OeAW | DOC

Target group

The fellowships are intended to allow young researchers to dedicate themselves to working in focused fashion to complete their doctoral thesis within a clear timeframe.

Applications for a DOC Fellowship are open to highly qualified doctoral candidates of all ages who

• completed their Diplom or Master’s degree no more than two years prior to applying (dated from 1 July of the year of submission),
• are writing their doctoral or PhD thesis at an Austrian university,
• can prove that they fulfil the admission requirements for doctoral/PhD studies at their respective university, and
• submit a project exposé and a reference from their doctoral supervisor.

The basis of assessment of the applicant’s academic qualifications are the course of studies (including length and marks), stays abroad already completed and the list of publications. Some international experts also require the applicant’s diploma or master’s thesis.

Grant duration and sum

• 24, 30 or 36 months (If there is proof of (child) care obligations or (chronic) illness or disability, the fellowship can be claimed as a part-time fellowship. In this case, the funding period can be extended by a maximum of half of the approved time)
• The amount of the fellowship is adjusted every year; for more information, see Fellowship Rates.

Application

The deadline for application is 15 September 2026 at 14h.

For more information, please see the OeAW's website.