The Austrian Geographical Society - Leopold-Scheidl-Preis der ÖGG

Leopold-Scheidl-Preis of the ÖGG

For an outstanding dissertation in the field of economic geography – that is, the study of how economic activities are shaped by location, region and space – you will receive a one-off prize of EUR 1,000. This prize is awarded by the Austrian Geographical Society (ÖGG). It is a research prize and not a rolling scholarship; you will therefore receive the money as a one-off payment for a completed academic thesis and not as monthly support. The prize is named after Leopold G. Scheidl, who was Professor of Economic Geography in Vienna from 1954 to 1974, and has been awarded since 2000.

Who can apply

• What you submit: A doctoral thesis, undergraduate dissertation or Master’s thesis that you have written yourself.
• Field of study: Economic Geography or a closely related subject area.
• Timing: Your dissertation must have been completed and officially approved in 2025 or 2026.
• Age: No age limit.
• Where you live: Any country. Applicants from abroad are welcome to apply.
• University: Any university is fine.
• Excluded: You are not eligible to apply if you are a member of the Executive Board, an auditor or an employee of the ÖGG.

How to apply

Please send your thesis (one bound copy and an electronic version), together with a covering letter, your CV and any reviews already available, to the ÖGG office in Vienna. The deadline for submissions is 31 December 2026. A jury will reach its decision in autumn 2027, based on two expert reviews per submitted entry.

How realistic are your chances?

The award is very narrowly defined. It focuses on a specific field, namely economic geography, and only theses completed within a two-year period are eligible, meaning that very few theses meet the criteria. External experts assess the quality, and in some years the jury has not awarded the prize at all, which illustrates the high standards required. If your thesis is well suited to the subject area and methodologically sound, your prospects are realistic.