Federal Ministry of Science and Research (BMWF) - Ernst Mach grant worldwide

Ernst Mach Grant worldwide

You will receive 1,300 EUR per month for a research stay lasting between 1 and 9 months at an Austrian university. This is a short-term research scholarship and not funding for a standard Master’s or PhD programme; therefore, you will not be enrolling as a student. The OeAD, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation, runs the programme on behalf of the Austrian Ministry of Science. It will also assist you in finding accommodation and health insurance. Please note that the scholarship may not cover all your costs; you should therefore plan to cover part of the costs yourself.

Who can apply

• Level: You are a PhD student, have just completed your degree, or are a postdoctoral researcher, and are working as a researcher or lecturer at a university outside Austria.
• Field of study: All subject areas, ranging from the natural sciences, engineering, medicine and health sciences, and agricultural sciences, through to the social sciences, humanities and the arts.
• Nationality: Any country except Austria.
• Age: You must not be older than 35 at the start of your research stay.
• Where you study: You are currently studying or working at a university outside Austria.
• No recent stay in Austria: You have neither lived in Austria nor studied or conducted research there during the six months prior to the start of the scholarship, and you are not currently resident there either.
• Austrian supervisor: You have written confirmation from a lecturer at an Austrian university who has agreed to supervise your research project.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the OeAD scholarship database. The application period runs from September to 1 December. Applications are first subject to a formal review. Subsequently, subject experts assess your project, and a selection committee selects the best applications. The results will be announced around July of the following year.

How realistic are your chances?

The scholarship is open to all academic disciplines and almost all countries, so there is a large pool of applicants. However, the age limit of 35, the requirement that applicants must not have resided in Austria recently, and the need for confirmation from a supervisor narrow down the field. The real hurdle lies in finding an Austrian supervisor who supports a clear research plan. If you can demonstrate this and meet the criteria, your prospects are good.