Austria
8 Fulbright Combined Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodOctober StartGrant Length9 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
Fulbright Austria (the Austrian-American Educational Commission) offers up to eight study/research grants combined with English teaching assistantships funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. Recipients work as teaching assistants at secondary schools in Austrian university cities for 13 hours per week (plus preparation and administration time) while concurrently pursuing research and taking university courses on a part-time basis. Applicants should be aware that their teaching assignment will be their first scheduling priority.
Fulbright Austria reviews project proposals for their coherence and quality and also takes into account their ability to contribute to the promotion of mutual understanding between the people of Austria and the United States. It is particularly—but by no means exclusively—interested in the promotion of Austrian studies and in proposals of bilateral or comparative relevance that enhance Austrian-American collaboration.
There are NO independent Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Awards for Austria. Students interested exclusively in teaching assistantship positions in Austria without projects or university enrollment are encouraged to consider applying for the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research Teaching Assistantship (USTA) program, which has been administered by Fulbright Austria (the Austrian-American Educational Commission) since 1962. Please note that the USTA program is not a Fulbright program and has a separate application process and deadline. See the USTA program website for details.
Grant Amount:
- Travel grant of €2,000; Monthly net salary of approximately €1,574 for eight months (October–May) and a one-time stipend of €1,300 for the month of June.
Grant Length
Grant Period
October 1 to June 30
Grant Length: 9 months.
Orientation
The Fulbright Combined Award begins with a week-long Fulbright orientation in Vienna followed by an additional week-long teaching assistantship orientation in one of two locations in Austria in mid- to late September.
Candidate Profile
Applications from graduating seniors and recent undergraduates are welcome. Applicants should explain their proposed research project in their application as well as their interest in the teaching assistantship component of the grant. Applicants proposing study or research in medicine or veterinary medicine will not be considered.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
Applicants are expected to research their host country. Application materials should indicate a clear commitment to the host country community and a description of how you will engage with it.
Please view our US Fulbright Student Program playlist on YouTube and our US Teaching Assistantship (USTA) Program playlist on YouTube to learn more about what life is like for combined grantees in Austria.
Eligibility
6 Months
Dual nationals will be considered under special circumstances and in cases where project proposals are of exceptional merit. The FFSB policies apply.
Applicants proposing study or research in medicine or veterinary medicine will not be considered.
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
Special Application Instructions
In your Fulbright online application, please select Combined Award from the Award Name drop-down menu to be considered for this grant. Please also select Study/Research Award for Award Type and Academic for General Category. Although the grant includes a teaching component, applicants will apply as Study/Research applicants, including submitting a two-page statement of grant purpose and reference letters as narrative.
Applicants in music and fine arts are strongly encouraged to submit the application for creative and performing arts (for Creative and Performing Arts, please select Yes) so that they can submit a portfolio of supplemental materials.
Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) Form
If required, submission of the Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is mandatory, even if you have advanced skills or are a native speaker of the language. Failure to submit the required FLE form may impact your eligibility.
Two years of college-level study, or the equivalent, prior to commencing the grant.
German-language proficiency at the intermediate level must be demonstrated by the grant start date (level of proficiency in speaking, writing, and reading must be B1 or above based on the EU CEFR guidelines/“intermediate mid” or above based on ACTFL guidelines).
Foreign Language Proficiency Level by Grant Start
If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Required, applicants must have the following proficiency level by the start of the grant period. If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Recommended, applicants are encouraged but not required to have the following level by the start of the grant period.
Fulbright Proposal Types
Yes
No
Affiliation
Applicants should identify the individuals and institutions that will provide on-site guidance and include letters of invitation, if possible. Recipients of a Fulbright Combined Grant are recommended not to seek to earn an Austrian university degree due to time and scheduling constraints. Selected students are also required to take a minimum of one university course per semester for the Fulbright Combined Award.
Affiliation with research centers or other institutions that are incorporated as companies and/or require grantees to be employed and compensated according to Austrian labor law are problematic and incompatible with the status of being a grantee. Such affiliations need to be discussed with Fulbright Austria in advance of the submission of grant proposals.
Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Fulbright Austria facilitates university enrollment at the applicant's preferred university, and the Austrian government provides for the waiver of tuition fees at public universities.
Fulbright Austria does not cover tuition costs for enrollment at private institutions of higher education or other programs of advanced study in Austria that do not waive tuition fees.
Award Benefits
- A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country. These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period.
- International travel benefits
- Accident & sickness health benefits
- 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations
- 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government
Stipend Amount
This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.
Grantees receive a monthly net salary of approximately €1,574 for eight months (October–May) and a one-time stipend of €1,300 for the month of June.
One-Time Allowances
This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.
Grantees receive a travel and relocation allowance of €2,000.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
The grant is designed to cover basic living expenses, but additional funds may be needed to cover expenses beyond the monthly grant payment.
Dependents
Housing Arrangements
Grantees will be expected to arrange their housing.
Placement Type
Fulbright Austria and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Resarch will place successful applicants in a secondary school (or schools) in the university city in which the applicant proposes to conduct research.
Music and Fine Arts Applicants
Applicants in music and fine arts are strongly encouraged to apply as creative and performing arts applicants and to note their interest in the Combined Grant in that application so that they can submit a portfolio of supplemental materials.
Admission procedures at Austrian institutions of music and the arts vary. Universities of music and the arts may require auditions and/or entrance examinations, along with submission of a portfolio. Instruction is frequently based on "master classes" where professors 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 said professors.
Applicants should inquire about audition and/or admission requirements and dates well in advance. Auditions at universities of music and the arts are highly competitive in Austria. Candidates may be required to travel to Austria at their own expense to audition (as early as February) or may be admitted without auditions as exchange students, provided they have corresponding invitations. If applicants are admitted as exchange students, please note that they may have limited access to courses and instructors as well as limited to no access to on-site studio and rehearsal spaces. Fulbright Austria offers grants for musicians contingent upon university acceptance and enrollment and does not provide grants based exclusively on private study.
Residency Permits
Grantees are required by the terms and conditions of their awards to have appropriate residence permits, and the timely procurement of appropriate residence permits is strictly the responsibility of individual grantees. If you are aware of any reason that you would not be able to obtain a residence permit in Austria (i.e., if you are currently subject to a ban on entering the EU), please reach out to Fulbright Austria prior to applying.