Updated: August 19, 2026 | Reading time: 5 min | Written by: StudyTribune Team
“Austrian Government Scholarship” isn’t one single programme — it’s a portfolio of separately named scholarships and grants, worth roughly €15 million for the 2026/27 academic year alone, administered by OeAD (Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation) and funded by the Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research. This guide covers the main routes available, real eligibility, and current deadlines.
What OeAD Actually Administers
OeAD funds and supports around 3,500 international students and researchers a year across several distinct named programmes, each with its own target audience, funding level, and deadline. The flagship route for most international applicants is the Ernst Mach Grant – Worldwide, but it’s far from the only option.
Ernst Mach Grant – Worldwide (the Main Route for Most Applicants)
Open to PhD students, postgraduates, postdocs, and researchers from universities outside Austria, across all fields of study. It funds a research or study stay of 1 to 9 months — this is a mobility/research grant, not funding for a full degree programme. Coverage includes:
- A monthly stipend of roughly €1,050 (Master’s/postgraduate level) or €1,150 (PhD level)
- Health insurance for the duration of the grant
- Tuition fee waiver at public Austrian universities
- An additional travel subsidy of up to €1,200 for international travel to and from Austria
Ernst Mach Follow-Up Grant
Aimed specifically at postdoctoral researchers and lecturers from non-European developing countries who have previously received OeAD funding. To qualify, at least three years must have passed since your last OeAD-funded research visit to Austria before you can apply for a follow-up grant.
Other Named Programmes Worth Knowing
Franz Werfel Fellowship — for young university teachers of German language and Austrian literature specifically, supporting research, teaching, and building an international network in that field.
Bertha von Suttner Scholarship — a PhD-level scholarship track within the OeAD portfolio, worth checking if you’re pursuing doctoral study specifically.
Beyond OeAD’s own programmes, individual Austrian universities also run their own merit-based awards (such as Leistungsstipendium performance scholarships), and these are generally combinable with OeAD funding — applying to more than one route at once is a legitimate strategy, not a conflict.
Eligibility (General Pattern Across Most Programmes)
- Relevant academic qualification for the level you’re applying at — a diploma or Bachelor’s for Master’s-level applications, a Master’s for PhD-level
- Age limits generally apply: under 35 for most Master’s/postgraduate-level grants (Ernst Mach Grant specifically), differing caps may apply for other programmes — check your specific grant’s exact limit
- Proof of English or German proficiency, matching your course or research language — a letter from your Austrian host confirming language adequacy is often sufficient for English-medium research, rather than a formal test score
- Must not have studied or lived in Austria in the six months immediately before applying
- Research-focused grants specifically require a confirmed Austrian host institution and supervisor before you apply — this isn’t optional paperwork, it’s a prerequisite
Key Dates
The Ernst Mach Grant and Ernst Mach Follow-Up Grant both carry a February 1 deadline at 23:59 CET for the current cycle. If you’re reading this after that date, that specific cycle has closed — based on this recurring pattern, expect the next cycle’s deadline to fall around the same early-February date the following year, though always confirm on the official OeAD portal rather than assuming an exact repeat.
How to Apply: Step by Step
- Identify the right programme for your academic level and field via the OeAD website or the Austrian Database for Scholarships and Research Grants (grants.at).
- Secure an Austrian host institution. For research-focused grants, contact a professor or research group at an Austrian university directly and obtain a formal acceptance or invitation letter confirming they’ll supervise you during the grant period.
- Prepare your documents — research proposal, academic transcripts, CV, publication list (where relevant), your host’s invitation letter, and any programme-specific materials.
- Submit online through the OeAD Scholarship Portal (grants.oead.at) before the deadline — most programmes also require certified documents to be sent by post alongside the online submission.
- Consider combining routes. If you’re eligible for a university-specific award alongside an OeAD grant, applying to both is worth doing rather than picking just one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming this funds a full degree programme. Most OeAD grants, including Ernst Mach, fund research or study stays of a few months, not a complete degree — they’re designed to complement study already underway at your home institution.
- Applying without a confirmed host institution. For research-focused grants, this is a prerequisite, not something to sort out after applying.
- Missing the postal document requirement. Several OeAD programmes require certified documents by post in addition to the online application — an online-only submission can be treated as incomplete.
- Not checking for combinable funding. Assuming you can only receive one source of funding at a time can leave real money on the table.
FAQs
Is there one single Austrian Government Scholarship?
No. It’s a portfolio of separately named programmes administered by OeAD, each with different eligibility, funding, and deadlines — the Ernst Mach Grant is the main route for most international applicants.
Does the Ernst Mach Grant fund a full degree?
No. It funds a research or study stay of 1 to 9 months, meant to complement ongoing study or research at your home institution, not replace a full degree programme.
How much does the Ernst Mach Grant pay?
Roughly €1,050 a month at Master’s/postgraduate level, or €1,150 a month at PhD level, plus health insurance, a tuition waiver at public universities, and a travel subsidy of up to €1,200.
When is the application deadline?
The Ernst Mach Grant and Ernst Mach Follow-Up Grant both close February 1 at 23:59 CET for their current cycle — confirm the exact date for the next cycle on the official OeAD portal.
Do I need German language skills to apply?
Not necessarily — many research projects in Austria are conducted in English, and a letter from your Austrian supervisor confirming language adequacy is usually sufficient.
Can I combine an OeAD grant with a university scholarship?
Yes. OeAD, university-specific, and home-country grants are often combinable — applying to more than one is a legitimate strategy.
Is there an age limit?
Generally under 35 for the Ernst Mach Grant specifically — other OeAD programmes may have different limits, so check your specific grant’s criteria.
Where do I officially apply?
Through the OeAD Scholarship Portal (grants.oead.at) or the Austrian Database for Scholarships and Research Grants (grants.at) — these are the official channels.
Related Reading
Strengthen your application with our guides to writing a recommendation letter for a scholarship and a personal statement for scholarship applications. If you’re comparing European destinations more broadly, our roundup of scholarships in Europe covers a wider set of countries and funding types.
Austria’s OeAD-administered scholarships remain a strong, genuinely underused route into European research and study specifically because they’re structured as short-term grants rather than full degree funding — confirm the current cycle’s exact deadline and your specific programme’s eligibility directly with OeAD before building an application timeline.