The Ernst Mach Grant in Several Disciplines, Austria

Ernst Mach Grant

The Ernst Mach Grants are named after the famous Austrian physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach (1838-1916). The grant program is financed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW). Students and young researchers from foreign universities are invited to apply for this grant to come to Austria for a research or a study stay. Every year a board of representatives of the Austrian Ministry awards the Ernst Mach Grants based on the results of an expert examination procedure. Age limit for this grant program is 35 years at the time of the application

Call for applications

The call for application starts in October. Deadline for the online application is March 1st for stays during the following academic year.

Target groups

The "Ernst Mach grant worldwide" is open to 

• postgraduates pursuing a doctoral/PhD program outside Austria,
• postgraduates and post-docs wishing to do research in Austria with a view to an academic career and who have completed their studies (at an university outside Austria),
• or post-docs who are working as lecturers at a foreign university outside Austria. Duration of stay is limited to a maximum of 9 months (extension are not possible within this program)

The "Ernst Mach Grant for studying at an Austrian University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule)" is open to:

• graduates and undergraduates who are studying at a university outside Europe and who are participating in a master program or have successfully completed at least four semesters of their studies within a bachelor- or diploma program at the time of taking up the grant. The minimum duration of stay is 4 months, maximum stay in Austria is up to 10 months.

Grant benefit paid

Supplementary grant, own funds are required!

1) Monthly grant rate
a) for graduates: 940 EUR
b) for graduates with a PhD degree: 1,040 EUR
2) Accident and health insurance, accommodation
a) If necessary, the OeAD-GmbH will take out an accident and health insurance on behalf of the grant recipient.
b) The OeAD-GmbH will endeavour to provide accommodation (student hall of residence or flat) for recipients of grants who wish to get accommodation arranged by the OeAD. Monthly costs: 220 to 470 EUR (depending on how much comfort the recipients of grants want). An administration fee of 18 EUR per month is payable to the OeAD-GmbH for arranging accommodation.
The costs for insurance and accommodation have to be paid out of the grant by the recipient of the grant.
3) Recipients of grants are exempted from paying tuition fees.
4) Recipients of grants from non-European developing countries will also receive a travel costs subsidy of 730 EUR maximum.

Advice on how to apply

The new version of the announcement with updated information and regulations will be published probably in September 2016. The next call for applications is expected for October 2016.

Eligible for application are

a) postgraduates pursuing a doctoral/PhD programme outside Austria;
b) postgraduates and post-docs wishing to pursue research in Austria with a view to an academic career and who completed their studies (at a university outside Austria) after September 30th, 2014;
c) post-docs who are working as lecturers at a university outside Austria.
(Applicants under a) have to prove that they pursue doctoral/PhD studies, applicants under c) have to prove that they are employed by a university.)

Applicants must not have studied/pursued research/pursued academic work in Austria in the last six months before taking up the grant.

Maximum age: 35 years (born on or after Oct. 1st, 1980).
Good knowledge of German, particularly in the respective subject area, is a prerequisite. For projects to be carried out in English a good knowledge of English in the respective subject area is required.

The scholarship will only be granted for projects that can be completed within the scholarship period (max. 9 months).

• wo letters of recommendation by university lecturers (for these letters of recommendation no specific form is required; they must contain the letterhead, date and signature of the person recommending the applicant and the stamp of the university / department and must not be older than six months at the time of application.)
• Consent of a lecturer at the Austrian target university to supervise the applicant academically
• Scanned copy of your passport (page with the name and photo)
• Scanned copy of your university graduation certificate of your diploma, master, PhD or doctoral studies
• only for PHD-students: confirmation, that proves your participation in a PHD-program at your home university! 
• only for postdoc-lecturers: confirmation that proves your employment at your home university!

General Information 

• Applicants who seek admission to an university in Austria have to contact the institution of their choice directly.
• Short-term grants (1 to 3 months) have a priority in the period from January to June. In other cases problems can arise as regards accommodation. When applying for a short-term grant therefore consideration should be given to applying primarily for the period of January to June.
• The selection process for all grants for Austria is competitive, i.e. there is no legal claim to a grant even if all application requirements are fulfilled.
• Applicants should take into consideration § 1 of the Data Protection Act, Federal Law Gazette of the Republic of Austria No. 165/1999, as amended, that the personal details contained in the application will be passed on to the authority dealing with their application, the contractual partners, the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs and in the exchange as well as to other authorities awarding grants in Austria and will expressly agree with that.

Reporting commitment
Every scholarship holder is obliged to prove that the scholarship was used in an appropriate manner by submitting a final report at the responsible OeAD Regional Office at the end of the scholarship stay.

For more information click "Further official information" below.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

https://www.oead.at/welcome_to_austria/grants_scholarships/international_cooperation_mobility_grants_scholarships/ernst_mach_grant/EN/#c1018