ÖH Scholarship (Austrian Students' Union Support Fund)
The ÖH Scholarship (Sozial- und Sonderstipendium der Österreichischen HochschülerInnenschaft) is a needs-based support fund run by Austria's national students' union, the ÖH. Unlike merit scholarships that help you get to Austria, this is a hardship grant for students who are already enrolled at an Austrian university and hit unexpected financial difficulty — and, importantly, it is open to international students, including those from outside the EU, who are otherwise excluded from many Austrian state grants. Awards are typically one-off payments sized to the applicant's documented need rather than fixed amounts. For Sri Lankan students already studying in Austria who face an income shock, an unexpected cost, or a funding gap, the ÖH fund is a genuine safety net. It should be understood as emergency/needs support, not a route to fund your whole degree — plan your primary financing separately. Confirm current eligibility, required documents and amounts on the ÖH website before applying.
Applications are generally accepted in defined periods each semester — confirm the current window and terms on oeh.ac.at
Österreichische HochschülerInnenschaft (ÖH)
External Organization-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
One-off Need-based Grant
Level
Enrolled Students (Any Level)
Basis
Documented Financial Need
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Awards from external organisations 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
Österreichische HochschülerInnenschaft (ÖH) — 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
One-off Need-based Grant (Hardship Support). 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
Enrolled at an Austrian University
You must already be a registered student at an Austrian university or university of applied sciences. This is support for current students, not a pre-arrival recruitment scholarship.
International Students Included
The fund is notably open to international students, including non-EU nationals such as Sri Lankans, who are excluded from many Austrian state study grants. Confirm the specific conditions in the current call.
Documented Financial Hardship
Awards are needs-based: you must show genuine financial difficulty with supporting documentation (income, expenses, and the circumstances of your hardship). Amounts are set case by case.
Meeting Study Requirements
Applicants are generally expected to be making satisfactory academic progress. Check the current ÖH criteria for any minimum credit or enrolment conditions.
account_tree Application Process
Confirm the current ÖH terms
Review the current ÖH scholarship/support-fund page for eligibility, required documents and the application window, as conditions and amounts change.
Prepare your evidence
Gather proof of enrolment, income and expenses, and documentation of the financial hardship you are applying on the basis of.
Submit the application
Apply through the ÖH within the semester's application window, providing the completed form and all supporting documents.
Assessment and payment
The ÖH assesses need and, if approved, pays a one-off support grant. This complements — it does not replace — your main study financing and visa proof-of-funds.
Why the ÖH Support Fund?
The Österreichische HochschülerInnenschaft is Austria's official national students' union, representing all students at Austrian higher-education institutions. Its needs-based support fund is one of the few Austrian grants explicitly reachable by non-EU international students, making it a valuable emergency backstop for Sri Lankans already studying in Austria.
National
Austrian Students' Union
Non-EU
International Students Eligible
Need
Hardship-based Support
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.
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