2026 Fully Funded ISTA (Institute of Science and Technology Austria) Postgraduate Scholarship

Location: Austria

Program: Postgraduate (PhD Degree)

Eligibility: International Students

Duration: 5 years

Deadline: January 8, 2026

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The ISTA PhD Program 2026 is a prestigious fully funded doctoral program offered by the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, an independent research institution with degree-granting authority conferred by the Austrian Parliament. ISTA is dedicated to basic research in the natural sciences, mathematics, and computational sciences, consistently ranking among the world’s top research institutions (ranked 3 worldwide in the Nature Index 2019, normalized). Located in Klosterneuburg, just 25 minutes from Vienna—consistently voted one of the best cities in the world—ISTA offers an exceptional environment for cutting-edge research, modern facilities, and an international community of scientists from approximately 80 countries.

The ISTA PhD program uniquely fosters curiosity-driven, interdisciplinary research through a two-phase structure: Phase 1 includes lab rotations and cross-disciplinary coursework, while Phase 2 focuses on intensive thesis research. All students receive 5-year employment contracts with internationally competitive salaries and full social security coverage, ensuring complete financial support until thesis defense. With small research groups, world-class faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and no tuition fees, ISTA produces intellectually broad scientists who can approach problems from diverse angles and collaborate across disciplines. The program welcomes 50-60 PhD candidates annually from highly diverse academic backgrounds.

Benefits of the Program

This fully funded PhD program provides comprehensive support including:

5-year employment contract with internationally competitive salary.
Full funding until thesis defense for students making reasonable progress.
No tuition fees charged by ISTA.
Full social security coverage (Austrian health insurance included).
Financial support for conference travel and workshops.
On-campus housing assistance.
Free German language courses provided by ISTA.
Access to world-class research facilities including bioimaging, electron microscopy, nanofabrication, and high-performance computing.
Small research groups with close mentoring by outstanding faculty.
Unique interdisciplinary training with lab rotations and cross-disciplinary courses.
International diverse community with scientists from 80+ countries.
English as working language (no German required).
Other benefits

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Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this PhD program, applicants must:

Hold a Bachelor’s degree OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study.
Have excellent academic credentials (GPA typically in top quartile of field and institution).
For high-volume application countries (Pakistan, India, Iran, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia): Top 15% or better GPA expected.
Have relevant academic background in biology, chemistry, neuroscience, mathematics, computer science, physics, data science, astronomy, earth science, or related interdisciplinary fields.
Demonstrate strong research potential and motivation.
Be proficient in English (working language of ISTA).
Not currently be accepted to or enrolled in another PhD program.
Be willing to relocate to Austria for the duration of the PhD program.

Note: Kindly check the official website for full and complete requirements

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Selection Criteria

The ISTA PhD selection process is highly competitive and evaluates candidates comprehensively using multiple indicators. Academic performance is crucial, with special focus on undergraduate and relevant field-specific coursework; successful candidates typically rank in the top quartile of their field and institution, with top 15% or better expected from high-volume countries like Pakistan, India, Iran, Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia. Research experience including previous projects, publications, presentations, and demonstrated research skills is carefully evaluated.