Become a valued member of a network of excellent scholars
If you are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. education, look no further. On these pages we have collected all information you need to find a Ph.D. position and plan your stay at Medical University Vienna.
6 Simple Steps to your Ph.D. Education
We are looking for committed and motivated students who want to pursue a career in research and science - creative minds with vision and ideas and for the joint development of solutions that address the complex questions and problems of our society. The focus of our work is always on people, their health, and on creating a sustainable health sector for all generations with the help of science. We offer you a place at one of the largest German-speaking medical universities in the heart of Vienna. Start your scientific career and develop into an expert with us. At our university, you will find many interesting and exciting research projects. If you are interested in research and creative work on highly topical and relevant subjects – and also appreciate variety in your career – then a doctorate is the right choice for you.
The choice of doctoral programs is wide, and the decision to pursue a doctorate should be well thought out. To that end, we have created a six-step guide to help you find a doctorate that’s suitable for you.
Here are some useful points to reflect on to help you decide which research area might be the best fit for your Ph.D. education:
- What am I interested in?
- What is my motivation to do research in this area?
- Am I willing to work in this area for many years?
- Do I already have a certain career goal, and if so, how does this area fit into the bigger picture?
- Do I see myself working in academia or industry in the future?
- Who offers the best opportunities in this research area for me?
We advise you to first note down your top three research areas and narrow the list down to two or one if you can. There are no right or wrong answers here. Try to keep an open mind and answer as honestly as possible to help you make the best decision for yourself.
Points to reflect on:
- What Ph.D. programs interest me?
- Which of the programs align with my career goals?
- What are my expectations for my Ph.D. education?
- Am I willing to work in this area for many years?
- Are there any projects I find particularly interesting? Why?
Our advice: Be curious and approach the different Ph.D. programs with an open mind. You might be surprised to find an interesting Ph.D. program you otherwise might not have considered.
Please consult our Thematic Program website for inspiration.
Any currently open Ph.D. positions that are participating in the call for applications will be displayed here on our website. To learn more about our researchers, please visit their researcher profiles or group websites. During the application process, you can indicate a preference for up to three Ph.D. positions
If you are not yet familiar with Vienna, we would like to introduce you to our hometown and briefly explain why Vienna is indeed the city of our dreams.
Vienna is not only a great place to work and study, but also a great place to live. Our coffee- house culture and food and entertainment options are world-class. We have a vibrant and dynamic arts and culture scene and are home to the Donauinselfest, the biggest free European open air music festival or the very popular Vienna Ball of Scienes. Have you ever dreamed of hitting the dance floor in a princess dress or tails and dancing the night away? If your answer is yes, then Vienna is right place for you. Where else do you have the opportunity to open a ball in your life or to waltz on a different floor every weekend during the ball season. Do not worry, every ball also has a disco floor, if classical music does not quite meet your taste. In addition, the city offers not only many architectural highlights, but also borders the Vienna Forest, one of the city's many natural leisure areas. Every summer, the banks of the Danube River and the Danube canal attract scores of people who engage in water sports or just hang out on the shore to enjoy the sunset after a long day. There are plenty of great reasons to move to Vienna, but before we give you our top 5, read how Vienna performs in an international context.
Our top 5 reasons why Vienna is one of the best places to live:
1. affordable housing
2. an affordable, modern, and well-functioning public transport network
3. one of the safest major cities in Europe
4. access to high-quality and safe public health and education systems
5. Rich cultural, leisure and sporting opportunities
6.The Viennese forest and the Danube Aupark national park are all close to the city.
Hard facts about Vienna
Let's get to the hard facts about Vienna:
Area: 414.9 km2 with 23 districts
Population: 1.9 million
Foreigners: 30% of the population (13% EU citizens, 17% third country nationals)
Weather: Central European weather - winter cool, summer hot, often windy
General freedom of religion, majority are Catholics
6 largest city in EU, largest city in Austria
Free kindergartens and public schools
39 libraries run by the city of Vienna
18 sports halls and 20 outdoor sports facilities
Visit Vienna at a Distance
We have selected different media channels for your consideration to get a better feeling for our city and experience it with all your senses.
