Aktion Österreich-Tschechien (A to CZ) - Semester grant and grant for short-term stays of the Aktion Österreich-Tschechien (A to CZ)

What you get

You will receive a monthly grant to help you prepare for your Master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation whilst in the Czech Republic. Master’s and diploma students receive 13,000 CZK per month (approximately 520 EUR). PhD students receive 15,000 CZK per month (approximately 600 EUR). If your stay lasts at least 2 months, you can also apply for a monthly mobility allowance of 350 EUR from the OeAD, the Austrian programme organisation. The scholarship covers research work at a Czech public higher education institution: research in libraries and archives, laboratory or studio work, fieldwork, interviews with experts or discussions with Czech researchers. The programme is run jointly by the DZS in the Czech Republic and the OeAD in Austria.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You are a Master’s or Diplom student, or a PhD student. There is no age limit.
• Field of study: All disciplines are open to application. Medical students who are not writing a final thesis may also apply, but will need a letter from their home university confirming their academic potential.
• Where you study: You are enrolled at an Austrian state university, university of applied sciences, university of teacher education or recognised private higher education institution.
• Study progress: You are currently in at least the first semester of a Master’s, Diplom or PhD programme. You have already completed at least 2 semesters at your university, with at least 8 ECTS credits per semester.
• Bachelor's degree: You must hold a bachelor’s degree. The only exception is students on German as a Foreign Language programmes, who may apply even without such a degree.
• Nationality: You are a citizen of the EU, the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) or Switzerland.
• Language: You can provide evidence of your knowledge of German or English.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online at scholarships.at in German or English. The application deadlines are 15 March for a placement in the following winter semester and 15 October for the following summer semester. Selection is based solely on your written application; there will be no interview. You will receive a response within 8 weeks of the application deadline.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is very narrowly defined. You must be studying at an Austrian institution, have a specific research reason for visiting a Czech public university, and have arranged a supervisor there in advance. This restricts the pool of applicants to a precisely defined group. So, if you meet the requirements and submit a clear research proposal, your chances are good. A solid supervision agreement with the Czech host university makes your application compelling.