DOC-Information

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,
• completed their Diplom or Master’s degrees no more than two years prior to applying (dated from 1 July of the year of submission) and
• can prove that they fulfil the admission requirements for doctoral/PhD studies at their respective university.

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.

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 program once, as long as the conditions of application are fulfilled and the applicant was invited to re-apply.

Exceptions

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

The diploma/master's degree program must be fully completed at the time of application, i.e. the degree certificate must be submitted with the application documents.
Exceptions are possible if proof is submitted with the application documents that all courses have been completed and the diploma/master's thesis has been graded. The final examination for the diploma/master's program must take place no later than six weeks after the submission date; this date should be communicated when the application is submitted.

If the diploma/master’s degree was completed more than two years before the submission deadline, the period can be extended to a maximum of four years. The following reasons for delays/interruptions are accepted: (child) care obligations, military or civilian service, disability, (chronic) illness or in the case of research work with proof through submission of publications.

Compliance with the guidelines for good scientific practice

When drafting the application, the programme statutes of the DOC programme and the guidelines of good scientific practice (https://oeawi.at/en/guidelines/)  must be observed.
By signing the online application form for a DOC fellowship, applicants confirm that they have written the submitted project proposal independently.

Length of funding

DOC Fellowships are awarded for 24, 30, or 36 months.
Upon proof of (child) care obligations or (chronic illness/disability, 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

Information to the amount of the fellowship: Fellowship Rates
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.

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.

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 must pay back their funding.

Legal position

The Austrian Academy of Sciences has no influence on the content and organization of the dissertation project. The criterion for funding is the fulfillment of the exposé prepared by the recipient of the fellowship.

The Austrian Academy of Sciences does not acquire any rights to the results of the research work through the payment of the fellowship, nor does it exert any influence on the type of cooperation of the recipient(s) with research institutions and research groups.