APPEAR Scholarships (Austrian Development Cooperation): Who Can Apply and How It Works

APPEAR scholarships are master’s and PhD scholarships funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) and run by OeAD, Austria’s agency for education and internationalisation, for students from partner countries who want to study in Austria. Before you put time into an application, read the eligibility and call-status sections below. APPEAR is not a general scholarship open to every international student, and its master’s and PhD scholarships have been tied to partnership projects between universities.

Last checked against the OeAD and APPEAR websites on 19 October 2026.

APPEAR scholarships at a glance

What are APPEAR scholarships?

APPEAR is a programme of the Austrian Development Cooperation, carried out by OeAD. Its main job is to build up universities and research institutions in ADC’s priority countries and regions, in the South and in the Black Sea and Southern Caucasus area. It does this through academic partnerships with Austrian universities, and master’s and PhD scholarships are one part of that work.

OeAD reports that since the programme started at the end of 2009, APPEAR has put 107 academic partnerships into practice and given scholarships to about 180 master’s and PhD students. The third phase runs until 2027 with about 30 new projects. The scale matters: this is a small, targeted programme, not a large scholarship scheme like Chevening or DAAD.

Two types of APPEAR scholarships

OeAD lists two types:

• Master’s and PhD scholarships bound to an APPEAR project. The scholarship belongs to a partnership between an Austrian university and a university or research institution in a priority country. The student is part of that project.
• Individual PhD scholarships. These are awarded on an individual basis and are not bound to a project.

Who can apply for APPEAR scholarships?

The programme focuses on ADC’s priority countries and regions, so your country of origin comes first. A page on the Austrian embassy in New Delhi’s website has listed students from Bhutan and Nepal as eligible for APPEAR master’s and PhD scholarships. OeAD also describes a project in Burkina Faso, which shows the programme reaches African partner countries.

Many of our readers come from Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Bangladesh. We did not find these countries named on the APPEAR or OeAD programme pages we checked. We cannot say you are ineligible, but do not assume you are eligible either. Email appear@oead.at with your country and level of study before you start preparing documents.

For project-linked scholarships, you will normally also need a connection to the partner university in your country, because the scholarship is tied to a project. For individual PhD scholarships, read the guidelines of the call that includes them for age limits, degree requirements and language requirements. Those details change between calls, so we do not quote them here.

Is an APPEAR scholarships call open right now?

On 19 October 2026, the latest call listed on the APPEAR application page was the 11th call, which closed on 31 May 2024. That call funded partnerships, namely academic partnerships, advanced academic partnerships and extended impact partnerships, and not scholarships. Individual PhD scholarship applications were part of the 10th call in 2023.

So there is no open scholarship call that we can point you to today. Programme phase III runs until 2027, so bookmark the APPEAR application page and check it before you plan anything.

How to apply for APPEAR scholarships

Because most APPEAR scholarships sit inside projects, the route is different from a normal scholarship portal.

1. Confirm your country and level. Email appear@oead.at and ask whether your country is currently eligible for master’s or PhD scholarships.
2. Check whether your university is a partner. The APPEAR application page links to OeAD.map, a map of OeAD projects and alumni. Look for projects in your country and field.
3. Ask your international office or department head. If your university is in an APPEAR partnership, the project coordinators are the people who know how scholars are selected.
4. For an individual PhD scholarship, watch for the next call. Check the APPEAR application page for the guidelines and forms of any call that includes individual PhD scholarships.
5. Prepare your documents early. Doctoral applications usually need degree certificates, a CV, a research proposal, proof of English and referee letters. Confirm the exact list in the call guidelines.

APPEAR scholarships vs other Austrian options

Some websites mix up different Austrian scholarships, so it helps to separate them.

• ITH Salzburg diploma scholarship. Several sites describe an “Austrian Development Cooperation scholarship” for a tourism and hospitality diploma at the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management in Salzburg. That is a separate scheme from APPEAR. Apply through ITH, not OeAD.
• Ernst Mach Grant. An OeAD grant for research stays in Austria, aimed at PhD students and more senior researchers. It is a short stay, not a degree scholarship. See our guide to Austria scholarships for international students.
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s. Open to applicants of any nationality, with the rules set by each programme consortium.

If you are looking for a funded doctorate in Austria and your country is not on the APPEAR list, check our list of Europe scholarships for international students next.

How to make a PhD application stronger

APPEAR selects a small number of scholars, so the basics matter.

• Write to the project coordinator or supervisor first. A clear one-page research idea that fits their project gets more attention than a cold application.
• Match your topic to development research. The programme sits inside development cooperation, so explain how your work connects to your country’s needs.
• Get strong referee letters. Give your referees your CV, your research idea and the deadline. Our guide to a recommendation letter for scholarship has a sample and format you can share with them.
• Prove your English early. If you need a test, book it before the call opens.

Frequently asked questions about APPEAR scholarships

What does APPEAR stand for?

APPEAR stands for the Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education and Research for Development. It is a programme of the Austrian Development Cooperation, carried out by OeAD.

Who funds APPEAR scholarships?

The Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) funds the programme, and OeAD, Austria’s agency for education and internationalisation, runs it.

Can students from Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt or Bangladesh apply for APPEAR scholarships?

APPEAR focuses on the Austrian Development Cooperation’s priority countries and regions. We did not find Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt or Bangladesh named on the programme pages we checked, so confirm with the APPEAR office at appear@oead.at before you apply.

Can I apply directly for an APPEAR master’s scholarship?

Master’s and PhD scholarships are mostly bound to APPEAR partnership projects, so the route usually goes through the partner universities in the project. Only the individual PhD scholarships are not tied to a project.

Is an APPEAR scholarships call open now?

On 19 October 2026 we found no open scholarship call. The latest call listed on the APPEAR application page was the 11th, which closed on 31 May 2024 and covered partnerships. Check the APPEAR website before you plan.

Official sources

• APPEAR application page
• OeAD: scholarships and funding programmes from A to Z
• OeAD: development research

Related Guides:

Scholarships and grants poland, Europe scholarships hub, Czech Government Scholarships

Conclusion. APPEAR scholarships are a real but narrow route to a master’s or PhD in Austria. Confirm your country with the APPEAR office, find out whether your university is part of a partnership, and watch the application page for the next call.