Marshallplan-Jubiläumsstiftung / Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation - Marshall Plan Scholarship

Benefit

You will receive 4,000 to 10,000 EUR for a research stay of at least three months, either from Austria to the United States or vice versa. The basic amount depends on the duration of your stay: 4,000 EUR for 3 months, 5,000 EUR for 4 months and 6,000 EUR for 5 months. In addition, there is a bonus of 1,500 EUR for a stay of 6.5 months or longer, a bonus of 1,500 EUR if you are a Master’s student, and a bonus of 2,500 EUR if you are a PhD student. Only the research stay itself counts; travel time does not. The money is paid out in two instalments. The scholarship is provided by the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation, which has funded more than 1,300 such exchange programmes since 2008. Following your stay, you will write an academic paper with a technical focus, as well as a short report on your stay.

Eligibility

• Where you study: You are enrolled at a US university or at one of over 35 Austrian partner universities (including the Vienna University of Technology, the University of Vienna, Graz University of Technology, the University of Innsbruck and numerous universities of applied sciences).
• Field of study: You are studying a subject in the fields of engineering, natural sciences or economics.
• Grades: You have achieved top marks in your field of study.
• Degree level: You are a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD student.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. The key requirement is that they are enrolled at an eligible Austrian or US university.
• Research paper: You are prepared to write a technical research paper during your stay.

How to apply

First, find a lecturer at your host university abroad who will supervise your research, as well as a supervisor at your home university. You should then submit your complete application to the International Office at your Austrian university, which will forward it to the Foundation. For the 2027 round, the application deadline runs from 1 September to 30 October 2026, and experts will assess all proposals against set criteria. Please note that Austrian higher education institutions may set their own, earlier internal deadlines; you should therefore check with your institution in good time.

How realistic are your chances?

The selection criteria for the scholarship are quite strict. You must be studying a subject in engineering, the natural sciences or economics, be enrolled at an eligible Austrian or US university, and have already found two supervisors before you apply. This final step filters out casual applicants, ensuring that well-prepared candidates with excellent grades and a clear research plan compete against a smaller field of applicants. Securing supervision at an early stage and drafting a concise project description are the characteristics that set successful applicants apart.