Ernst Mach Grant Worldwide 2027/28 for Research Stays in Austria

About

The Ernst Mach Grant (worldwide) is run by OeAD, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation. The programme is named after the Austrian physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach (1838-1916). It supports young researchers from all disciplines and all countries except Austria who want to carry out a research project at an Austrian university.

This grant is for a research stay, not for a full degree. It cannot be used to enrol in a master’s or PhD programme in Austria. Stays last from 1 to 9 full months within the 2027-28 academic year, starting in September 2027 at the earliest. The online application closes on 1 December 2026 at 23:59 CET, and results are expected at the beginning of July 2027.

Host institution / country

You carry out your research at an Austrian university, under the supervision of a lecturer there. Research institutes outside universities are checked case by case, and the supervisor must teach at a university. OeAD is a non-profit agency owned by the Republic of Austria.

Financial benefits

• A monthly grant for each full month of your stay (1 to 9 months)
• Academic supervision by a lecturer at an Austrian university
• The official pages do not state the monthly amount, so check the programme entry on grants.at before you apply
• The rate is fixed. It cannot be increased, including for family members
• The official FAQ warns the grant may not cover all your costs. Plan your own money for health insurance (compulsory), rent and deposits, travel to Austria, visa travel, and proof of funds for a residence permit

Eligibility criteria

• Young researchers from any country except Austria
• Maximum age of 35 at the start of the stay
• PhD students enrolled at a university outside Austria
• Postgraduates and postdocs who finished their studies outside Austria after 30 September 2025 and plan an academic career
• Postdocs working as lecturers or researchers at a university outside Austria
• Enough English for your subject. No language test certificate is needed
• Not eligible: regular students at an Austrian university, people living permanently in Austria, people who completed most of their education in Austria, and people who lived, studied or worked in Austria in the six months before the grant

Required documents

• A valid biometric passport (EU citizens may use an ID card)
• A signed confirmation from your Austrian supervisor on the OeAD template, with date, signature and stamp. It must confirm the project can be done in English
• One or two recommendation letters on letterhead, with date, signature and stamp, no older than six months. Your supervisor cannot also write a recommendation
• Original or certified digital signatures
• Documents not in English or German need a simple English or German translation
• No separate research proposal file. You describe your project in the online form, meeting the minimum length

How to apply

1. Find an Austrian university lecturer willing to supervise your project. OeAD does not help with this.
2. Get the signed supervisor confirmation on the OeAD template.
3. Ask one or two referees for signed recommendation letters.
4. Complete every section of the online application, meeting the minimum word and character counts.
5. Declare any use of AI tools, such as for structuring your proposal or drafting research questions.
6. Submit before 1 December 2026, 23:59 CET. Late documents are not accepted, and technical support is offline outside office hours, so submit early.

Selection process and timeline

• OeAD first checks formal criteria. Incomplete or too-short applications are rejected.
• Experts in your field then evaluate all valid applications.
• A selection committee awards the grants to the best applicants.
• Results are expected at the beginning of July 2027. You and your supervisor are told by email.
• Non-EU nationals should book a visa appointment right away. For stays over six months, visas can take several months, so a September start may not be realistic. OeAD suggests a November or December start for these stays.
• For short stays of 1 to 3 months, OeAD recommends January to June, mainly because housing is easier to find.

Tips for a strong application

• Contact potential supervisors early. You need their signed confirmation before the deadline.
• Write a clear, detailed project description. Explain your research question, methods and why Austria is the right place.
• Choose recommenders who know your research well and are not your Austrian supervisor.
• Plan your budget carefully, including insurance, rent deposits and travel.
• Pick your stay dates with visa processing and housing in mind.