours.
• A new agreement is possible only after a 4-year framework period.

For Weiterbildungszeit, the 4-year framework period starts from the beginning of the most recent period. The two options generally cannot be combined within this period. One exception applies: if you have not used the full duration, you may switch to the other option once. The law provides for a conversion ratio of 1:2. After switching, you cannot make another agreement under the original option during the current framework period.

With another employer, you may work only up to the level of geringfügige Beschäftigung.

What training qualifies for support?

The training must be useful from a labour-market perspective and have value beyond your current company, known as überbetriebliche Verwertbarkeit.

• Minimum training duration: 2 months for Weiterbildungsbeihilfe and 4 months for Weiterbildungsteilzeitbeihilfe.
• Weekly training hours: at least 20 hours for Weiterbildungsbeihilfe and at least 10 hours for the part-time support.
• University studies: at least 20 ECTS per semester for Weiterbildungsbeihilfe and at least 10 ECTS per semester for the part-time support.
• If childcare is unavailable: the requirement is 16 hours or ECTS for Weiterbildungsbeihilfe and 8 hours or ECTS for the part-time support.

For modular training, one module must last at least 2 months for complete leave or 4 months for the part-time option. The training objective must be recorded in the training plan (Bildungsplan).

How do you make an agreement with your employer?

The agreement must always be in writing. It must state the start date and duration. For Weiterbildungsteilzeit, it must also specify the working hours and their schedule. The agreement must include your current qualification, the training and the training objective.

The agreement should take account of both your interests and the company’s needs. If there is a works council (Betriebsrat), you may request that it take part in the negotiations.

A part-time agreement can begin at the earliest on the day after delivery of the AMS notification granting the support. You must inform your employer without delay about the AMS decision, whether it is positive or negative.

Where do you apply and how do you prove your training?

The responsible office is the AMS employment service for your main residence (Hauptwohnsitz). You must submit the application there.

You must provide evidence of your progress at the end of every module, at least every six months and at the end of the support period. This can be done with:

• a certificate confirming the training result;
• if no such certificate exists, proof of at least 75 percent attendance;
• for university studies, proof of the ECTS points earned per semester or during six months.

Frequently asked questions

Does the employer have to agree?

No. Both options are based on an agreement between the employer and the employee, so both sides must agree.

Can I work somewhere else during the arrangement?

Yes, but only up to the level of geringfügige Beschäftigung with another employer.

Can I divide the arrangement into several periods?

Yes. For complete leave, each period must last at least 2 months and the total cannot exceed 1 year. For the part-time option, each period must last at least 4 months and the total cannot exceed 2 years within the 4-year framework period.

When can I start the part-time option?

You can start at the earliest on the day after delivery of the AMS notification granting the support.

Practical steps

1. Check whether you have worked continuously for your current Austrian employer for at least 12 months and whether the additional conditions apply to your situation.
2. Choose between complete leave through Weiterbildungszeit and reduced working hours through Weiterbildungsteilzeit.
3. Find training that meets the labour-market and duration requirements, and prepare the Bildungsplan where required.
4. Discuss the arrangement with your employer and put all agreed details in writing.
5. Apply for the relevant support at the AMS responsible for your Hauptwohnsitz.
6. For Weiterbildungsteilzeit, wait until the day after the AMS approval notification has been delivered before starting the arrangement.
7. Keep the required certificates, attendance records or ECTS evidence and submit proof at the end of each module, at least every six months and at the end of the support period.

Source: oesterreich.gv.at