Österreichische Forschungsgemeinschaft - Förderungsprogramm Internationale Kommunikation

What the ÖFG International Communication programme covers

You will receive a one-off travel grant from the Austrian Research Council (ÖFG) for research trips and academic exchanges. There is no fixed amount. You specify the amount required in euros in your application, and the ÖFG will reimburse eligible costs such as conference fees, travel and accommodation costs. This is supplementary funding for cases where your university or project budget cannot cover the travel costs. The programme supports four types of activities:

• Conference abroad: You are presenting your own latest research findings at an international conference, symposium or workshop outside Austria.
• Small symposium in Austria: You are organising a small-scale international symposium or workshop in Austria.
• Short research stay abroad: Up to 3 months at a research institution abroad, in order to learn specific methods or to make use of sources, equipment or materials that are not available in Austria.
• Inviting a guest researcher: You are inviting a researcher from abroad to Austria to give lectures and take part in academic discussions.

Only one substantial ÖFG grant may be awarded per year. Courses, summer schools, professional development events and regular teaching activities are not eligible for funding.

Who can apply

• Where you are based: You work at an Austrian university or research institution.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. It is important that you are resident in Austria.
• Age: To be eligible for a conference abroad or a short research stay, you must not be older than 40 at the time of application. This age limit is increased by 3 years for each child for whom you are on parental leave, and by up to 3 years in the case of a disability or chronic illness (subject to proof).
• Track record: You must already have at least one publication in a peer-reviewed international journal (or an equivalent publication) to your name.
• Habilitation: A habilitation means that you have qualified to teach independently at professorial level. The visiting scholar programme is aimed exclusively at scholars who have completed their habilitation. The symposium is aimed at university lecturers, ideally those who have completed their habilitation.
• Other funding first: You have already tried to apply for funding from your university, your department or your project before applying here.

How to apply

Apply for funding online using the ÖFG form before the trip or event takes place. Upload your CV, list of publications, cost breakdown and funding plan as PDF files. There are several submission deadlines each year, each approximately two to three weeks before the decision-making meeting. A committee of the ÖFG’s Scientific Advisory Board makes the decision and meets at least twice per semester.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a narrowly defined, earmarked grant rather than an open scholarship. You must have a specific trip or event in mind, a verifiable publication record and an affiliation with an Austrian institution, which means that the pool of eligible applicants remains small. If you clearly fall within one of the four funding areas, can provide evidence of your previous publications and apply in good time before your trip, your chances are good. As only one comprehensive scholarship is awarded per person per year, you should plan carefully which activity you wish to apply for.