Ernst Mach Grant 2027 in Austria (Funded PhD Research)

The Ernst Mach Grant is a funded Austrian government scholarship for doctoral research. It pays a monthly grant of 1,300 euros, helps arrange your accommodation and health insurance, and includes a reduction of your tuition fees, for a research stay at an Austrian university or college. It is run by the OeAD, Austria’s agency for education. It is for people who already hold a master’s degree and are doing, or about to do, a PhD.

What is the Ernst Mach Grant?

The Ernst Mach Grant brings researchers from around the world to Austria to do part of their doctoral work there. You stay at an Austrian university or research institute, work on your research, and get paid a monthly grant while you do it.

It is named after Ernst Mach, an Austrian physicist. The OeAD runs it on behalf of the Austrian government, and it is open worldwide, so researchers from Africa, Asia, and everywhere else can apply.

This is a research grant, not a taught degree scholarship. You already hold a master’s and you are working toward a PhD, and this funds a research stay in Austria as part of that.

What you get

• A monthly grant of 1,300 euros while you are in Austria.
• Help arranging your accommodation, including access to OeAD student housing.
• Help arranging your health insurance.
• A reduction of your tuition fees at the Austrian institution.

Check the official OeAD page for the current details on travel support and the exact length of the grant for your case, since these can vary by programme.

Who can apply

• You hold a master’s degree, or an equivalent, and you are doing or starting a PhD.
• You are under 35 years old.
• You are a citizen of any country except Austria.
• You have not studied or done research in Austria in the six months before the grant starts.

Is there an age limit?

Yes. You need to be under 35 to apply for the worldwide Ernst Mach Grant. So if you are inside that, and you have your master’s, your age is not the question. Read the exact rule on the official page, because the OeAD runs a few grant lines with slightly different rules.

Do I need German?

Many doctoral research stays run in English, especially in the sciences, so you do not always need German. What matters is that your research fits a host institute in Austria and that you can work in the language your research uses. Check the requirements for your field and your host on the official page.

What you need to apply

• Your master’s degree and academic records.
• Your CV and list of any published work.
• A clear research proposal for your stay in Austria.
• A letter of acceptance or support from an Austrian host institute or supervisor, where required.
• Reference letters.
• Your passport.

How to write your research proposal

Your research proposal carries this application. Name the problem you want to work on, say why Austria and this host institute fit it, and be specific about what you will produce during the stay. A clear, focused proposal that matches an Austrian lab or group beats a broad statement about loving research. Write it yourself and keep it plain.

How to apply, step by step

1. Open the official OeAD Ernst Mach Grant page (the link is at the bottom of this post).
2. Find an Austrian host institute or supervisor whose work matches your research.
3. Prepare your research proposal, CV, and records.
4. Apply through the OeAD grants system (grants.at) during the October to February window.
5. Submit before 1 February 2027, and keep a copy of everything.

How they choose

The OeAD and Austrian reviewers look at your academic record, the quality of your research proposal, and how well your work fits a host in Austria. A strong proposal and a good match with an institute are what move you forward. So put your effort into those two things.

Deadline

1 February 2027. Applications open from October and run to this date, for research stays in the following period.

You have time, so use it well. Finding the right Austrian host and writing a strong research proposal are the parts that take longest, so start those early and let the rest of the application follow.

Have a question?

Tell us your research field in the comments and we will help you think about where in Austria it might fit.

Related reading

• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships 2027/28 in the UK (Fully Funded)
• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2027/28 (Fully Funded)
• KAUST Scholarship 2027 in Saudi Arabia (Fully Funded)
• Doha Institute for Graduate Studies Scholarship 2027 (Fully Funded)

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Apply on the Official OeAD Website