IST Austria processes applications to its PhD program once a year, in January. All admitted students start the program the following September.
Study Subject and Eligibility:
Highly qualified students from all disciplines of the natural sciences, mathematics, computer sciences, and any interdisciplinary areas, who are committed to pursue their scientific career in an international research environment, are invited to apply. All applicants must hold a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), or anticipate the completion of the degree before September 2014. Participating students are expected to be proficient in written and oral English.
IST Austria is committed to Equality and Diversity. In particular, female applicants are encouraged to apply.
Admissions process:
All applications will be reviewed and ranked by a selection committee consisting of professors of IST Austria. Short-listed candidates will be invited to IST Austria for interviews and a campus visit in March 2014. Travel expenses will be reimbursed and free accommodation will be provided. Final admission offers will be made shortly after the visit.
- The deadline for students to accept or decline an offer is April 15, 2014.
Benefits for PhD students of the PhD program:
All PhD students admitted to the program will be offered employment contracts at IST Austria and will receive an internationally competitive salary with full social security coverage. Entering students holding a Master’s degree will have four-year contracts, and students holding a Bachelor’s degree, five-year contracts. The contracts will be extended by one additional year if satisfactory progress is made towards a PhD degree.
In addition, the PhD program will provide support for:
- Travel expenses to scientific conferences and workshops
- Research stays abroad at collaborating institutions
- German-language courses
Housing – a guest house and four apartment buildings – is available on the IST campus. Depending on availability, a room or apartment can be rented for a period of up to one year after arrival, giving incoming students time to find suitable accommodation for the subsequent years.
Applying in IST:
All applications must be received on-line through a web site. The deadline for submission is January 15, 2014.
When applying, you will have to create an on-line account with us, which will allow you to track your application through its various stages. Please note that you will not be able to switch between the different steps. You do not need to complete the process in one sitting, but you can return to your account until you submit the application. Once you have submitted your application, you won’t be able to make changes!
Instructions to Apply:
Step 1: Create an account
Register on-line by entering your name and e-mail using the link listed above. You will receive an e-mail with the link to your user account immediately.
Step 2: Confirm your registration
Step 3: Recommendation Letters
Enter the names and e-mail addresses of 3 referees who have taught you or supervised your work and are therefore able to evaluate your academic and research performance. They will receive an e-mail directly from us with the subject “Request for Letter of Recommendation – IST Austria” with a link to an online platform.
Before submitting your referees’ details, make sure that they are willing and available to provide their recommendation within the given deadline (January 15). Keep in mind that your recommenders need time to write and submit the letters!
Please note that you will not be allowed to upload scanned letters of recommendation yourself! All letters of recommendation must be submitted by your referees via this platform.
Please note that we are unable to process your application without letters of recommendation. These letters are an integral part of your application, and it is your responsibility to ensure that all letters of reference are submitted by January 15, 2014.
Step 4: Application Form
In this step you will need to enter a resume/CV, a statement of purpose, details on your university education, and inform us which research area(s) you find most interesting. We recommend that you compose your CV and Statement of Purpose using a text processor, and then “cut and paste” it into the application. You will also be able to upload the documents in PDF format.
Make sure that you fill in all fields (resume, statement of purpose). If you wish to upload documents in the next step, make sure that you tick the appropriate box! Once you have moved on to the next step, you won’t be able to return and make changes.
In your resume/CV include your educational history since high school, relevant work experience, additional qualifications, list (if any) publications, scholarships, awards, etc.
The statement of purpose is a 1-2 page essay in which you should explain why you want to enter our PhD program, the research area(s) you find most interesting, and indicate which professor(s) you may be interested in studying with. You do not need to contact specific group leader(s) at this point.
Step 5: Supporting Documents
Upload PDF copies of your university transcripts and diploma certificates. All applicants must hold a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), or anticipate the completion of the degree before September 2014. If your current course of study is still on-going, please provide the latest transcript and state when you expect to receive your degree.
In this step you will also be able to upload additional supporting documents such as publications, TOEFL/IELTS and/or GRE scores. As the language of instruction is English, these documents are helpful, but not mandatory. IST Austria TOEFL code: 6384.
Step 6: Submit your application.
The deadline for submission is January 15, 2014, 24:00 CET. Once you have done so, you won’t be able to change your application. At this stage you will be able to track the status of the letters of reference, and – if need be – are able to send out reminder e-mails.
Online Application for the academic year 2014-15: https://app.ist.ac.at/istapp/cgi/register.cgi
Application Deadline: Deadline for students wishing to enter the program starting in September 2014: Application files and reference letters must be received by January 15, 2014.
For further information: http://ist.ac.at/graduate-school/applications/
