U.S. Fulbright Student Grants to Austria
Language: Intermediate to advanced proficiency in spoken and written German is essential for all fields, including music and fine arts. As a rule, university courses are taught in German, although individual courses in specific fields may be offered in English. University admission requires demonstrated proficiency in German. Language study is available at most institutions and, depending on the level of proficiency, required by some. The AAEC will subsidize grantees to continue language study on-site, if need be.
Grant period: 9 months, beginning with a late-September orientation in Vienna.
Candidate profile: The Fulbright Commission in Austria reviews the project in terms of its ability to ultimately contribute to the program mandate of the promotion of mutual understanding between the peoples of Austria and the United States and is especially but, by no means, exclusively interested in the promotion of Austrian studies or grant proposals that enhance Austrian-American collaboration. Traditional candidates for the full-time research or study awards include graduate-level students and Ph.D. candidates; musicians enrolled in performance programs; selected students in the natural sciences and/or engineering, whose projects may require extensive lab time; or selected volunteer and service projects.
Bachelor's level candidates may apply for full-time research and study grants but should note that the competition for full-time research and study awards is substantial every year. Therefore, they are advised to apply for study grants combined with English teaching assistantships. It is important for applicants to note that recipients of grants combined with teaching assistantships can only pursue studies on a part-time basis due to the time teaching commitments demand. Individuals who have applied for, but are not selected for, full-time research grants, may, at the discretion of the Fulbright Commission in Austria, alternatively be considered for grants combined with a teaching assistantship.
Fields of study not recommended: Medicine and veterinary medicine.
Affiliation: All grantees, including Ph.D. candidates, must be fully matriculated at accredited public universities in Austria to facilitate tuition remission, insurance, use of libraries and archives, etc. The AAEC facilitates university enrollment at the applicant's preferred university and provides for the waiver of tuition fees. Grants are not available for enrollment at private institutions of higher education or other programs of advanced study in Austria that do not waive tuition fees. Applicants should identify the individuals and institutions that will provide on-site support and guidance for projects and include letters of invitation, if possible. Invitations are absolutely necessary for full-time research and study awards, and should indicate how candidates will be anchored at the institutions. They are desired but not required for candidates of awards combined with an English language teaching assistantship. It is not recommended that a Fulbright Fellow seek to earn an Austrian university degree during the limited time period of the grant.
Music and fine arts: Admission procedures at Austrian institutions of music and the arts vary on a case-by-case basis. Universities of music and the arts require auditions and/or entrance examinations, along with submission of a portfolio. Instruction frequently is still based on "master classes": professors who select and train students for an extended period. Therefore, applicants are required to have established contact with Austrian music and/or art professors before applying for a grant and must solicit invitations to study with them. Applicants should inquire about admission and audition requirements and dates well in advance. Candidates may be required to travel to Austria at their own expense to audition (as early as June), and the AAEC makes grants for musicians contingent upon university acceptance. The AAEC does not accept applications from music and art students who wish to study with private teachers or at private institutions or conservatories that do not waive tuition fees. Grants are awarded only after formal acceptance by a university of music or the arts. Auditions at universities of music and the arts are highly competitive in Austria. Virtuosity is an important criterion for admission and younger candidates are preferred by the institutions.
Science and technology: Before applying, candidates should correspond with preferred institutions about availability of equipment and facilities and solicit letters of invitation.
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Fulbright Forum
Access to the Fulbright Forum is only available to current and former participants in programs administered by the Austrian-American Educational Commission, AAEC staff, and associates.
Please read the Forum Guidelines before you register!
You can find the Fulbright Forum here.
