Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna (Vienna/Austria) - Merit Scholarship

Merit Scholarship of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

As a reward for outstanding academic achievement during the past academic year (from 1 October to 30 September), you will receive a one-off payment. The exact amount depends on the Academy’s budget for the year in question. Payment is made once per academic year, not monthly. The Vienna Academy of Fine Arts awards this grant in accordance with the Austrian Student Finance Act (StudFG).

Who can apply

• University: You are a full-time student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna.
• Study stage: You are in your 3 semester or above. PhD students are not eligible to apply.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Nationality: You are an Austrian national or a national of an EEA country (including Switzerland), or you are a non-EU citizen and holder of an ‘EU long-term residence card’.
• Grades: Your average mark in the graded examinations is at least 1.5 (Austrian marks range from 1 = top mark to 5). For teacher training, the examinations in both subjects count. If you are studying several subjects at the Academy, they will all be taken into account together.
• Study time: You are still within the standard duration of your degree programme, plus a maximum of one additional grace semester. Delays due to pregnancy or military service may be taken into account.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted via the Academy’s online application system. For round 2025, the application window runs from 13 October to 12 November 2025. The binding application deadline is 12 November at 11 am. There is no legal entitlement to a place.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is very narrowly defined. Only students at a specific art college who achieve a grade point average of 1.5 and meet the requirements regarding nationality and duration of study are eligible, meaning that the pool of eligible applicants is small. If you significantly exceed this grade threshold and meet the criteria, your chances are good. As there is no legal entitlement to this funding and the amount awarded depends on the annual budget, good academic performance is crucial.