Applicant criteria
- NationalityNo specific nationality required
- AgeNo specific age required
- GenderBoth
Opportunity criteria
- Job locationAustria
- Deadline2026-12-01
Opportunity description
OeAD invites applications for the Ernst Mach research fellowship in Austria, a short research stay for doctoral candidates, postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers during the Austrian academic year 2027/28. Research stays may begin no earlier than September 2027, and the application deadline is December 1, 2026.
The grant supports a short research or study stay hosted by an Austrian university; it is not intended to fund enrolment in a complete or partial regular degree programme. Applicants can browse other research fellowships and explore opportunities for Arab applicants.
About the Ernst Mach Research Fellowship
This call covers stays during the Austrian academic year 2027/28, which starts in September 2027. The earliest possible arrival is therefore September 2027. Within the programme rules, applicants can plan their research period, but the stay must consist of full months, beginning on the first day of a month and ending on its last day. For short stays of one to three months, OeAD recommends considering January to June, noting that accommodation may be difficult to find at other times.
Applicants must arrange a written confirmation of academic supervision from a lecturer at an Austrian university who will support the proposed research project. Enrolment as a regular student at the host university is not required. A separate research proposal upload is also not required: applicants should describe their planned research activities thoroughly in the relevant sections of the online application and follow the stated minimum word requirements.
Applications first undergo a formal eligibility and completeness check. Formally valid applications are then assessed by experts in the relevant field, after which a selection committee awards the grants based on the expert evaluations. Results are expected at the beginning of July 2027. Applicants and their academic supervisors in Austria will be notified by email.
Applicants from outside the EU planning stays longer than six months should allow for visa and residence procedures, which can take several months. OeAD advises applicants from third countries planning stays exceeding six months to consider a November or December start because of residence-permit processing times. The grant may not cover all expenses associated with the stay, including health insurance, accommodation and travel costs. The grant rate cannot be increased to cover additional expenses.
Who Should Apply
The fellowship is intended for doctoral candidates pursuing their PhD outside Austria, as well as postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers seeking a short research stay in Austria with an academic career in view. It also welcomes postdoctoral lecturers and researchers employed at a university outside Austria. Applicants should have a research project that can be carried out in English and an Austrian academic supervisor willing to confirm that. The stay must be for short-term research or study, not enrolment in a full degree programme.
Key Highlights
- Host country: Austria; eligible Austrian universities may host the research stay.
- Programme period: Austrian academic year 2027/28, with stays starting from September 2027.
- Application deadline: December 1, 2026, at 23:59 Central European Time.
- Expected announcement of results: beginning of July 2027.
- Research periods must consist of full calendar months and require written confirmation of supervision.
Eligibility criteria
- Applicants must be postgraduates pursuing a doctoral/PhD programme outside Austria; postgraduates or postdocs seeking research in Austria with a view to an academic career; or postdocs working as lecturers or researchers at a university outside Austria.
- Postgraduates and postdocs applying to conduct research in Austria must have completed their studies at a university outside Austria after September 30, 2025.
- Applicants must be no older than 35 when their research stay begins.
- Applicants are ineligible if they are regular students at an Austrian university, permanently resident in Austria, or completed their academic education mainly in Austria.
- Applicants must not have lived, studied, conducted research or pursued academic work in Austria during the six months before taking up the grant.
- A written confirmation of supervision from a lecturer at an Austrian university is required. The Austrian supervisor must also confirm that the proposed project can be carried out in English.
- Applicants should have sufficient English knowledge in the relevant subject area. An official language-test certificate, such as TOEFL, is not required.
- A valid biometric passport must be uploaded. An identity card is accepted for applications from EU citizens.
- Recommendation letters must contain relevant information, letterhead, date, signature and the stamp of the university or department, and must be no older than six months at application time. The specified supervision-confirmation template must be used and include a date, signature and stamp.
- Documents that are neither in English nor German must be submitted with a copy of the original and an English or German translation. Officially certified translations are not required.
- Only original or certified digital signatures are accepted. An uncertified digital signature requires proof of authenticity, such as an institutional stamp; otherwise, the application may be formally invalid.
- Applicants using generative AI to prepare the application must declare it and document which tools they used and how they used them.
Ready to apply?
Research Fellowship in Austria 2027 for PhD Students and Researchers