Aktion Austria-Czech Republic scholarships

The AKTION programme is run by the Czech National Agency for International Education (DZS). It supports scientific exchange between Austria and the Czech Republic. The main route for students is a scholarship for a stay in Austria to work on a dissertation or thesis. There is also support for attending Sommerkolleg, a summer language course in German or Czech, and for summer schools of Czech language (for applicants from Austria). University teachers can apply for research or lecture stays.

For students, the scholarship stay in Austria lasts 1 to 5 months. You indicate the desired duration in your application. The stay can take place at state universities, universities of applied sciences, university colleges of teacher education and accredited private universities in Austria. The point is to let you use libraries and archives, work in laboratories or studios, collect field data, or consult with Austrian teachers, depending on your field.

Sommerkolleg is a short language course, 2 to 3 weeks long, done in tandem with Austrian students. Summer schools of Czech language last 4 weeks and are only for applicants from Austria. For both, participants pay only a small registration fee.

Applications are open to all citizens enrolled in an MA or PhD study programme at an eligible institution. In the Czech Republic, eligible institutions are public universities. There is no age limit. The programme is meant to support junior researchers, so your desired academic career should be probable or possible. If you are chosen, you are not allowed to take gainful employment in Austria alongside your academic duties.

• Applications are open to all citizens enrolled in an MA or PhD study programme at one of the eligible institutions, or working at one of the eligible institutions.
• Eligible institutions in the Czech Republic: public universities.
• Eligible institutions in Austria: state universities, universities of applied sciences, university colleges of teacher education and accredited private universities.
• There is no age limit.
• The scholarship serves to support junior researchers, so the desired career/academic career should be probable or possible.
• Students without a Bachelor's degree are excluded from applying. An exception is made for DAF students who can apply for a DAF internship in the Czech Republic while still studying their Bachelor's degree.
• Scholarships are intended for students of master's and other postgraduate study programmes so that they may work on dissertations or theses (there is an exception for medical students). Students in all fields of study may apply.
• Chosen candidates are not allowed to engage in gainful employment in Austria beside their academic duties.

• For stays in Austria: graduates and postgraduates receive 1,300 EUR.
• For Sommerkollegs and Summer Schools: participants pay only a small contribution in the form of a registration fee.
• Scholarship stay length: 1 to 5 months (applicants indicate desired duration in their application).
• Sommerkollegs last 2 to 3 weeks.
• Summer Schools of Czech Language last 4 weeks.

Fill out your scholarship application in German or English via scholarships.at. Detailed instructions on how to complete the application are in the call for applications (CZ to AT, AT to CZ).

1. Go to scholarships.at.
2. Complete the online application in German or English.
3. Follow the detailed instructions in the call for applications for your direction (CZ to AT or AT to CZ).
4. Submit by the deadline: 15 March for stays in the following winter semester, or 15 October for stays in the following summer semester.

The selection is made on the basis of the online application. Results are published within 8 weeks after the submission deadline. Confirm every detail on the official page before you apply.