Doctoral Program

The doctoral program in Vienna supports the establishment of doctoral colleges as highly qualified training centers for early-career academics from the national and international scientific community. With unlimited duration, it strengthens scientific focal points at Austrian research institutions with the right to award doctorates and sustainably increases the impact of these research projects. As a grant, the program funds doctoral colleges that supervise outstanding early-career researchers and enable excellent research achievements through collaborative structures. Continuous funding opportunities ensure long-term planning security for all project phases.

Eligible for funding are research groups from all disciplines at Austrian universities and non-profit non-university research institutions, provided the application is submitted by a natural person. Entry requirements include anchoring the project at a research institution with the right to award doctorates, a consortium of at least five and a maximum of twenty faculty members, and the implementation of the project in Austria. All submitted applications undergo an international peer-review process; the final selection is made by the board of trustees of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). Through this structure, the program promotes excellent doctoral training, strengthens the international visibility of Austrian research, and contributes to the sustainable development of scientific careers.