Who is eligible for a grant?

• blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, contractual public sector employees
• marginal part-timers
• quasi-freelancers insured under the ASVG (General Social Insurance Act)
• apprentices
• unemployed persons (registered at the Public Employment Service/AMS Vienna)
• persons who want to return to work
• persons on parental leave or on sabbatical
• persons doing compulsory or voluntary military service or civilian service
• social assistant recipient
• persons self-employed under the new system (i.e. insured under sec. 2 par. (1) sub-par. 4 GSVG, the Trade and Industry Insurance Act)
• First-time immigrants holding a limited settlement permit

The following groups of persons are not eligible for grants: all other self-employed persons, civil servants, students, pupils and pensioners.

What can you get financial support for?

The waff provides financial support for course and seminar fees as well as examination fees in the context of continuing vocational education and training up to a maximum amount of € 75.- per course. Grants may not be used for books, study aids and official charges as well as hobby and leisure-time classes.

How much are the grants in amount?

• 50% of course fees, max. € 200.-
• 50% of course fees, up to € 300.- if one of the following conditions applies at the beginning of the course or semester:
• You receive benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act (unemployment benefit, unemployment assistance, advances on benefits from the pension insurance, further education benefits, part-time benefits for older workers)
• You are on parental leave or sabbatical
• You receive social assistance.
• 80% of the course fees, up to € 450 if you want to complete an apprenticeship or lower secondary school or if you want sit for the foreman's exam or do the secondary-school leaving exam.

Prerequisites for grants:

• By the time you file the application, your main residence is located in Vienna (Certificate from the Residents' Register - Meldebestätigung)
• You do your continuing education or training with an educational institution recognised by waff

How can you get your grant?

• Submit your application (pdf) for a grant no later than three months after having successfully completed your continuing education or training programme; do not forget to enclose the certificate of attendance. If the continuing education or training programme takes several semesters or consists of several modules, submit the application within the deadline stated above for each semester or module.
• The grant amount approved will be paid to you per semester or module. The general rule is: you can apply for the maximum amount in several instalments within two calendar years or in one go. The approved grant amount is allocated to the calendar year in which the course or first semester started.
• Grants from other sources will be deducted as a matter of principle unless such grants are paid by voluntary and statutory representations of worker's interests or the Municipality of Vienna. There is no legal entitlement to waff grants.