If you are:
- a graduate student or a postdoc working or planing to work at ISTA, and
- willing to start or strengthen your track-record in getting third-party funds for your research,
you might want to check some of the major funding programmes below for PhD candidates and postdocs.
Many countries also have their own national fellowship programs. Click here to check funding options in your country of origin or your current/previous country of residence, for which we have experience.
These lists are not extensive, so do consult the grants.at database or contact us or in case you cannot find a suitable option, need personal advice or extra detail.
For graduate students – PhD candidates
National schemes
Program
Scope – Duration – Funding
Eligibility criteria
Calls & Key Dates
all scientific disciplines
2-3Y projects
46,759€ + 500€(travel) p. a.
- admitted @ ISTA Graduate School (GS)
- affiliated to a research group
- with MSc ⩽ 2Y before the call’s year or passed the qualifying exam (QE)
1/year
Sept
in medicine, natural & life sciences, and mathematics
6-12M projects
25,000€
- female PhD candidates
- doctorate studies initiated within the last 3 Y
- AT nationals, or living in AT for the last 3Y
1/year
Feb
International schemes
Program
Scope – Duration – Funding
Eligibility Criteria
Calls & Key Dates
experimental/in silico basic biomedical research
2 + 1Y funds
29,400€/Y
- first university acceptance
< 96M before the deadline - affiliated or set to affiliate with a group @ ISTA
- PhD project not initiated or initiated < 6M before the deadline*
3/year
1 Feb, 1 Jun, 1 Oct
Meta Research PhD Fellowship Program
(CURRENTLY IN REVISION – NO CALLS)
computer science (CS) and engineering
1-2Y funds
enrolled in ISTA Graduate Program at the start of the fellowship (following year’s fall)
1/year
Sept
accelerated computing and its applications (esp AI, robotics, autonomous vehicles and related fields)
1 academic year (9M)
~ 55,000€
- majored in CS and related fields
- students with first year of graduate studies completed
- available to complete a summer internship before start of the fellowship year
1/year
Sept
*cut-off date: affiliation date
Nomination-based calls
some funding schemes request institutional submissions and/or impose restrictions as to the number of concurrent fellowships applications from the same institution. In those cases, the Grant Office sets up a preliminary procedure to select those candidates who can apply for the following fellowships:
Program
Scope – Duration – Funding
Eligibility Criteria
Calls & Key Dates
Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship
(CURRENTLY IN REVISION – NO CALLS)
computing research
up to 1Y funds
students in their 3rd year or beyond at the start of the fellowship
1/year
June
computer science and related fields
up to 2Y funds
- students enrolled at any stage of their PhD
1/year
March-May
IBM PhD Fellowship Awards
(CURRENTLY IN REVISION – NO CALLS)
computer science and related fields
up to 2Y funds
students in their third year at the start of the fellowship (following year’s Fall)
1/year
Nov
The Grant Office will announce the calls in due course and give you instructions on how to proceed and when.
NOTE: For students not yet enrolled in the ISTA PhD Program, please see the Graduate School Website.
For postdocs
National schemes
Programme
Scope – Duration
Eligibility criteria
Calls & Key dates
all scientific disciplines
3Y funds
max ~110,000€/Y****
- with PhD deg ⩽ 5Y*
- @ ISTA for ⩽ 18M
- min 2 publs in the last 5Y***
continuous submission**
all scientific disciplines
1-4Y funds
max ~115,000€/Y****
- female scientists
- ⩾ 2Y postdoctoral experience
- min 2 publs in the last 5Y***
continuous submission**
all scientific disciplines
10-24M (outgoing phase abroad)
3-12M (return phase in AT)
~95,000€/Y****
- with PhD deg or about to have it
- in AT for ⩾ 3Y in the last 10Y or in AT for ⩾ last 2Y
- invited by the foreign host
- min 2 publs in the last 5Y***
continuous submission**
all scientific disciplines
1Y + 6M funds
94,390€/Y1****
41,195€ (Extension)
- with PhD deg ⩽ 3Y before the call’s year*
1/year
Jan
medicine, natural & life sciences, and mathematics
6-12M projects
25,000€
- female scientists
- with PhD deg ⩽ 4Y*
- AT nationals, or living in AT for the last 3Y
1/year
Feb
* justified career breaks can extend the eligibility window. Please consult us to discuss your case!
** personal deadlines apply, please consult us to discuss your case!
*** at least one publ as first, last or corresponding author (except for disciplines where authors are listed alphabetically, and for Schrödinger, in the Life Sciences, if the application is submitted < 2Y after PhD degree)
**** including salary and project-related costs, amount varies with scheme, consult the guidelines or us for details
International schemes
Programme
Scope – Duration
Eligibility criteria
Calls & Key dates
biosciences,
2Y funds
min 72,000€/Y ****
- with PhD deg ⩽ 2Y
- @ ISTA for ⩽ 6M
- in AT for ⩽ 6M in the last 18 M
- ⩾1 main author publ or refereed pre-print
Continuous submission
Evaluation cut-offs:
2nd week of Feb and Jul
life sciences (LS),
2 + 1Y funds
min ~58,000€/Y ****
- with PhD in the LS ⩽ 3Y**
- @ ISTA since April at the earliest
- ⩾1 lead author publ
1/year
2-stage deadlines:
May (Letter of Intent)
Sept (Full proposal)
life sciences (LS),
2 + 1Y funds
min ~58,000€/Y ****
- with PhD out of the LS ⩽ 3Y**
- no previous work in the LS
- @ ISTA since April at the earliest
- ⩾1 lead author publ
1/year
2-stage deadlines:
May (Letter of Intent)
Sept (Full proposal)
all scientific disciplines,
2Y (+ 6M***) funds
min 129,000€****
- with PhD deg ⩽ 8Y**
- @ ISTA or in AT for ⩽12 M in the last 36M
1/year
Sept
* part of the Horizon Europe programme of the European Commission
** exceptions may apply, e.g. for parental leave: please consult us to discuss your case
*** for proposals requesting non-academic placements
**** salary costs, fellowships may provide extra allowance for travel and/or relocation, family/childcare, and project-related costs. Consult the guidelines or us for further details
NOTE: For incoming postdocs, see also our competitive postdoctoral programmes under ISTA funds.
Fellowships around the world
In Europe
Germany
Spain
Switzerland
The Netherlands
In Asia
Japan
JSPS Overseas Research Fellowships
Uehara Memorial Foundation Research Fellowships
In America
Perú
USA