Erwin Wenzl Prize Club - Erwin Wenzl Prize

What the Erwin Wenzl Prize gives you

For outstanding academic or professional achievement, you will receive a one-off cash prize of up to 2,500 EUR. The amount depends on which of the three groups you are participating in:

• Pupils and graduates of vocational training programmes: 700 EUR, as well as recognition awards of 300 EUR.
• Diploma and Master’s theses: 1,100 EUR.
• PhD theses: up to 1,700 EUR.

In addition, there is a separate honourable mention awarded by the jury, worth 1,000 euros, the proceeds of which will go to a charitable cause. The ‘Erwin-Wenzl-Preis’ Association awards the prize every year in conjunction with the Governor of Upper Austria. The prize recognises young people from Upper Austria who are in school, on apprenticeships or at university.

Who can apply

• Who it is for: Young people from Upper Austria who belong to one of the following three groups: school pupils, graduates of vocational training programmes, or graduates of universities and universities of applied sciences.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines and professions.
• Link to Upper Austria: Applicants for a place at university must have completed their compulsory schooling and their school-leaving qualification (Matura) in Upper Austria, or must have obtained their university degree there. Apprentices must be from Upper Austria or must have completed their apprenticeship at a company in Upper Austria.
• What you submit: Pupils submit a pre-university research project (AHS) or a diploma thesis (BHS). Graduates submit a diploma thesis, a Master’s thesis or a doctoral thesis. Apprentices submit their apprenticeship certificates.
• Grades: Students and graduates need a ‘Very Good’ grade for their work. Apprentices must have passed at least one final examination with ‘outstanding results’ and achieved top marks in their vocational school classes.
• Timing: Your work or qualification must have been assessed after 30 August 2024 and before the deadline. School assignments will be taken into account if they were marked during the 2024/2025 or 2025/2026 school year.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online using the form on the association’s website. The deadline for applications is 30 June. A panel of experts will make its decision in a closed session, and its decision is final.

How realistic are your chances?

This prize is restricted to Upper Austria and recognises work that has already been awarded the highest mark (‘very good’ or ‘excellent’), meaning that the pool of eligible candidates is small. If you clearly meet the regional criteria and have completed your final thesis, academic paper or apprenticeship final examination with distinction, your prospects are good. Each group competes only within its own group for a handful of prizes, which works in your favour if you are a strong, well-suited candidate.