FWF START Award

As part of the reform of its career development programs, the FWF will be offering a new funding program for advanced postdocs starting in the fall of 2024: the FWF ASTRA Awards will be replacing START. For more information, please see the FWF ASTRA Awards program page.

Target group

The funding program is aimed at excellent researchers from all disciplines with between two and eight years of postdoctoral research experience.

Funding goals

Due to their generous endowment, START Awards offer researchers the ideal framework for carrying out long-term research projects at a top international level. By independently heading a generously endowed research project, START principal investigators earn the qualifications needed to take on high-level positions in research (especially as senior faculty in Austria or abroad) and the skills to assume leading roles in their field of research.

Funding period and funding amount

  • From €800,000 up to a maximum of €1.2 million for a period of five years
  • Continuation of the project depends on an interim review after three years

Prerequisites

  • Doctoral degree; the date of the applicant's thesis defense or final examination must fall between a minimum of two and a maximum of eight years prior to the submission deadline (September 20, 2023). Possible exceptions are defined in the Application Guidelines (e.g. parental leave periods).
  • Excellent research proposal and exceptional international track record
  • Proof of academic independence; applicants should already have independently obtained competitively awarded third-party funding in the postdoc phase of their career.
  • One or more years of previous international experience is recommended
  • Individuals who hold a tenured professorship or have accepted an appointment to a tenured professorship are not eligible to apply.

Approval

  • Decision by the FWF Board based on the recommendation of the international START/Wittgenstein Jury; recommendations are based on an international peer review and a hearing on June 14, 2024.
  • Award winners are selected at the START/Wittgenstein jury meeting in June 2024
  • Awarded by the Federal Minister for Science
  • Continuation of the project depends on an interim review after three years

Application information

Submission during the application period using the online application portal elane

Number of awards 

About 6 awards are granted per call

Funding institution

Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

Further information

Award winners are formally announced at the START/Wittgenstein Award ceremony in June 2024.

New Funding Program: ASTRA Awards to Replace START

Starting in the fall of 2024, the FWF will be launching a new career funding program: the FWF ASTRA Awards. This funding will help advanced postdocs in Austria make the leap to the top of their research field. For more information, please see the FWF ASTRA Awards program page.

 

Submissions

Currently no submissions

Inquiries and contact

Mario Mandl
mario.mandl(at)fwf.ac.at
+43 676 83487 8605

Application portal