The Ernst Mach Grant – ASEA-UNINET has officially opened applications for 2026, offering outstanding students, researchers, and postdoctoral fellows from Southeast Asia an opportunity to study or conduct research in Austria. This fully funded grant program promotes academic exchange, knowledge transfer, and cross-cultural collaboration between partner universities in Europe and Southeast Asia under the ASEA-UNINET network.
About the Program
The Ernst Mach Grant is named after the Austrian physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach and is administered by OeAD-GmbH – Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalization, with funding from the Republic of Austria’s Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research (BMFWF). It aims to strengthen academic ties and facilitate mobility among students, scholars, and researchers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam to Austrian institutions.
Eligible Study and Research Fields
Applicants can pursue studies or research in a wide range of disciplines, including:
- Natural Sciences
- Technical Sciences
- Human Medicine and Health Sciences
- Agricultural Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Humanities
- Arts.
Grant Types and Target Groups
The program offers several categories of support:
- Semester or One-Year Grants
- Research Grants
- Full Degree Program Grants
Eligible candidates include undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers. This wide eligibility range makes the program ideal for scholars at various stages of their academic journey.
Ernst Mach Grant Package
The Ernst Mach Grant 2026 offers a generous monthly stipend to support living and research expenses in Austria:
- Standard Grant: €1,300 per month
- Full PhD Scholars: €1,600 per month (including mobility subsidy)
These stipends ensure that scholars can focus fully on their studies or research without financial constraints.
Special Category: Music Practice Grant
Musicians and performers from eligible countries can also apply for the Music Practice Grant, which has a separate application deadline of December 15, 2025. Successful candidates will be invited for auditions in February 2026.
Eligibility Reminder
Applicants applying for Postdoc Grants must be affiliated with an ASEA-UNINET member institution. However, Full PhD and Music Practice Grant applicants can apply even if they are students or alumni of non-member institutions.
Application Deadline
The last date to apply for the Ernst Mach Grant 2026 (ASEA-UNINET) is March 1, 2026.