Österreichische Marshallplan-Jubiläumsstiftung  - Marshallplan-Jubiläumsstiftung: Berkeley-Austrian-Exchange-Program (Marshallplan, Marshall Plan)

Berkeley-Austria Exchange Program

You will receive a scholarship of approximately 5,500 EUR (6,000 USD) for a three-month research stay at the University of California, Berkeley. A scholarship is a fixed grant to cover your living expenses. On campus, the Institute for European Studies will provide you with office space and support throughout your stay. You are free to choose the timing of your trip, at any time between September 2026 and June 2027. The programme is run by the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation to promote research into economic and social issues relating to the USA and the EU. There is one cost that you must cover yourself: you will pay a service fee of 1,000 US dollars to the University of Berkeley for your status as a ‘Visiting Student Researcher’.

In addition, the Foundation awards Special Democracy Call: up to 6 grants worth approximately 6,500 EUR (6,500 USD, inclusive of all taxes), also for a period of three months. A scholarship under this programme also constitutes a funded research post. It is aimed at PhD students whose research focuses on democracy, Austrian history, politics and culture, or Austrian-Ukrainian, Austrian-Russian and Austrian-American relations.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You are a PhD student.
• University: You are studying at an Austrian university and will remain enrolled there for the duration of your stay.
• Field of study: Your field of research is in economics or the social sciences. Other disciplines may also be considered, provided your topic deals with social and economic issues relating to the United States.
• Berkeley invitation: You have received an official invitation or a confirmation of admission from a supervising professor at UC Berkeley.
• Special Democracy Call: Preference will be given to social sciences students, but law, economics and humanities students with a suitable topic may also apply.

How to apply

First, obtain an invitation from a member of the academic staff at the University of California, Berkeley. Then send your complete application to the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation. Include a personal statement, a project description, your CV and the invitation from Berkeley – all in English. The application deadline for the regular call for applications is 28 February. The deadline for the special call for applications on the topic of democracy is 27 February.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is very narrowly defined: only Austrian PhD students with a research topic focused on the USA and a confirmed visiting professor at Berkeley are eligible to apply, meaning that the pool of applicants is small. Under the regular call for applications, only 2 places are awarded, leading to fierce competition, whilst the special call on the topic of democracy comprises up to 6 places. Securing a convincing invitation from Berkeley at an early stage is the real hurdle, and a well-structured, clearly formulated project proposal is crucial to success.