Educational Leave in Austria 2026: What Replaced Bildungskarenz — and How the New Rules Work

Anyone in Austria who wanted to catch up on a degree, retrain for a new career, or simply take a year "out of the job and into education" knew about Bildungskarenz — educational leave. For years it ranked among Europe's most generous continuing-education schemes: paid time off, funded through the public employment service AMS, with a legal entitlement and manageable conditions. That era is over. The old model was scrapped as part of Austria's budget consolidation, and in 2026 it has been replaced by the markedly stricter "Weiterbildungszeit" — further-training time. Anyone toying with the idea of an educational sabbatical today should know the new rules inside out, because they differ from the old system in almost every detail.

What disappeared: the end of Bildungskarenz and Bildungsteilzeit

The cut came in early 2025. On 7 March 2025, the National Council passed the 2025 Budget Consolidation Measures Act, ending Bildungskarenz and Bildungsteilzeit (part-time educational leave) in their previous form: the further-training allowance and the part-time educational allowance expired on 31 March 2025. The government justified this with evaluations that reportedly found little or even negative effects on participants' employment and income — and with the cost, which had risen from around €236 million in 2019 to €646 million in 2024 (Parliamentary Correspondence No. 119 of 7 March 2025).

There was a transitional rule for those who already had firm plans: agreements concluded by the end of February 2025 remained covered, provided the training began no later than 31 May 2025. Anyone wanting to start now, by contrast, operates entirely within the new system.

What applies in 2026: the Weiterbildungszeit

The successor is the "Weiterbildungszeit" together with its part-time variant, the "Weiterbildungsteilzeit". The money that comes with it is now called Weiterbildungsbeihilfe or Weiterbildungsteilzeitbeihilfe, and it still comes from the AMS. The basis is an agreement with the employer under section 11 or 11a of the Employment Contract Law Adaptation Act (AVRAG).

A practical note on timing: the allowance could only be applied for from 8 June 2026, via the MeinAMS account or in person at the AMS office; the earliest possible funded start is also 8 June 2026 (AMS, further-training time and part-time further training, updated 23 June 2026). Applications can be made at most three months before the training starts (AMS Burgenland, 9 June 2026).

Perhaps the most important difference from the old model concerns its basic logic: there is no longer a legal entitlement to the funding. Even if you reach agreement with your employer on a Weiterbildungszeit, the AMS decides on the basis of the training plan whether the project is relevant to the labour market and worth funding. Nationwide, €150 million is available, on a "first come, first served" basis, as AMS Burgenland puts it. What was quasi-automatic has become a discretionary decision.

The new requirements in detail

The hurdles are noticeably higher than before. According to the AMS, anyone wanting to receive the Weiterbildungsbeihilfe essentially has to meet the following conditions:

• Length of employment: at the time of application, at least twelve months of continuous employment subject to full social insurance with the current employer in Austria. Special rules apply to seasonal businesses, and anyone who already holds a master's or diploma degree needs a total of four years of fully insured employment.
• Minimum duration and scope: the training must last at least two months and comprise at least 20 hours a week, or 20 ECTS credits per semester for a degree. Where no childcare is available, 16 hours or ECTS suffice. Funding is limited to one year within any four-year period.
• Mandatory education counselling: anyone earning less than half the ASVG maximum contribution base of €3,465 gross a month (2026 value) must first attend education counselling at an AMS career information centre (BerufsInfoZentrum).
• Labour-market relevance: funding goes to training that is relevant to the labour market and usable beyond a single employer; degree programmes only with enrolment at an Austrian university.

Anyone using the time off for a regular university degree should also check whether student grants or other funding might apply in parallel.

The amount follows an income-based tiered model by the general contribution base, i.e. monthly gross income:

Source: AMS, flat-rate table for the further-training allowance under section 37e AMSG, January 2026.

What employers now pay

A key change concerns companies. Whereas the old Bildungskarenz was practically cost-neutral for employers, they now have to contribute: if income is above half the maximum contribution base of €3,465 (2026 value), the employer covers 15 per cent of the Weiterbildungsbeihilfe — the right-hand column in the table above. The idea is that businesses, too, should have a financial interest in the funded training actually fitting the job.

The part-time variant has its own logic: under the Weiterbildungsteilzeit, working hours are reduced by at least 25 and at most 50 per cent, and the allowance corresponds to the extent of the reduction. The training must last at least four months and comprise at least 10 hours a week (10 ECTS per semester for a degree, 8 without childcare). Funding here runs for up to two years within a four-year period, whereas the full Weiterbildungszeit is capped at one year per four years (AMS).

A legal entitlement has become a discretionary decision — and an almost cost-free instrument has become one that puts employees, employers and the AMS jointly on the hook.

Who falls through the cracks: parents and the budget cap

The sharpest criticism targets two points. First, the capped budget: in 2024 the old Bildungskarenz cost €646 million; the new model has €150 million a year available. Once the pot is exhausted, everyone else goes away empty-handed — regardless of how sensible their plans might be.

Second, the reform hits parents, especially women, particularly hard. The once-popular option of moving straight from parental leave into educational leave, bridging the second year with a baby, no longer exists. Anyone who received childcare allowance or maternity benefit in the 26 weeks before the training starts is not eligible for the Weiterbildungsbeihilfe (AMS). For many families, that removes a model that for years served as an extended, productively used break after the birth of a child. Anyone in this situation should seek advice from the Chamber of Labour early on and look into alternatives.

Is it still worth it?

Despite all the tightening, the Weiterbildungszeit remains a serious option for many — just one that demands more planning. Anyone with a clear, labour-market-relevant training goal who meets the twelve-month requirement and gets their employer on board can still step out or cut back with funding. The key is to do the sums early, prepare the application carefully, and not assume the funding will arrive automatically.

For anyone still unsure whether a complete break is the right path, more flexible formats are worth a look. We've pulled together how further education alongside a job can be organised — often with less red tape. And anyone looking to use the time off for a genuine fresh start will find guidance in our article on career change and retraining.

One thing is clear: the new model no longer runs itself. Anyone wanting to use it has to plan earlier, document more precisely and negotiate with the AMS. A binding answer for your own case — amount, duration, eligibility — is only available there and from the Chamber of Labour. This article is no substitute for advice; it is meant to give a clearer overview to anyone facing a substantially changed system in 2026.