SPÖ Frauen - Johanna Dohnal Scholarship

Johanna Dohnal Scholarship

You will receive a one-off grant of 7,000 EUR to fund approximately six months’ work on your doctoral thesis (your dissertation, the extensive research project required for a doctoral degree). The funding is intended to support female researchers whose work promotes gender equality. It is awarded by the Johanna Dohnal Archive, which is named after Austria’s first Minister for Women’s Affairs. The archive is funded exclusively through donations, so the number of grants awarded may vary from year to year.

Who can apply

• Gender: Only women can apply.
• Level: You’re currently writing a PhD thesis, which isn’t finished yet.
• University: You are studying at an Austrian university or college, or you have graduated from one.
• Topic: Her dissertation champions gender equality and can serve as a role model for girls and women in education and higher education.
• Field of study: All participants are eligible to take part.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.

How to apply

Please apply by email to the Johanna Dohnal Archive by 26 May. Please send a CV and a project summary (maximum 7,500 characters) in which you explain how your work meets the criteria and set out a timetable for completion. A panel of female academics from various disciplines will decide on the selection.

Please note: The same organisation also awards separate ‘1,500 EUR Johanna Dohnal’ prizes for completed Master’s, diploma or doctoral theses. This scholarship is intended exclusively for a doctoral thesis that is still in progress.

How realistic are your chances?

The eligibility criteria for this award are narrow: you must be a woman currently writing a doctoral thesis in Austria on a topic that promotes gender equality. This means that the pool of eligible candidates is small. If your project clearly fits the theme, your chances are good. A convincing summary that directly links your work to the criteria is crucial.