Erwin Schrödinger Program
Erwin Schrödinger Program supports early-career postdocs conducting independent basic research abroad to build international experience and transfer acquired knowledge back to Austria.
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Funder: Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
Due Dates: Rolling (Applications) | November 20, 2026 (Career Programs webinar, women only) | November 27, 2026 (Program webinar)
Funding Amounts: €45,900–€63,400 annually abroad (2026 rates), plus allowances; 10–24 months abroad and up to 12 months return funding
Summary: Supports early-career postdocs conducting independent basic research abroad and transferring acquired knowledge back to Austria.
Key Information: Applicants must meet Austria’s territoriality requirement and provide an Austrian institution’s recommendation addressing their return.
Description
The Erwin Schrödinger Program, run by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), supports highly qualified postdocs across all disciplines in the early stages of their research careers. It enables independent research at internationally renowned institutions abroad, expanding researchers’ profiles, international experience, and career prospects. Projects should open up new research questions, approaches, methods, technologies, or techniques.
The program funds clearly defined, innovative, time-limited basic research with plausible objectives and methods. Incremental development of published results is not considered innovative. Knowledge transfer to Austrian science and industry is a central goal, and applicants must describe how their experience will benefit research in Austria. An optional funded return phase supports continued project work, project completion, or new research based on insights gained abroad.
