Ernst Mach Grant (OeAD)
The Ernst Mach Grant is Austria's flagship government scholarship for international Master's-level students — administered by OeAD (Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. The award pays €1,150/month for up to 9 months, plus a travel allowance and comprehensive health/accident insurance. It supports study (a semester or two of a Master's) or research stays at Austrian public universities, universities of applied sciences (FH), and art universities. Sri Lankan citizens are eligible. Austria is increasingly popular with Sri Lankan applicants in music (Vienna's conservatories), architecture, engineering, and economics — and Vienna consistently ranks #1 globally for quality of life.
The 2026/27 cycle closed on 1 March 2026. Applications run annually through the OeAD Grants.at portal with a typical early-March deadline for the following winter semester — expect the 2027/28 round to follow the same pattern and confirm on grants.at.
OeAD (Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation)
Government-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Monthly Stipend
€1,150/month
Duration
1-9 Months (Semester or Research Stay)
Extras
Travel Allowance + Insurance
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Government awards like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.
Who awards it
OeAD (Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation) — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.
What it covers
€1,150/month for Up to 9 Months + Travel + Insurance. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.
Where we come in
We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Non-EU/EEA Citizen
Reserved for citizens of non-EU/EEA countries. Sri Lankan passport holders qualify. Applicants must not have lived in Austria for more than 6 months at the time of application.
Master's-Level Applicant
Open to current Master's students or recent Master's graduates from your home country wishing to study or research at an Austrian institution. Some streams accept advanced Bachelor's students in their final year.
Hosting Institution Confirmation
You must arrange supervision/admission with the proposed Austrian host institution before applying — a letter from your Austrian supervisor or department head is required as part of the application package.
Language
Most Ernst Mach-funded study is in English (Austrian Master's programmes are increasingly English-taught). Research stays are typically in English. German is required only for German-taught programmes — check with your host.
account_tree Application Process
Identify host institution + supervisor
Browse the OeAD database at grants.at to find Austrian universities and programmes suitable for your field. Email prospective supervisors or department heads with your CV and research interests to secure a hosting confirmation.
Online application via Grants.at
Apply via the OeAD Grants.at portal when the call opens (typically autumn for the following academic year). Upload: CV, motivation letter, study/research plan, transcripts and degrees, language certificate, supervisor's letter of acceptance, and two academic references.
Selection review
OeAD's academic selection committee reviews applications based on academic merit, quality of the proposed study/research plan, and fit with the Austrian host. Decisions are typically announced 2-3 months after the deadline (May-June for March deadline).
Award + Austrian visa
Successful applicants receive an award letter detailing duration and monthly amount. Apply for the Austrian Residence Permit for Students (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student) at the Austrian Embassy in Colombo. Stipend is paid monthly across the award period.
Why Austria?
Austria offers tuition-free or very-low-cost public university study (around €726/semester for non-EU students), excellent quality of life (Vienna routinely #1 globally), and a 12-month post-study residence permit for non-EU graduates. The country's geographic position makes weekend travel to Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Eastern Europe straightforward.
#1 world
Vienna QoL (Mercer 2024)
€726
Avg Public Uni Tuition / Semester
12 mo
Post-Study Job-Seeker Visa
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat Austria actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Austria, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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