View Vienna
Read about Vienna
Best city map: Tips from our Viennese youth
The best blogs about Vienna
Listen to tunes about the city
Music is a big part of our cultural heritage, so it’s not surprising that there are over 3,000 tunes about Vienna. You can travel musically to Vienna by listening to the perfect song collection on Spotify compiled by the Austrian Tourist Board. Speaking of music, MedUni Vienna organizes an annual graduation ceremony for all its Ph.D. students in the beautiful performance hall of the Vienna Konzerthaus. The Konzerthaus is, in our opinion, an appropriate place to celebrate the special moment when you’re officially awarded your Ph.D. in the presence of your family and friends.
The podcast "Tell me about Vienna"" takes you on several walks through Vienna and shares many interesting anecdotes about the city and its people. Unfortunately, the podcast is available only in German.
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Researcher destination Austria
Another motivation to move to Vienna and start your scientific career here is that Austria has been continuously investing almost 3% of GDP in the area of innovation and research for years. This puts Austria above the EU average and is considered a strong innovator among medium and small enterprises. The result is a very active and creative scientific community and many industrial research institutions that have been founded or established in Austria. Scientists and researchers benefit from e.g. facilitated residence regulations and tax advantages when moving to Austria. We recommend the brochure Researcher's Guide to AUSTRIA to get a very good overview of the Austrian research landscape.
Once you decide which Ph.D. program and research project you’d like to apply to, it’s time to get all your ducks in a row. For starters, assure yourself that you meet all requirements for the application and admission process, then start preparing all the needed paperwork.
- Check out the admission checklist for the enrollment requirements
- Check the supporting documents information in the section about our online application tool
- Start preparing all your application documents and convert them into PDF files if necessary
- Ask your university for your any missing or translated transcripts (in English)
- Contact potential referees and ask them if they’ll agree to act as your referee in a timely manner
- Craft your motivation letter.
There are two ways to apply for a doctoral position:
1. Application for open PhD positions as part of the PhD call:
- You apply online for an open PhD position as part of a call for applications (PhD Call) and you have a choice of different positions and programmes.
2. Direct unsolicited application to a supervisor not participating in the PhD Call
- You apply with an unsolicited application directly to your preferred supervisor by e-mail if they are not part of the current PhD Call.
- The complete list of supervisors and their contact details can be found on our information webpages for the PhD program.
As mentioned earlier, you can view upcoming positions on our website. Information about the application process and deadlines can also be found on this website. To start the application process, please click on the "Open Ph.D. positons" picture on top of the website. We look forward to receiving your application within the deadlines of the current call. You may soon have the opportunity to visit our campus and meet our faculty in person.
Information on the PhD Call application and procedure can be found here. In addition, we have also created an application manual for our online tool, where you can get a first insight into the process.
Application timeline for the Ph.D. call
-Autum Call 2024/25
Call opens: 07.10-15.11.2024
Submission deadline: 15.11.2024, 23:55 CET, Austrian local time
Online interview days: 09-11.12.2024
MedUni Vienna visit days: 27-29.01.2025
Beginn: right away or latest with the beginning of the semester
☼Spring Call 2025
Call opens: 15.03-25.04.2025
Submission deadline: 25.04.2025, 23:55 local Austrian time
Online interview days: 14-16.05.2025
MedUni Vienna visit days: 03.06-02.07.2025
Beginn: right away or latest with the beginning of the semester
-Autum Call 2025/26
Call opens: 15.10-30.11.2025
Submission deadline: 30.11.2025, 23:55 CET, Austrian local time
Online interview days: 16-18.12.2025
MedUni Vienna visit days: 03-05.02.2026
Beginn: right away or latest with the beginning of the semester
Open call application procedure
Ph.D. Life at MedUni in Vienna
Scientist:in, science fan, interested in science, crazy about science or passionate about science? It doesn't matter, we call it science positive!
We have a strong community that shares their knowledge and experiences so that others can learn from them.
Get to know people from our community here and read about their lives and work in science.
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Talk to a PhD Ambassador!
Our PhD Ambassadors are happy to share their personal experiences with the PhD program, studying at MedUni Vienna and living in Vienna in an online conversation. For this purpose, we need your first name and an e-mail address to make an appointment with you. Please note that they cannot give you advice or information about the application process. For practical questions about the application process, please contact our PhD coordinator via email and arrange an online appointment if needed.
In general, we do not offer study guidance, but we would like to give PhD candidates the opportunity to get a clear picture of what their everyday life as a PhD student at MedUni Vienna might look like.
Please note, all displayed times are in Austrian local time.
Attention! For the current PhD Call all PhD Ambassador appointments are already booked. New appointments will be released with the start of the application period of the next PhD Call. We kindly ask for your patience.
