External funding opportunities

a) Mobility programmes for doctoral candidates

  • Short-term grants for research abroad (KWA): If scientific work (e.g. laboratory work, field studies, research in archives, libraries, academic collections, etc.) is necessary within the scope of your dissertation, you can apply for a short-term grant abroad (KWA).
    • Application deadlines: 15 February, 15 May and 15 October
  • Marietta Blau Grant (ÖAW) offers financial support for 6-12 month study periods abroad for doctoral or PhD students of Austrian universities, no age limit.
    • Application deadlines: 1 February and 1 September
    • The OeAD offers webinars to inform about the Marietta Blau-Grant
  • Erasmus+ Short-Term PhD Mobility: offers financial support for self-organised 5-14-day stays abroad at a university, research institution or company.
    • The application is possible twice a yea, next deadline on 26 March 2024
    • The funding is open to all PhD students who are not employed by the University of Vienna.
  • Erasmus+ Traineeship (e.g. for hots lab visist during your PhD studies)
    • Applications are accepted throughout the year and must be submitted at least six weeks before the start of the traineeship.
    • Duration: minimum 2 full months to maximum funded period of 5 months
  • Marshall Plan Scholarship: an academic exchange program to fund scholarships and fellowships for academic exchange between Austria and the US.
    • Duration of the research stay has to be at least 3 months.
    • The scholarship ranges between €4,000 and €10,000
    • Application deadlines: 15 March (for visits starting 1 Aug. of the same year or later) and 15 Oct. (for visits starting 1 Feb. of the following year or later)
  • Erwin Schrödinger: programme gives highly qualified postdocs the opportunity to pursue career-enhancing stays at internationally renowned research institutions, and also provides them with support after their return to Austria.
    • Rolling submissions
  • International communication (ÖFG) programme of the Österreichischen Forschungsgemeinschaft offers supplementary financial support for travels and for invitations of scientists to Austria.

    • Application deadlines 2024: 7 January, 24 March, 9 June, 6 October and 10 November

b) Fellowships for doctoral candidates

  • DOC - Doctoral Fellowship Programme of the Austrian Academy of Sciences: The DOC Programme of the OeAW offers funding for highly qualified doctoral candidates in all areas of research of all ages.
    • Value of Fellowship: 46,759 EUR annually (before tax)
    • Length of Fellowship: 24 / 30 / 36 months
    Fellowships from FZÖ funds: The Fonds Zukunft Österreich (FZÖ) provides funding for dissertation projects dealing with issues related to the EU Missions within the framework of Horizon Europe (Cancer, Climate, Ocean, Cities, Soil) or the priority topics in the ÖAW's development plan (Empires and World Orders, Energy Systems, Aging, Artificial Intelligence). Applications for funding under this framework are automatically included in the DOC selection process. Application requirements, selection criteria as well as amount and duration of funding correspond to the specifications for the DOC program.
  • Fellowship for Young Female Researchers in Austria of L'ORÉAL Austria: The fellowship is particularly intended for the following cases: i) completion of a doctoral thesis or ii) scientific development of a project proposal for the application at (inter)national third-party funding organisations or iii) reintegration following a research stay abroad or parental leave. The project must be undertaken in Austria.
    • Lenght of funding: between 8 and 12 months (pre-docs) or between 6 and 8 months (post-docs).
    • Value of fellowship: 25,000 EUR (before tax)

c) We advise to check the websites of the Research Services and Career Development of the University of Vienna, e.g.