Consideration of Life Circumstances and Career Breaks

The application requirements for the respective funding programs apply to all proposals submitted. Inclusiveness in the funding procedures is very important to the FWF, which is why individual life circumstances and career interruptions due to

• Pregnancy and birth (including maternity protection periods)
• Childcare
• Disability
• Chronic or long-term illness
• Caregiving obligations
• Clinical training / medical specialist training
• Military or civilian service
• Flight and asylum

can be taken into account, if necessary and requested by the applicant.

The FWF offers applicants the following options:

Life circumstances/career interruptions can be taken into account with regard to application requirements to compensate for disadvantages 

If you do not meet the formal requirements (deadlines for providing proof of qualification or proof of publication records) for submitting an application, you can cite personal reasons – in accordance with the list above – that have impacted your career development. Please refer to the Information sheet on accounting for career breaks.

Please note the following points:

• Necessity: Proof of these circumstances is only required if the application requirements are not met, i.e., if you are unable to meet the deadlines for proof of qualification (doctorate) or proof of publication. You will need to provide documents supporting your claim if you are requesting an extension of these deadlines; these documents will be checked for plausibility. In cases of doubt, the appropriate decision-making bodies of the FWF shall decide on applicants’ eligibility.
• Confidentiality: Any supporting documents and personal data you provide will be read only by the FWF Office and will not be passed on to reviewers. They are used only to check the application requirements and will be deleted by the FWF after processing has been completed.
• Transmission: All documents supporting your claim must be sent by email to the respective specialist department.
• Form: You will also need to complete and upload this form.

Including life circumstances in your CV

In the following cases, you can mention career breaks or life circumstances in your academic CV:

• You fulfill the application requirements, but would still like to make certain delays, life circumstances, etc. visible to the reviewers in your CV (optional).
• You do not meet the application requirements, would like to claim the compensation for disadvantages as specified in item 1 above and would also like to make your circumstances visible to reviewers in your CV (optional).

The duration and reason for the break in your career are sufficient; no sensitive or personal data are required. This allows reviewers to evaluate your qualifications and publication record fairly and within the overall context of your previous research career.

The FWF’s consulting services 

The FWF also offers special consulting services on applying for funding for the disabled, chronically ill, and people with challenging life circumstances. If you have any questions about the application process due to your particular situation, please feel free to contact the Equal Opportunities and Diversity in Research Funding staff at chancengleichheit(at)fwf.ac.at.

Contact

If you have questions, please get in touch with the staff at one of the following units in good time before submitting your application:

• The respective specialist department
• The respective program management
• The Equal Opportunities and Diversity in Research Funding unit at chancengleichheit(at)fwf.ac.at