Industrienahe Dissertationen 2025 (Industrial PhD)

This call supports industry-related PhD projects carried out by doctoral candidates at non-university research institutions in Austria. Funding is provided by the Fonds Zukunft Österreich. The call is open to all research topics.

Funding is provided to non-university research institutions that employ and support doctoral candidates for at least the duration of the project.
The PhD project must be a collaboration between a non-university research institution, a university with the right to award doctorates, and a doctoral candidate. The candidate must be employed by the non-university research institution and be actively involved in the organisation through dedicated support and integration measures.
The non-university research institution submits the proposal (one project and proposal per doctoral candidate). The project must demonstrate a clear link to economic application, which must be explicitly described in the proposal.
50% of the available funds are reserved for female doctoral candidates.

•    Each project can receive up to EUR 110,000, covering a maximum of 50% of the total eligible costs. The funding primarily covers the doctoral candidate's personnel and travel costs.
•    There is no limit on the number of applications submitted per organization. A total of EUR 6 million is available for this call.

• Employment of the doctoral candidate at a minimum of 50% full-time (at least 860 hours per year).
• Clear integration into the institution, including mentorship and professional development
• Supervision by a university (formal confirmation required).
• Continuous enrolment at a university throughout the project
• Project start must be after submission and within 12 months of application

More details can be found in the German-language Instrumentenleitfaden.

Applications must be submitted via eCall between 6 November 2024 and 30 September 2025 (12.00 PM CET). The call may close earlier if the budget is exhausted.

Funding decisions are typically made within two to three months after submission. Applicants will be informed via eCall.