DOC-Information

Objective

With the DOC fellowship program, the Austrian Academy of Sciences supports highly qualified doctoral candidates from all areas of research. The fellowship is intended to enable young researchers to devote themselves to writing their dissertation in a concentrated manner and with a clear time frame.

Target group

Highly qualified young scientists from all areas of basic research are invited to apply for a DOC fellowship from the OeAW who:

• are pursuing their doctoral or PhD studies in Austria,
• have completed their diploma or master's degree no more than two years before the application (deadline is 1 July of the year of submission) and
• can prove that they meet the admission requirements for  doctoral or PhD studies in accordance with the regulations of the respective university.

Furthermore, application is conditional on the submission of a dissertation exposé, the positive opinion of the dissertation supervisor including proof of the provision of any material resources necessary for the implementation of the dissertation project.

Exceptions

Exceptions must be clarified by consulting the Department of Fellowships & Awards of the OeAW before the application is submitted.

If the diploma/master’s degree was completed more than two years before the submission deadline, the period can be extended to a maximum of four years. The following reasons for delays/interruptions are accepted: (child) care obligations, military or civilian service, disability, (chronic) illness.

The diploma/master's degree program must be fully completed at the time of application, i.e. the degree certificate must be submitted with the application documents.
Exceptions are possible if proof is submitted with the application documents that all courses have been completed and the diploma/master's thesis has been graded. The final examination for the diploma/master's program must take place no later than six weeks after the submission date; this date should be communicated when the application is submitted.

Application details

Applicants are free to apply to other (funding) bodies. The Department of Fellowships & Awards of the OeAW must be informed of such applications and their results in writing however.

It is not possible to apply for another ÖAW funding program at the same time.

It is possible to re-apply to the DOC program once, if the application requirements are met.

Compliance with the guidelines for good scientific practice

When drafting the application, the program statutes of the DOC program and the guidelines of good scientific practice (https://oeawi.at/en/guidelines/)  must be observed.
By signing the online application form for a DOC fellowship, applicants confirm that they have written the submitted project proposal independently.

Research stay abroad

It is possible to carry out a stay abroad of up to 12 months as part of a DOC fellowship.

It is also possible to carry out the dissertation project within the framework of a cotutelle agreement between an Austrian and a foreign university within the framework of a DOC fellowship.

Duration of funding

DOC fellowships are granted for a period of 24, 30 or 36 months and must be commenced within four months of the announcement of the decision of the committee. In justified exceptional cases, a later start is also possible.

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.

Amount of funding

The amount of the fellowship is adjusted every year; for more information, see: Fellowship Rates
These amounts are personnel costs.

In addition, a travel allowance of max. 500 euros per year can be applied for to fund active participation in scientific meetings/conferences or for research stays abroad.

A cost subsidy of max. 1,900 euros (gross/gross) per year is available for childcare.

Payment

The DOC fellowships are paid out in annual installments either directly to the fellowship recipients ("new self-employed") or to the university or non-university research institution in Austria where the fellowship recipients are employed.

The prerequisite for employment within the framework of the DOC program is the commitment of the institute management that a workplace can be made available if the fellowship is awarded.

There is no provision for payment of the fellowship for a period prior to the actual start of the fellowship.

Conditions

Additional employment (e.g. teaching assignments, tutorials) is permitted if they promote the program goal – the successful writing of the dissertation – and do not take up more than ten hours per week. Exceptions to this regulation must be clarified with the Department of Fellowships & Awards of the OeAW.

Should fellows fail to adhere to the conditions of the fellowship, they must pay back their funding.

Reporting

Halfway through and three months before the end of the funding period, fellowship recipients must submit a work report and a statement from the dissertation supervisor on the progress of the project by e-mail to the Department of Fellowships & Awards of the OeAW (stipendien.berichte(at)oeaw.ac.at).

In all publications that are produced as a result of the funding, the note "funded within the DOC program of the OeAW" must be mentioned.

Legal position

The Austrian Academy of Sciences has no influence on the content and organization of the dissertation project. The criterion for funding is the fulfillment of the exposé prepared by the recipient of the fellowship.

The Austrian Academy of Sciences does not acquire any rights to the results of the research work through the payment of the fellowship, nor does it exert any influence on the type of cooperation of the recipient(s) with research institutions and research groups.