Universität für Bodenkultur Wien - Stipendium für kurzfristige wissenschaftliche Arbeiten im Ausland - KUWI (BOKU)

What the KUWI scholarship gives you

You will receive a monthly grant plus a one-off travel allowance grant to carry out research abroad for your Master’s thesis, PhD thesis or habilitation (the qualification required to teach at professor level). The monthly lump sum depends on your destination; for example, 450 EUR for Germany, 534 EUR for the USA and up to 715 EUR for Japan. In addition, there is a one-off travel allowance, which also varies by country and ranges from approximately 30 EUR to approximately 1,400 EUR. You may also apply for up to 300 EUR towards vaccinations recommended for your destination country. The grant supports work in laboratories, libraries, scientific collections, archives or during fieldwork. In addition to your research, you may attend relevant courses. The scholarship is awarded directly by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). A stay lasts for at least 2 weeks and up to 4 months for a Master’s thesis, or up to 7 months for a PhD or habilitation. An extension is not possible.

Who can apply

• University: BOKU in Vienna is your home university.
• Level: You are writing a Master’s thesis (having completed your Bachelor’s degree, with at least 30 ECTS credits in your Master’s programme, topic already approved), a doctoral thesis (relevant Master’s degree, at least 10 ECTS credits in your doctoral programme) or you are working on a postdoctoral qualification.
• Field of study: Anyone interested is welcome to apply.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, provided that BOKU is their home university.
• Age: You are between 19 and 35 years old. There is no age limit for habilitation, and exceptions may be made in justified cases.
• Grades: Your weighted average mark is 2.3 or higher.
• Language: You must demonstrate proficiency in English, either by having earned at least 15 ECTS credits from subject-specific English courses at BOKU or by holding a C1 certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge or a BOKU test), which must not be more than 2 years old.
• Where you go: You are conducting research abroad. If your home country is a member of the OECD, you are not eligible for funding for research stays in that country.
• No double funding: You are not an ERASMUS scholarship holder and are not currently receiving any other scholarship.
• Timing: At the time of application, you are not yet abroad, and your trip will not begin until after the application deadline has passed.

How to apply

Applications are made online via the ‘Mobility Online’ platform. You must first take part in at least one online consultation with the KUWI coordinator. In the year 2026, there are four application deadlines: 8 January, 30 March, 22 May and 6 October. An advisory board decides on each round and will notify you in writing. Applications with a confirmed supervisor at the host institution will be given priority.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is aimed exclusively at students and staff at BOKU, so the pool of applicants is limited from the outset. There is no legal entitlement to the scholarship, and a PhD takes precedence over a Master’s thesis. A well-developed research proposal and a confirmed on-site supervisor are key factors. If you clearly meet the requirements regarding academic performance, language skills and academic level, and submit a compelling research proposal, your chances are good. The four annual application rounds offer you several opportunities.