Health insurance

As a student, you need to have health insurance coverage for the entire duration of your stay in Austria. For more information on health insurance - for nationals of EU/EEA and Switzerland - please click here and for nationals of Third Countries - please click here. This information is highly important, so make sure you read it very carefully.

Emergencies

Dial:

122 to call the fire department       
133 to call the police      
144 to call an ambulance

For first aid, go to the emergency room of one of Vienna's hospitals, which are open 24 hours a day. Information (in German) about Vienna's hospitals and their addresses can be found here. The main hospital in Vienna is 'Allgemeines Krankenhaus (AKH)': AKH, U6 subway station 'Michelbeuern-AKH'.

Vienna is considered a very safe city; however, in case of an emergency or a dangerous situation it is good to know who to call and turn to.

General practitioners

For routine medical care or physical exams, please see a general practitioner (GP). Most doctors ask you to make an appointment. If necessary, you will be referred to a specialist (e.g. optometrist, orthopedist, etc.) by the GP. Before consulting any doctor, make sure that the physician you wish to see has a contract with your insurance provider. You can ask about insurance providers accepted by each doctor when making your appointment. See Docfinder for a list of all practicing GPs and specialists in Austria.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies sell non-prescription medications (e.g. painkillers, cold remedies, etc.). For medications that require a prescription, you will need to see a doctor to have a prescription issued. You will need to pay the regular list price for non-prescription medications, but only a prescription fee is charged for prescription medications. Opening hours of all Austrian pharmacies can be found online, and night service is available during the night and on weekends.