About the Fund
With the funding from the psychotherapy pot, the Austrian Students Union (ÖH) of the University of Vienna would like to provide financial relief to students who are receiving psychotherapy and/or clinical-psychological treatments. We understand the complex challenges that come with seeking mental health support and our fund aims to alleviate some of the financial strain. Our funding model offers support in form of reimbursement, providing a refund for therapy sessions already paid for, up to a maximum of €550.
[Update] winter semester 2024/25
>> Launching the Psychotherapy Fund of the ÖH Uni Wien! The application period starts on Monday, 09.12!
>> The website will continuously be updated until December 8th.
>> Those who received funding from the psychotherapy pot in the 2024 summer semester cannot submit an application in the 2024/25 winter semester.
> Please read our detailed FAQs first!
Application period
The application period for the winter semester 2024/25 begins on Monday, December 9th 2024 and ends on Sunday, December 22nd 2024.
Funding model
The funding pot is a refund for therapy units that have already been used. Accordingly, you must also submit receipts showing that you have already paid your psychotherapy or clinical-psychological treatment. As long as the requirements are met, the pot will refund you for your therapy costs up to a maximum of 550€ directly to your bank account. > Students in particularly precarious situations are given priority.
Application
The following steps are necessary for an application:
- Read the guidelines ("Richtlinien") carefully. Funding can only be granted if the guidelines are met.
- Complete the application form ("Antragsformular") und upload all required documents.
- The application is submitted automatically using the digital application form of our website (see below).
If you have any questions, please contact psychotherapietopf@oeh.univie.ac.at.
>> You can find a list of recognized forms of therapy in Austria at this link: Psychotherapy in Austria - European Association for Psychotherapy
Please note: Fill out all mandatory fields (*) in the digital web form and upload all documents! You will receive an automatic message to your email address if the application via the form has worked!
FAQ
Yes!
A fully completed application form, confirmation of enrollment for the current semester, copies of invoices of consumed psychotherapy sessions, payment confirmations for psychotherapy sessions, complete bank statements from the last three months.
Please be sure to include your email address in the application form!
> See our guildlines for required documents!
You can submit all therapy invoices that were used from July 1st, 2024 onwards. > Older invoices cannot be refunded.
Please do not confuse this with transaction lists or "Umsatzliste"! We do not accept these, nor will we accept screenshots.
The following must be present and visible: the IBAN and the name under which the account is held, as well as the current and final account balance. Account statements also have a consecutive page number and are usually available from your bank as a PDF.
Example: The application is submitted in December: Continuous and complete account statements from the period 01.09.2024–30.11.2024 (= three complete months) are needed.
>> Check out this link for an example of bank statements.
If you also have a second account or a savings account, we ask you to disclose this too for reasons of fairness. For savings accounts, a current final account balance is sufficient.
Applicants with savings deposits that exceed the amount of EUR 6,000 (except for higher amounts due to extraordinary burdens such as care obligations, visa for third-country nationals, security deposit, surgeries, current living expenses without income, etc.) will be rejected due to lack of social need. Savings deposits also include securities, investments or similar assets.
We also support psychotherapy received abroad, provided it takes place online. However, we need additional confirmations from you.
Please see the document "Guidelines for therapy outside of Austria" for that.
You can find a list of recognized forms of therapy at this link: Psychotherapy in Austria - European Association for Psychotherapy
Please send us all documents that can prove your current situation as best you can. If you do not have access to some documents yet, please explain this in the explanation section of your application. There is the possibility of submitting documents later. If something is missing, we will contact you by email.
We will notify you by email if something is missing or needs to be submitted later. A deadline is always stated in the email.
No. Please black out diagnoses and do not send us extensive personal medical histories. The funding is primarily granted according to the income situation.
Information on the officially recognized forms of therapy and those we support can be found in the document "Anerkannte Therapieformen". More detailed explanations can be found in the document from the Ministry of Social Affairs: Patienteninformation_(BMGSPK), Stand_29.04.2020.
>> You can find a list of recognized forms of therapy in Austria in English at this link: Psychotherapy in Austria - European Association for Psychotherapy
Please make sure that your application states which therapy you are receiving - for example through the invoices of the treatments.
