DOC [Doctoral Fellowship Program of the Austrian Academy of Sciences]
With the DOC fellowship program, the Austrian Academy of Sciences supports highly qualified doctoral candidates from all areas of basic research. The fellowship enables young researchers to dedicate themselves to writing their dissertation in a concentrated manner and with a clear time frame.
The application for a DOC fellowship is open to highly qualified doctoral candidates who are pursuing their doctoral/PhD studies at a university in Austria and meet the application requirements.
Formal requirements
Applications are open to students before the start of or within the first year after the start of their doctoral/PhD studies at a university in Austria (date of enrolment; dated from 1 July of the year of submission), if they meet the following criteria:
The application is not possible if an artistic doctoral program (Dr. art. or PhD in the Arts) is being pursued.
Subject-specific minimum qualifications
The aim of the DOC program is to support young scientists on their way to an academic career; the focus is on students whose CVs clearly demonstrate their interest in science and research.
Therefore, at least two of the following three criteria must be met when applying:
By the submission deadline in September 2025, 454 formally valid applications had been received. In February 2026, all applicants were informed whether their application had been included in the shortlist for international review. The decision on the awarding of the fellowships will be made in June/July 2026. The fellowships can be started on September 1, 2026 at the earliest.
The Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen (IWM) in Vienna offers DOC Fellows undertaking research projects in the fields of the humanities, the social sciences and cultural studies the opportunity of a six-month research stay at the institute. These Visiting Fellowships include a workspace at the IWM with IT facilities and involvement in the international scientific community.
Applicants interested in these opportunities should mention this in the cover letter accompanying their application. If a fellowship is awarded, the OeAW will forward the application documents to the IWM . The final selection of the candidates will then be made by the responsible authorities at the IWM.
The IWM charges a monthly fee (currently 250 euros) for the use of the infrastructure and lunch in the in-house cafeteria.
Each year (from 1 October on one year to 30 June of the following year) the IFK Internationales Forschungszentrum Kulturwissenschaften in Vienna and the University of the Arts Linz in Vienna, give a maximum of 2 OeAW DOC Fellows the opportunity to participate in its research programme as Junior Fellows. With this Fellowship, a workplace in an office with other Junior Fellows at the ifk is connected with IT and Internet access.
The ifk offers an interdisciplinary environment in which ÖAW Fellows can network with other doctoral students as well as with post docs and professors from all over the world. In addition, ÖAW ifk Junior Fellows have the opportunity to give a public lecture to a large international audience at ifk and Zoom. The projects of the fellows are placed in the media of the ifk (website, Instagram and ifk NOW: a magazine with a circulation of 8,000 copies). Fellows are also expected to attend the weekly Fellow Lectures (usually on Mondays) and attend the weekly meetings (dissertation workshop or Fellow Meeting)
Precondition: German language skills, level B1!
Applicants interested in these opportunities should mention this in the cover letter accompanying their application. If a fellowship is awarded, the ÖAW will forward the application documents to the ifk. The final selection of the candidates for the fellowships will then be made by the responsible authorities at the ifk. If the ifk is interested, the candidates are invited to an interview.
Length of Fellowship
24 / 30 / 36 months
next submission deadline
17 August - 15 September, 2026 (23.59, CEST)
Contact
stipref(at)oeaw.ac.at
