Lifelong guidance is a core element of the lifelong learning strategy in Austria, it is one of the five key strategic lines and it is covered by the visions, measures and activities within the 10 action lines of the lifelong learning strategy in some additional concrete details.

Guidance in Austria concerns to the relevant educational area, that are in responsible governments in different ways in various stages:

• in the early childhood education – pre-school phase mainly at provincial level (“Bundesländer”) partly in cooperation with the municipalities, in compulsory school responsible steered by Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, by federal laws and curricula, in co-operation with responsible administrative and operative activities at provincial level
• at higher school level – general and vocational – mainly in the responsibility of the federal state
• in principle the same situation is at the interfaces between the upper secondary and the post secondary and tertiary level, this is – as well as guidance within tertiary level – mainly responsibility of the federal state
• a kind of shared responsibility can be seen in the field of further training and adult education, there are a lot of responsible activities at federal state level as well as activities at the provincial level
• and special aspects shows the Public Employment Service as an national responsible organisation which combines many activities in the area of guidance and counselling with job placement and career development, with the main focus to support unemployed people

The system in school is divided in three areas they so called “three tier system” (OECD) which is based first on classroom orientation subject, with special curriculum and professional background, second individual guidance and counselling by “Schülerberater/innen” and third special services and offers for those who need special contacts, by the school psychologies (see graphic)