PhD/Doctoral exchange at WU Vienna
We welcome all PhD and doctoral students interested in a stay at WU Vienna. Below you will find information on the different options to spend an exchange at our university.
Please note that depending on your individual situation, you will need to contact different WU Vienna service units. The aim of this website is to give you a good overview.
First of all, we would like to know the purpose of your stay?
Is it primarily for research or are you taking courses at WU Vienna? In case you are taking courses at WU, you require a student status here. Consequently, there are specific timelines to consider.
Incoming Phd students from WU Vienna partner universities [with or without student status]
Step 1: All incoming PhD students need a supervisor from WU Vienna who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU Vienna cannot appoint a professor to act as supervisor. If you contact a potential supervisor, we advise to send along a short concept (1 – 3 pages) about the intended topic. Your supervisor has to sign the confirmation of supervision.
Step 2: Your home university needs to nominate you (or inform us) by May 1 for the winter semester and November 1 for the summer semester.
Step 3: After your home university has nominated you at WU Vienna, you are part of our incoming exchange cohort. You will receive a letter of acceptance from WU Vienna and will have a student status while you are here.
Step 4: After arriving at WU Vienna, please attend our incoming kick off. In case you cannot attend it, please make an appointment with WU Vienna's Admissions office to officially enrol at WU Vienna and receive your WU Vienna student ID card.
Step 5: Please do not forget to pay the student union dues (deadline October 30 / March 30).
Step 6: If you want to take courses at WU Vienna, please contact doktoratsreferat@wu.ac.at for course registration and info on ECTS credits & your transcript.
Incoming Phd students with Erasmus+ scholarship [student status required]
Step 1: All incoming PhD students need a supervisor from WU Vienna who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU Vienna cannot appoint a professor to act as supervisor. If you contact a potential supervisor, we advise to send along a short concept (1 – 3 pages) about the intended topic. Your supervisor has to sign the confirmation of supervision document.
Step 2: In order to receive an Erasmus+ grant, your home university has to nominate you at WU Vienna. The nomination deadlines are May 1 for the winter semester and November 1 for the summer semester.
Step 3: Upon completion of all formalities, you will receive a letter of acceptance from WU Vienna.
Step 4: Please make an appointment with WU Vienna Admissions office to officially enrol at WU Vienna and receive your WU Vienna student ID card.
Step 5: Please do not forget to pay the student union dues (deadline October 30 / March 30).
Step 6: If you want to take courses at WU Vienna, please contact doktoratsreferat@wu.ac.at for course registration and info on ECTS credits & your transcript.
Other Incoming PhD/doctoral students [non-partner universities & without scholarship]
If you do not receive a scholarship for your stay at WU Vienna and are not nominated by your home university, you can choose between a formal and a less formal stay. The difference is the status you will have at WU Vienna.
Student status
Student status is necessary if you want to take courses and receive an official transcript of records from WU Vienna. You can register as non-degree program student.
Step 1: All Incoming exchange students need a supervisor from WU Vienna who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU Vienna cannot appoint a professor to act as supervisor. If you contact a potential supervisor, we advise to send along a short concept (1 – 3 pages) about the intended topic.
Step 2: Complete the online pre-registration (pre-entry of your personal data is necessary for the next administrative steps).
Step 3: Make an appointment with the Admissions office during the enrollment period and bring your passport or EU national identity card.
Step 4: Pay tuition fees and students union dues: Please note that non-degree program students of all nationalities are subject to tuition fees from the first semester on and are required to pay students’ union dues. Click here for information on paying tuition fees and students’ union dues.
Step 5: If you want to take courses at WU Vienna, please contact doktoratsreferat@wu.ac.at for information on courses, registration and transcript matters.
Without student status
If you want to spend time at WU Vienna and do not need student status, you can come here upon invitation by a WU Vienna department or institute. To arrange your stay, please contact them directly with a short CV and an abstract of your research project in order to receive a letter of invitation. You will not be enrolled and you will not be able to use the student infrastructure or receive official WU Vienna transcripts/confirmations.
You can still get access to WU Vienna’s library as external library patron. In order to receive your library card, please have a look at the Library Services and register for an appointment.
Incoming PhD and doctoral students with OeAD scholarship (Aktion Österreich, Ernst Mach-Stipendium)
Step 1: All incoming exchange students need a supervisor from WU Vienna who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU Vienna cannot appoint a professor to act as supervisor. If you contact a potential supervisor, we advise to send along a short concept (1 – 3 pages) about the intended topic.
Step 2: Complete the online pre-registration (pre-entry of your personal data is necessary for the next administrative steps).
Step 3: Send your application to the Admissions office phd.application@wu.ac.at using the subject line PhD Incoming – OeAD scholarship.
Step 4: You will be admitted as a non-degree seeking student at WU Vienna for the duration of your scholarship and will receive a WU Vienna student ID card.
Step 5: If you want to take courses at WU Vienna, please contact doktoratsreferat@wu.ac.at for information on courses, registration & transcript matters.
Application Documents
OeAD confirmation of awarded scholarship
Degree certificates/diplomas of your degree programs (bachelor’s, master’s, etc.)
Official transcripts/Diploma Supplements, stamped and signed.
Passport (only the page with your personal data)
In case of a change of name: official notification/certificate (e.g. marriage certificate, official notification of change of name)
Please note that any documents issued in a language other than German or English must be submitted along with a certified translation.
Incoming Phd students from ENGAGE partner universities taking courses at WU Vienna
Step 1: Choose your course from the ENGAGE.eu course catalog.
Step 2: Apply during the application periods.
Step 3: In case you are accepted you will receive a letter of acceptance and a nomination letter from WU Vienna and will have student status while you are here.
Step 4: After arriving at WU Vienna, please attend our incoming kick off. In case you cannot attend it, please make an appointment with WU Vienna's Admissions office to officially enrol at WU Vienna and receive your WU Vienna student ID card.
Step 5: Please do not forget to pay the student union dues (deadline October 30 / March 30).
Step 6: Our colleagues from the doctoral office (doktoratsreferat@wu.ac.at) will register you for your course and inform you on ECTS credits & your transcript.
Incoming Exchange Students