Early Stage Funding

Doctoral candidates and graduates of doctoral programmes whose doctoral or PhD degree was awarded no longer than 2 years ago (date of the official notification). Child-rearing periods (two years for each child cared for), care periods (usually care leave) and longer periods of serious illness that have led to a career interruption are taken into account. The date of the deadline for the call is used to determine the time limit.

It must be ensured that the project leader has an active employment relationship with the University of Innsbruck for the entire duration of the project. Employment solely through an external teaching assignment is not sufficient.

• Funded duration: max. 12 months
• Funding: max. 6,000 euros for doctoral candidates and 12,000 euros for graduates of doctoral programmes

Female academics can apply for an additional 2,000 euros for career-promoting measures (e.g. further training and coaching measures).

A subsidy for childcare of up to 2,000 euros is possible for all eligible applicants, if this has a career-enhancing aspect and there are children who need care.

The aim is to have at least 50% of the projects approved lead by female scientists. If applications are of equal quality, preference will be given to women.

Applicants who have already received funding from this programme are only eligible to apply if they obtained this funding as a doctoral candidate and have since completed their doctorate.

Only the following project-specific costs can be applied for:

2.1 Personnel costs

Personnel costs for the category of student employees can be applied for. Please note the university's internal regulations, in particular the best-practice employment of max. 6 months, or the possibilities of secondary employment. Please provide a detailed calculation of the costs. Further personnel costs cannot be applied for. Self-employment is not possible.

2.2 Equipment costs

Equipment or software that is specifically required for the project can be applied for, if applicable with justification as to why existing equipment cannot be used.

2.3 Material costs

Material costs are consumables and small devices as well as licences with a time limit of less than 1,500 Euros incl. VAT.

2.4 Travel costs

Costs for project-specific trips and stays, field work, expeditions, etc. can be applied for. The project description must include a detailed travel plan. Congress trips are not eligible costs. The University of Innsbruck's business travel and leave of absence guidelines must be observed. The climate ticket cannot be reimbursed.

Please refer to the following links for the calculation of costs:

Business trip application
Overnight stay costs

2.5 Other costs

This includes costs for the external execution of project-specific work (e.g. analyses to be outsourced, surveys, sampling, production of thin sections, costs for project-specific laboratory animals, publication costs, etc.). Please note the University of Innsbruck's  financial guidelines and the information provided by the Human Resources Department atContract for work.

2.6 Career-promoting measures for female scientists

This includes costs for further training, coaching or other measures that support the applicant. Costs for career-promoting measures that are offered in the same form at institutions of the University of Innsbruck (including the University Library) will not be covered.  Furthermore, costs borne by Personnel development Personnel development are not covered.

Please take note of the non-eligible costs.

2.7 Subsidy for childcare costs

Childcare costs can be applied for if the freedom created can be used for career development. Up to EUR 2,000 per child per calendar year can be claimed tax-free if the requirements of the Income Tax Act are met; any amount above this is a taxable benefit in kind.

Birth certificate(s) of the child/children must be enclosed.

• Personnel costs (with the exception of point 2.1)
• Conference travel
• Event costs
• Teacher replacement

1. During the agreed project duration, an employment relationship with the University of Innsbruck must exist. Employment solely through an external teaching assignment is not sufficient.
2. The duration should not exceed 12 months. After completion of the project, a detailed final account (SAP-exerpt) and final report must be submitted via upload to the project database.
3. The applicant is obliged to cite the funding body in all public documents and to mention the funding by the Vice-Rectorate for Research of the University of Innsbruck in publications.

Please have the application entered into the project database by the responsible project database officer at your department and upload all documents individually as .pdf files. Send the project database number as an application by e-mail to forschungsfoerderung@uibk.ac.at no later than

Wednesday 26th of February 2025

A complete application must include the following parts:

1. Completed application form
2. Scientific abstract in German or English with max. 2000 characters (incl. spaces)
3. Project description (German or English) of max. 5 pages, excluding table of contents, list of abbreviations and list of literature cited in the application.
   The project description should contain the following information
   - clearly outlined objectives of the time-limited project and hypothesis(es) or scientific question(s)
   - Reference to the international state of research
   - Methodology (incl. qualification and quantification)
   - Work and time planning (observe a maximum duration of 12 months)

4. Detailed breakdown and justification of the costs applied for (please note point 2 “What is subsidized”)

5. Scientific curriculum vitae including list of publications

6. Explanation of how to deal with potential ethical aspects or justification if there are no ethical aspects to consider (max. 1 page)

7. For PhD-Students: Application for dissertation

The next call will be published presumably by January 2026.