Funding

Fully Funded · Salary

Program dates

TBA

PhD Scholarship•Austria · Vienna

Vienna BioCenter PhD Program

Vienna BioCenter (IMP, IMBA, GMI and Max Perutz Labs) with the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna

Application Deadline

October 15, 2026

Official Page

The Vienna BioCenter PhD Program is a doctoral school of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, run together with four research institutes on the Campus Vienna Biocenter in Vienna: the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA), the Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI) and the Max Perutz Labs. Students are employed directly by the institute where their supervisor works, register at both universities, and graduate with a joint doctoral degree from the two of them. The programme runs for four years with the possibility of an extension, is fully funded, and works entirely in English. Recruitment happens in two calls a year, opening in March and in September; the number of positions varies from call to call, and 34 research groups were open to new students in the spring 2026 call. Selection runs in three stages — a written application, online panel interviews, and interviews with individual research groups — followed by an in-person campus visit that the programme pays for. The spring 2026 call has closed; the autumn 2026 call opens on 1 September 2026 and closes on 15 October 2026.

Benefits & funding

  • Gross salary of €39,000 to €42,900 per year (2025 figures), depending on the employing institute.
  • A full employment contract, including health, pension, accident and unemployment insurance.
  • Employment by IMP, IMBA, GMI or Max Perutz Labs, with contract terms and some benefits set by that institute.
  • Tuition fees are reimbursed.
  • German language courses are included.
  • Visas and residence permits for non-EU nationals are organised with the future supervisor, with support from the Vienna BioCenter welcome office.
  • Travel and accommodation for the in-person interview visit are covered.
  • Registration at both the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, leading to a joint doctoral degree.
  • Four years of funded work with the possibility of an extension.
  • A Thesis Advisory Committee monitors progress and advises both student and supervisor; school training events include Priming your PhD, Monday seminars and journal clubs.

Eligibility

  • A Master’s degree or equivalent in a life-sciences-related subject, or one expected within six months of the application deadline; the certificate and transcripts must reach the programme no later than six months after the deadline.
  • Alternatively, a four-year Bachelor (BA or BSc) with First Class Honours in a life-sciences-related subject, backed by a significant amount of research experience.
  • More than six months of full-time research experience in a relevant scientific area.
  • A high level of spoken and written English; an official certificate such as IELTS, TOEFL or CPE is recommended but not required.
  • Two referees with institutional email addresses, at least one of whom supervised the applicant on a research project; both letters must arrive before the deadline.
  • Anyone who has already applied to the Vienna BioCenter PhD Program is not eligible to apply again.
  • No nationality or residency restriction is stated, and the programme publishes no age limit and no minimum number of years of work experience.

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    Bachelor · Master

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Application process

  1. 1
    Wait for the autumn call to open on 1 September 2026, then read the list of research groups accepting students in that call.
  2. 2
    Write the three required essays: past research experience (600–2,500 characters), scientific interests (600–2,500 characters) and a letter of motivation (600–1,500 characters).
  3. 3
    Collect the supporting documents: Master’s and Bachelor’s degree certificates with transcripts, passport or ID card, residence permit if applicable, and language certificates if available.
  4. 4
    Invite the two referees early — the programme advises starting before 10 October, because referees need time and their letters must be submitted from official professional email addresses.
  5. 5
    Submit the application by 15 October 2026 at 23:59 CET.
  6. 6
    Results of the written round arrive by email in the second week of November.
  7. 7
    Attend the online rounds: panel interviews on 24–25 November, a meet-the-PIs session and a meet-the-PhD-students session on 1 December, one-on-one interviews with group leaders on 4 December, and research group interviews from 7 to 11 December.
  8. 8
    Take the in-person campus visit, arranged individually for December 2026 or January 2027, with travel and accommodation paid.
  9. 9
    Agree a start date with the supervising group; starts are flexible and happen at the latest by 1 June 2027.

Program timeline

  1. Autumn 2026 call opens

    Sep 1, 2026

  2. Point by which the programme advises having referees started

    Oct 10, 2026

  3. Application deadline, 23:59 CET

    Oct 15, 2026

  4. Written-round results sent by email

    2026-11 (second week)

  5. Online panel interviews

    Nov 24, 2026 to Nov 25, 2026

  6. Meet the PIs, then meet the PhD students

    Dec 1, 2026

  7. One-on-one interviews with group leaders

    Dec 4, 2026

  8. Research group interviews

    Dec 7, 2026 to Dec 11, 2026

  9. In-person campus visit, individually scheduled

    2026-12 to 2027-01

  10. PhD start, date agreed with the group

    By Jun 1, 2027

  11. Next spring call, on the programme’s standard schedule

    Mar 1, 2027 to Apr 15, 2027