Our university
Our campus
Our campus is located in the middle of Vienna's ninth district and consists of several buildings in the immediate vicinity of our Rectorate. The Rectorate building is directly connected to the AKH (General Hospital). Our university houses 30 university hospitals and two clinical institutes, as well as 13 medical theory centers and numerous highly specialized laboratories. Each of our buildings is easy to reach by public transport or by bike. There are countless opportunities to buy food and drink on campus, including two canteens, a supermarket, and a MedUni Shop with an adjoining café. Parents can have their children looked after in one of our kindergartens. The Medical University of Vienna has been closely connected to the district and its people for centuries and therefore makes its unique collection of teaching materials, models, and instruments available to the public in the Josephinum. The Josephinum was founded in the 17th century as a medical-surgical academy to train military doctors for the Austrian army and is still part of the Medical University. The ninth district is a popular residential area in a central location with green spaces, and a wide range of restaurants, cafes, bars, parks, and sports clubs.
We are always evolving, and so is our campus! Over the next five years, our campus will grow by two more buildings. In addition to the new Eric Kandl Building for Precision Medicine and the Research Centre for Translational Medicine and Therapies, we are also building a state-of-the-art new campus in Mariannengasse. We are already looking forward to welcoming many of our Ph.D. students on the new campus in a few years’ time. Here you can take a look at the new campus and the status of the construction project.
Our campus continues to grow with us and, as a result, has many faces.
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Employee benefits for Ph.D. students
As a Ph.D. student and employee at MedUni Vienna you recieve a variety of benefits.
Employment during the PhD studies
Employment as a Ph.D. student at MedUni Vienna is subject to the regulations of the collective agreement for university employees. You are entitled to a payment regulated by the collective agreement. In addition to twelve annual paychecks, you’re entitled to special payments on March 15, June 15, September 15, and November 15 of each year in the amount of half the salary due for the month of payment. You are entitled to a paid vacation of 25 working days per year.
Health, accident and pension insurance
As an employee of MedUni Vienna, you are subject to statutory health, accident and pension insurance for the entire duration of your employment.
Company pension scheme
After 24 months of an uninterrupted employment relationship, the University pays a monthly amount into the pension fund for each employee.
Flexible working hours
Ph.D. students are free to arrange their working hours according to the regulations of the collective agreement and in coordination with their superiors.
Advanced training and career counseling
We offer our employees personal career counseling and support their personal development through internal training and continuing education opportunities. In addition, our Alumni Club’s mentoring program is also available to Ph.D. students.
Residence apartment when applying for a visa
New employees who need to apply for a residency permit or visa in Austria have the opportunity to apply for an apartment on campus. It’s important to know that the allocation of a residential apartment is subject to availability and can’t be granted. The rental period is limited to 6 months for approved tenants.
Childcare
Employees of the Medical University of Vienna have various options for childcare near their workplace: the Martha Wolf Kindergarten in the University Dental Clinic, a public and state-run kindergarten at Währinger Gürtel 16, and the AKH company kindergarten of the Kinderfreunde Wien at Spitalgasse 23, which accepts exclusively or favors the children of our employees.
Our Family Service unit advises and supports MedUni Vienna staff and students on matters relating to balancing work and family responsibilities, planning time off, returning to work after maternity leave, childcare solutions, and supporting relatives that require nursing care, etc.
Food and beverage facilities
Depending on their place of employment, MedUni Vienna employees have access to the AKH staff restaurant and the canteen in the University Dental Clinic. With your ID card, you have access to both facilities. A supermarket is located in the entrance hall of the AKH and is open every day of the week during normal opening hours. In addition, there are numerous pubs and stores around the campus.
Language courses
MedUni Vienna offers free English courses and training on campus, which can be booked on the intranet. In addition, we have an agreement with the University of Vienna that our employees can book any language course at a reduced rate.
Sports offer
Our university is home to several sports teams, such as the Serpents, our own football and basketball team. Furthermore, a broad selection of sports courses can be booked at the University Sports Institute Vienna (USI) at favorable rates. One of the sports facility of the USI is located just across the street from the MedUni Vienna Campus. Many of our employees are active runners and regularly represent our university at running events.
Employee discounts
As an employee you can benefit from a large number of special conditions organized by the works councils, such as price reductions at pharmacies and cultural events, more favorable terms at banks, etc..
Employee events
The university organizes several employee events each year such as graduation celebration and Christmas party.