Bundesministerium fuer Wohnen, Kunst, Kultur, Medien und Sport - State scholarship

Austrian State Scholarship for Composition

You will receive 1,500 EUR per month to work on new compositions. The Austrian Federal Ministry of Culture (BMWKMS) offers three options each year: The full scholarship runs for 12 months (a total of 18,000 EUR), whilst the shorter options run for 4 months (6,000 EUR) and 2 months (3,000 EUR) respectively. As a single parent receiving family allowance, you will receive an additional 200 EUR per month. If you also receive the increased family allowance, the supplement amounts to 400 EUR per month. The funding is intended for the creation of new works of contemporary music during the funding period.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You are a professional, freelance composer. You are no longer enrolled on a Bachelor’s, Diploma or Master’s degree programme.
• Qualification: You have completed a degree in music or have worked as a full-time musician for several years.
• Nationality or residence: You are an Austrian national or have your permanent residence in Austria throughout the entire funding period.
• Your project: You are creating new contemporary compositions that will be performed in public. Purely commercial, charitable, academic, educational or religious projects are not funded, and neither are competitions or workshops.
• No double funding: You are not currently receiving any other government grant and did not receive this grant last year.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the Federal Forms Service or the Transparency Portal. There are two deadlines each year: 15 September (for premieres from January of the following year) and 15 April (for premieres from July of the same year). If you apply for the longest version you wish to submit, you will automatically be considered for the shorter versions as well. An independent jury will make the decision, and all applicants will be notified in writing.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is granted on a highly selective basis. You must be a professional composer, hold Austrian citizenship or be resident in Austria, and have a degree in music or several years’ professional experience. This keeps the pool of applicants small. As 45 scholarships for 2027 are awarded across the three funding periods, there are genuine opportunities if your work is compelling. The jury assesses the quality and originality of your concept, as well as your previous achievements; therefore, with a clear, contemporary project and a strong portfolio, you stand a good chance.