PhD Completion Fellowships of the Cluster of Excellence "EurAsian Transformations"

The FWF-funded Cluster of Excellence (CoE) “EurAsian Transformations”—in cooperation with the Doctoral School of Historical Studies (University of Vienna), the Doctoral School of Philological and Cultural Studies (University of Vienna), and the Doktoratskolleg Entangled Antiquities (University of Innsbruck)—invites applications for PhD Completion Fellowships.

This program is specifically designed for highly qualified doctoral students whose dissertation projects align with the Cluster’s research profile, are nearing completion, and who do not currently hold another funded PhD position.

Phd Completion Fellowships pdf.

 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this fellowship, you must meet one of the following criteria:

  • You are already a PhD member of the Cluster of Excellence “EurAsian Transfor-mations” but are enrolled at a different institution.

  • You are currently enrolled in a PhD program at the Doctoral School of Historical Studies (University of Vienna), the Doctoral School of Philological and Cultural Studies (University of Vienna), or the Doktoratskolleg Entangled Antiquities (University of Innsbruck) and (co-)supervised by a member of the Cluster of Excellence “EurAsian Transformations”.

What We Offer

  • Employment: A contract as a PhD Assistant (30 hours/week) at either the University of Vienna or the University of Innsbruck

  • Salary: A monthly gross (brutto) salary of 2.832 Euro

  • Duration: Up to 12 months (note: all fellowships must conclude no later than September 30, 2028) with a minimum duration of 6 months.

  • Community & Networking: If you are not yet a member of the Cluster, you will receive an affiliated membership to the CoE, granting you access to a cross-institutional, collaborative environment, networking opportunities, and supplementary training.

Application Requirements

Your application must include the following documents:

  1. Academic CV
  2. Project Description (max. 1000 words): An overview of your PhD project that includes a detailed work plan for your final submission. You must make a plausible case that the dissertation will be completed within the fellowship timeline.
  3. Relevance Statement: A brief explanation of how your research aligns with the core research aims of the Cluster.
  4. Letter of Recommendation: A letter from your main supervisor or co-supervisor, which must include an explicit statement regarding your projected completion date.

Expectations of Fellows

As a fellowship recipient, you are expected to:

  • Actively participate and engage in Cluster events, particularly within the Junior EurAsia Researchers Network (JEARN).

  • Participate in non-curricular training measures provided by the Cluster.

  • Formally submit your doctoral thesis by the end of the fellowship period.

Deadline and Submission

There is no fixed application deadline; the call is rolling and open from June 2026 onward. However, grants are strictly limited, so early application is highly encouraged.

Please submit your application materials electronically to the respective institution:

 

Questions

For any inquiries regarding the fellowship or application process, please contact

Univ.-Prof. Melanie Malzahn ([email protected]) for the University of Vienna and

Univ.-Prof. Robert Rollinger ([email protected]) for the University of Innsbruck.