Researcher in a white lab coat and blue nitrile gloves using a pipette over a rack of sample tubes.

Austria Rolling — positions are advertised continuously on the FWF job board as grants are awarded

FWF-Funded Doctoral Positions in Austria

The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) is Austria's central body for funding basic research, and the doctoral positions it bankrolls are employee posts — not tuition scholarships. When a professor wins an FWF grant (a stand-alone project, a doctoral programme, or a 'doc.funds' cluster), they hire PhD researchers onto salaried contracts set by the FWF personnel-cost scheme: roughly €35,000 gross per year for a 30-hour week, with full Austrian social insurance and effectively no tuition burden. For Sri Lankan Master's graduates this is one of Austria's best-paid research routes. Positions are advertised individually on the FWF jobs board and on university careers pages; you apply to a specific project rather than to a generic scholarship.

Austrian Science Fund (FWF) – at Austrian universities & institutes

Government-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Salary

~€35,000/yr gross (30 hrs/week)

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Duration

3-4 years (project-linked)

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Type

Salaried contract (social insurance included)

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Fields

All disciplines (basic research)

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Relevant Master's Degree

A completed Master's (or equivalent) matching the advertised project. Sri Lankan applicants with a research Master's and a strong thesis are competitive in the sciences and social sciences.

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Fit to a Funded Project

You apply to a specific FWF-funded position tied to a defined research project — your skills and interests must align closely with what the advert describes.

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English (often sufficient)

Many FWF projects run in English, particularly in the natural sciences. Each advert states its language needs; some positions value German for fieldwork or teaching.

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Open to Internationals

Positions are open to applicants worldwide, including Sri Lanka. The hiring university supports your Austrian research-visa (Red-White-Red or student) once you accept.

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Direct Application

CV, motivation letter, transcripts, and references go directly to the hiring research group, not through a central scholarship office.

account_tree Application Process

Search the FWF job board

Browse the FWF jobs portal and Austrian university careers pages for advertised doctoral positions in your field. Each lists the project, supervisor, salary, and deadline.

Apply to a specific position

Submit a tailored motivation letter, CV, transcripts, and references to the hiring group, clearly linking your background to the project's aims and methods.

Interview

Shortlisted candidates interview with the principal investigator and team, usually online for international applicants. Expect detailed questions about your Master's research.

Contract and relocation

On selection you sign an employment contract and the university supports your Austrian residence/work permit. There is no separate tuition fee to fund.

About the FWF

The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) funds excellent basic research across all disciplines and sets the national standard for doctoral employment terms. An FWF-funded position pairs a salaried Austrian research contract with a degree from a public university — and Austria's public universities charge only nominal fees, often waived for funded researchers.