Institute of Science and Technology Austria - ISTA

The Institute of Science and Technology Austria - ISTA is looking for highly qualified candidates with Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees to apply for the PhD program. We offer fully-funded PhD positions in Astronomy, Biology, Computer Science, Chemistry & Materials, Data Science & Scientific Computing, Earth Science, Mathematics, Neuroscience, and Physics, in a world-class research environment on the outskirts of Vienna.

In 2019, ISTA was ranked #3 in the world-wide Nature Index ranking (normalized). In 2018, ISTA was ranked within the top ten of Nature Index Rising Stars' “Top 30 academic institutions under 30” list. All students are offered 5-year contracts, and they receive internationally competitive salaries and full social security coverage. There is also financial support for students to attend scientific conferences and workshops. The application deadline is January 8, 2026 (2:59 PM, CET) for a PhD start date in September 2026.

Why ISTA?

• Fully-funded PhD
• Interdisciplinary program
• Cutting-edge research
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students eligible to apply
• English-taught program and English-speaking campus
• International community
• Modern facilities
• Support and development services

Bachelor’s and Master’s Students Eligible to Apply

ISTA welcomes students with different academic backgrounds who can bring their skills and experiences to the scientific setting.

How Do I Apply?

ISTA processes applications to its PhD program once a year. The application portal is available during the application period only (the second half of October until the deadline). To apply, you have to create an online account, which will allow you to track your application through its various stages.

To register, you’ll be asked to provide an email address, to which you’ll be sent an account activation link. These emails sometimes get blocked by email/university security systems or end up in spam folders, so check your spam/junk folder. Use an email address that you check regularly, as this is how we will contact you.

Please fill out the form using a web browser on a desktop computer. Web browsers on mobile devices (i.e. Android, iPhone, iPad, etc.) are not supported.

We do not accept or process applications and documents received outside of the application portal.

What Application Materials Are Required?

Before starting your application, we ask you to familiarise yourself with the research groups working at ISTA, the type of research done, and the philosophy of the PhD program. We ask you to submit the following:

• CV
• Statement of purpose (SoP) The Statement of Purpose is an important part of your application. In it, please share with us anything that prepares you for graduate-level research. For instance, you can describe your past research projects, motivation, skills, and background relevant to the research areas and groups you selected on the application form. Try to be as specific as possible about your experiences, with an emphasis on the technical skills you master.
• Answers to the following additional questions (5-8 lines max):
  
  • An important goal of the first year in the Graduate School is to find an academic home by affiliating with a research group. Taking into account that a successful affiliation does not depend only on your own preferences, you might consider multiple options. Based on your research interests and background, which group(s) would be relevant for you, in what order, and why? Please specify up to three research groups at ISTA.
  • Choose a paper by an ISTA professor describing research that you would have liked to be a part of. Please give its DOI citation, briefly explain the key finding(s), and tell us why you find this research exciting and/or why you would have liked to have been involved. Use your own words.
  • Which other group, department or institution – outside of ISTA – is conducting scientific research that excites or inspires you, and why?
• University transcripts and diplomas of all degree programs and all years you have attended and/or are currently enrolled in (both in English and in the original language). Transcripts need to include the full list of courses attended and corresponding grades. For ongoing studies, please provide the latest transcript documenting all results obtained to date.
• Contact information of 3 referees who can assess your academic and research performance.

All documents must be submitted in English. Copies of university transcripts must be in both English and in their original language. If your university does not issue any documentation in English, you will need to translate it into English for the application.

Do I need a visa?

If you are not from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you will need to apply for a visa in order to legally take up employment and register as a PhD student at ISTA.

When you get an offer from ISTA, you will be sent information on how to apply for your visa from abroad.

Student Life at ISTA

Getting involved in extracurricular activities such as sports, subject-based student groups and social clubs or volunteering are great ways to meet new people and develop your skills and knowledge.

Sports

Indoor and outdoor sport facilities will make it easy for you to stay in good shape.

Sport facilities include:

• Outdoor multi-use courts (soccer, volleyball, badminton, etc.)
• Fitness suite
• Tennis court (the local tennis club OBSV Maria Gugging is located on campus)
• Ping-pong tables and table soccer tables can be found in several shared areas of the campus.