Scholarships in Austria for International Students (2027 Honest Guide)

Honest answer first: fully funded scholarships for a whole degree in Austria are rare. OeAD, Austria's official agency, states that it does not offer scholarships for a complete bachelor's, master's or PhD program, and that such scholarships are hardly available in Austria. What you can realistically get are tuition waivers, a few university awards, Erasmus Mundus scholarships and paid PhD positions.

The good news is that Austrian public tuition is already low, and for some nationalities it is waived completely. This guide lists the options non-EU students can actually apply for, with deadlines and the academic year they belong to.

Option 1: Tuition fee waivers by nationality

Public universities charge non-EU students €726.72 per semester, but citizens of countries on the least developed countries list in the Tuition Fee Regulation are exempt at many universities. Afghanistan is on that list. These students pay only the ÖH fee of €26.20 per semester for their whole degree.

The University of Salzburg's public pages do not mention this exemption, so ask its admissions office. If you are not from a least developed country, check whether your university has other waivers, for example for holders of certain scholarships.

A waiver is worth €1,453.44 per academic year compared with full public tuition, and it usually lasts for your whole degree. You normally do not need to apply separately: the University of Innsbruck, for example, says the exemption is applied automatically by its system. Still, check your fee statement after enrolment and contact the study office if the full fee is charged.

Option 2: University scholarships and awards

TU Graz High Potentials

TU Graz supports talented students from Austria and abroad with up to €17,600 for master's students and up to €8,800 for bachelor's students, paid over up to two years. The master's application deadline is 15 February 2027. TU Graz bachelor's programs are taught in German, so for English-taught study the master's scholarship is the relevant one. Details are on the TU Graz High Potentials page.

IT:U Linz scholarships

IT:U Linz is already tuition-free for all nationalities. On top of that, it lists the Female Tech Talent and Come2IT:U scholarships, three awards of €10,000 each, for the first year of its MSc Interdisciplinary Computing. Its winter semester 2027/28 application cycle runs from 1 January to 31 July 2027, with a priority deadline of 30 June, according to the IT:U program page.

Central European University financial aid

CEU, a private English-language university in Vienna, offers merit-based tuition waivers and master's stipends of €300–750 per month, but only to bachelor's and master's applicants in Rounds 1 and 2. Applicants from visa-sensitive countries, including Afghanistan, may apply only in Round 1, which closed on 15 October 2026 for 2027/28. Doctoral applicants who apply by 15 January 2027 are automatically considered for the CEU Doctoral Scholarship.

Other university schemes

• University of Klagenfurt: third-country students can apply for reimbursement of tuition fees for outstanding academic achievement.
• USTP St. Pölten: charges €1,500 per semester to third-country students but offers performance-based waivers.
• Montanuniversität Leoben: lists industrial scholarships and awards for current students.

Option 3: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

Study in Austria points to Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees as one realistic route, with no geographical restriction on applicants. These programs are run by consortia of universities in several countries and can come with scholarships awarded by the consortium. BOKU University, for example, takes part in Erasmus Mundus programs such as European Forestry and emPLANT+. Each consortium sets its own deadline and scholarship rules, so check the program's own website.

Option 4: Ernst Mach Grants (not for full degrees)

OeAD's Ernst Mach Grants are among the best-known Austrian grants, but they are not for a full degree. Two versions are relevant:

The worldwide grant requires a supervision confirmation from a lecturer at an Austrian university. Read the Ernst Mach Grant FAQ before applying.

Option 5: Paid PhD positions

For doctoral study, a paid position is often better than a scholarship. Examples from official pages:

• IT:U Linz: PhD candidates are employed at €2,832.10 gross, paid 14 times a year, for 30 hours per week.
• WU Vienna DIBT (International Business Taxation): a limited number of employment contracts of about €2,800 per month, with tuition waived.
• CEU Doctoral Scholarship: full tuition plus €2,002 gross per month for 48 months, for doctoral applicants by 15 January 2027.
• Danube Private University: its PhD in Precision and Personalized Medicine lists no tuition and a salary of €3,000 per month.

How to search for more scholarships

1. 1

   Search grants.at

   grants.at is OeAD's official database. Filter by your country of origin and field. Most listed scholarships are not run by OeAD, so contact the provider directly.

2. 2

   Check your university's pages

   Look for scholarship, fee waiver and financial support pages, and ask the international office.

3. 3

   Check your home government

   Some governments fund study abroad. Ask your ministry of education or higher education commission.

4. 4

   Apply before you start studying

   OeAD notes that once you have started studying in Austria, you can no longer apply for an OeAD scholarship.

Which option fits you?

Tips for a stronger scholarship application

• Apply early. Several awards, such as CEU financial aid, are only available in the first admission rounds.
• Match the criteria exactly. Read the eligibility rules (age limits, nationality, field) and only apply where you clearly qualify.
• Make your motivation specific. Explain how the program connects to your previous studies and your career plan, using the program's own course names.
• Prepare documents once, use them many times. Legalised and translated certificates, a clean CV and a language certificate are needed for both admission and most scholarships.
• Keep a deadline list. University, scholarship and visa deadlines rarely line up, and missing one can cost you a year.

Scholarships and your visa

A scholarship award confirmation can count as proof of financial means for the Residence Permit – Student, according to OeAD. If your scholarship is smaller than the required amount, you must show the rest from other sources. For 2026, the amounts are €722.58 per month under 24 and €1,308.39 per month from 24. See the Austria student visa guide.

For a complete budget, see cost of studying in Austria. To keep scholarship and application deadlines together, track deadlines for free on FindUniPath and see more on the Austria hub.