Summer School•Austria · Vienna

Vienna BioCenter (VBC) Summer School

Funding

Fully Funded

Program dates

Jul 1, 2026 – Aug 31, 2026

The Vienna BioCenter (VBC) Summer School places life-science students in a research lab at one of the VBC institutes (CEMM, GMI, IMBA/IMP, Max Perutz Labs) for nine weeks each summer. Each fellow is paired with a faculty mentor and works on an individual project — running experiments, analysing data, and joining lab meetings and journal clubs — alongside a weekly faculty lecture series. The program closes with a scientific symposium where every participant presents their findings, with prizes for the best talks. It is aimed at undergraduates and first-year Master’s students considering a research career in molecular biology and related fields.

Benefits & funding

  • Stipend of €1,400 (after tax) for the nine-week program
  • Free student accommodation at the OeAD Guest House in Vienna
  • Reimbursement of travel costs to and from Vienna
  • Medical insurance for the nine weeks
  • Free Vienna public-transport pass for the duration
  • Faculty mentorship, a weekly lecture series, and a closing symposium with presentation prizes
  • Social program (opening dinner, city visits, a heuriger trip, weekly social hours)
  • No application fee

Eligibility

  • Enrolled undergraduate (BA/BSc Hons — typically year 3, or final year with a confirmed Master’s place) or first-year Master/MSc student in a life-science subject
  • Equivalent stages accepted: year 2 of a US bachelor, or year 2 of a 4-year Indian BTech
  • At least three months of prior research experience and strong academics
  • English proficiency required (the program runs entirely in English)
  • Open to students of any nationality
  • PhD students are not eligible; excluded fields include veterinary medicine, medical engineering, agriculture, pharmacy, zoology and food/nutritional science
  • No strict age limit

Application process

  1. 1
    Complete the online application form during the application window (mid-November to mid-January)
  2. 2
    Select three lab heads in order of preference and describe your education and research experience
  3. 3
    Upload official evidence of enrolment with a transcript
  4. 4
    Selected applicants are notified when results are published (around 1 March)

Program timeline

  1. Applications open

    15 November

  2. Application deadline

    11 January (23:59 CET)

  3. Results published

    1 March

  4. Early July

    Program starts (around 1 July / last Friday of June)

  5. Late August

    Program ends (around 31 August / last Friday of August)