Costs & Finance options

The participation fee is EUR 10.000 (tax exemption due to Ashoka´s non-profit status)

Stipends available! We offer individual stipends for social entrepreneurs and additional stipends (for leaders from the foundation-, corporate- and NGO-sector)

Financing options for people living/working in Austria

Austrian database for scholarships and research grants: OeAD (Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education & Research) helps you find the adequate Scholarship or Research Grant according to your country of origin as well as your preferred destination oead.grants.at

• kursfoerderung.at
• grants.at
• wko.at
• berufsbegleitend.at

Further education funding of the EU

You can find funding opportunities on erasmus+ for people in adult education here. 

Educational leave – Bildungskarenz

The Public Employment Service Austria (Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich – AMS) has accepted the courses of the Ashoka Visionary Program as vocational training for educational leave for previous participants. If requested by participants we provide a confirmation of the total duration of the program and also a certificate of participation after completing the program that can be used for application at the AMS for educational leave.

Please note that the AMS decides on a case-by-case basis on the eligibility. If you need certificates and documentation for your participation in the Visionary Program for application at the AMS get in touch with us!

Financial Benefits for Employees and Companies

Employees and self-employed persons save up to 50% of the program fee.

In case you are employed or self-employed and afford the fees on your own, our program fees are fully tax-deductible if you pay taxes in Austria. The prerequisite for the tax authorities is that the program falls under professional development training in the present field of occupation or in a related profession. Depending on your income, you can get up to 50% of the program costs back.

This means that not only program fees but also additional costs connected with the program (e.g. travel expenses, accommodation, literature, program hand-outs, flat rate for up to max. 5 days regarding food and beverages) are fully deductible.

Similar tax arrangements can be found in other countries. For further information, please refer to the responsible institution in your home country.

Unlike bonuses, tuition fees are exempt from taxation, which is a considerable advantage for the employee. For the employer, tuition fees do not amount to payroll-related costs and therefore do not incur payroll related contributions. At the same time, costs are shared by the Austrian state, which covers 31% for a public limited company and 61% for an individual enterprise. The pre-requisite for the above mentioned treatment is that the employee’s participation in the tuition program is in the interest of the employer.

Further information on tax deductions in Austria is available at the Website of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance: english.bmf.gv.at