Yes, clinical psychological treatments are now also being funded.
You can send us evidence of other financial distress via the digital application form (bills, confirmations of residue rental charges, Alimentation agreement, disability ID, evidence of financiel help for beeing an orphan, etc.)
Depending on the number of applications and missing documents, processing can take up to three months – as they go through several steps before approval. We ask for your patience and will let you know as quickly as possible.
Please read the form "Datenschutzinformation" if you have any questions about your data. However, your data will not be stored digitally permanently.
If you pass on personal data from third parties to us as part of the application, you will need the written consent of these people (e.g. bank statements from your parents, your partner, rent regulations with your partner, etc.)
No, the psychotherapy funding of the ÖH Uni Wien is reserved for enrolled students at the University of Vienna. Please contact the ÖH at your other university to find out whether there is a similar offer.
Please only send the application by post in exceptional cases. A longer processing time is to be expected.
Referat für Barrierefreiheit
Hochschüler_Innenschaft an der Universität Wien
Spitalgasse 2, Hof 1, 1.10
1090 Wien
- It is possible to submit an application to the social fund of the ÖH University of Vienna.
- From September 20th to December 15th or from February 20th to May 15th it is possible to apply for the Austrian Study Grant. You can find all further information on the homepage of the ÖH.
- In special cases there is also the possibility of receiving Basic Benefit (“Mindestsicherung”). More on this: Arbeiten - Österreichische Hochschüler_innenschaft (ÖH) (oeh.ac.at). For further questions please contact sozialreferat@oeh.univie.ac.at
- If you have been dismissed, you may be able to apply for unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) to the AMS
- ÖH Helpline - reachable by phone at +43 1 585 3333 (Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm), Helpline - Österreichische Hochschüler_innenschaft (ÖH)
If you have any further questions that are not answered in these FAQ, please contact psychotherapietopf@oeh.univie.ac.at.
Help in crises and emergencies
- Emergency Social Psychiatry Service (Sozialpsychiatrischer Notdienst) - You can reach them by phone at +43 1 31 330, every day for 24 hours.
- Psychotherapy Helpline – Vienna Regional Association for Psychotherapy (Wiener Landesverband für Psychotherapie) – You can reach them by phone at +43 7 20 12 00 12, every day from 8 AM to 10 PM.
- Helpline from the Professional Association of Austrian Psychologists (Helpline of the Berufsverband Österreichischer PsychologInnen) – reachable by phone at +43 1 504 8000 (Monday to Thursday from 9 AM to 1 PM).
- Women's Helpline against Violence - reachable by phone at +43 800 222 555 (daily, 24/7)
- Telephone Counseling Vienna (Telefonseelsorge Wien) – reachable by phone at 142 (available 24/7) or online here!
- Psychological Student Counseling (Psychologische Studierendenberatung) – available on weekdays by phone at +43 1 402 30 91 or through email at psychologische.studentenberatung@univie.ac.at
- ÖH Helpline - reachable by phone at +43 1 585 3333 (Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm), Helpline - Österreichische Hochschüler_innenschaft (ÖH)
Lists for queer, feminist & anti-racist therapy
- QueerMed: directory of queer-friendly psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and more: QueerMed
- We too are Vienna (Wir sind auch Wien): Platform for BIPoC and mental health, more information here: We too are Vienna email: bipoc.empowerment@gmail.com
- Women advising Women (Frauen beraten Frauen): feminist counseling for FLINTA, more information here: Frauen beraten Frauen
- Sigmund Freud Psychotherapeutic University Outpatient Clinic (Sigmund Freud psychotherapeutische Universitätsambulanz): offers support services in many languages (Persian/Farsi/Dari, German, English, Italian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Polish, French, Romanian, Mandarin); more information here: Sigmund Freud psychotherapeutische Universitätsambulanz
Contact info
email: psychotherapietopf@oeh.univie.ac.at
Referat für Barrierefreiheit
Hochschüler_Innenschaft an der Universität Wien
Spitalgasse 2, Hof 1, 1.10
1090 Vienna