[CALL] OeAW - DOC Fellowship

05.10.2023

Deadline: 2023-10-05

For highly qualified doctoral candidates (38.000 Euro/year, 24-36 months)

Application requirements

Application for a DOC Fellowship of the Austrian Academy of Sciences is open to highly qualified young researchers in all areas of basic research who

  • are writing their doctoral thesis at an Austrian university,
  • can prove that they fulfil the admission requirements for doctoral/PhD studies at their respective university,
  • completed their Diplom or Master’s degrees no more than two years prior to applying (dated from 1 January of the year of submission), and
  • do not have secure (multi-year) funding for their doctorate/PhD studies at the time they submit their application.

Furthermore, application is conditional on the submission of an exposé of their doctoral/PhD thesis, a positive reference by their doctoral supervisor including proof of provision of all relevant resources for the project’s undertaking.

ATTENTION: Applications from doctoral candidates who have already concluded a multi-year employment contract for the duration of their doctoral/PhD studies will not be accepted. This applies in particular to students who are funded as part of a PhD programme or a position as a university assistant.

Exceptions

Up to three years are recognized upon proof of (child) care obligations; further exceptions are made in the case of proof of military or alternative service, in the case of a disability or (chronic) illness, or in the case of research work (e.g. project staff) if proof is provided by submission of publications.

Exceptions must be clarified in consultation with the Department of Fellowships and Awards before the application is submitted.

Length of funding

DOC Fellowships are awarded for 24, 30, or 36 months.
If childcare duties for at least one child under the age of 7 (e.g. as a single parent) can be proven, the fellowship can be taken up as a part-time fellowship. In this case, the fellowship’s duration can be lengthened by up to half the time granted.

Extent of funding

A DOC Fellowship is funded in the amount of 38,000 Euros per annum.
This amount is a super gross sum and contains the legally required non-wage labour costs (including the employer’s contribution), taxes and duties.  
Additional travel expenses of up to 500 Euros per annum can be applied for to fund active participation in scientific conferences or research stays abroad.
A subsidy of up to 1,900 Euros per annum is available for childcare.

Research stay abroad

It is possible to arrange a stay abroad of up to 12 months in length within the framework of a DOC Fellowship.
It is also possible to undertake doctoral research within the framework of a Cotutelle Agreement between an Austrian and a foreign university within the framework of a DOC Fellowship.

Conditions

Additional employment (e.g. teaching, tutorials) is permitted if it promotes the programme’s aim – successful completion of the thesis – and does not exceed ten hours per week. Exceptions to this ruling are to be discussed with the Department of Fellowships and Awards.

Fellows must provide a work report and statement by their doctoral supervisor on the project's progress at the half-way stage and three months before the end of the fellowship.

Should Fellows fail to adhere to the conditions of the Fellowship, they msut pay back their funding.

Application details

Applicants are entitled to apply to other (funding) bodies. The Department of Fellowships and Awards mut be informed of such applications and their results in writing however.

It is possible to re-apply to the DOC programme, but only once.

Payment

The DOC Fellowships are paid in annual instalments directly to the fellows (if they are self-employed: “Neue Selbständige”) or to the Austrian university or non-university institution at which the fellow is employed.
Employment within the framework of the fellowship programme is conditional on confirmation by the director of the institute that a workspace will be provided in the event of a fellowship being awarded.

It is not possible to receive a fellowship payment before actually taking up the position.