PhD/Doctoral exchange at WU
We welcome all PhD and doctoral students who are interested in a stay at WU. Below you will find information on the different options how you can spend an exchange at our university.
Please note that depending on individual situation, you will need to contact different WU service units. This website should 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 a course at WU?
Incoming Phd students coming from WU partner universities
Step 1: All incoming PhD students need a supervisor from WU who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU 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 should nominate your (or inform us) by May 1 for the winter semester and November 1 for the summer semester.
Step 3: After your home university nominates you at WU, you are part of our incoming exchange cohort. You will receive a letter of acceptance from WU and will have student status while you are here.
Step 4: After arriving at WU, please attend our incoming kick off or in case you cannot attend it make an appointment with WU's admission office to officially enrol at WU and receive your WU 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, please contact doktoratsreferat@wu.ac.at for course registration and info on ECTS credits & your transcript.
Incoming Phd students with Erasmus+ scholarship
Step 1: All incoming PhD students need a supervisor from WU who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU 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. 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.
Step 4: Please make an appointment with WU admissions to officially enrol at WU and receive your WU 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, please contact doktoratsreferat@wu.ac.at for course registration and info on ECTS credits & your transcript.
Other Incoming PhD/doctoral students (not from non-partner universities & without scholarship)
If you do not receive a scholarship for your stay at WU and are not nominated by your home university, you can chose between a formal and a less formal stay. The difference is your status you will have at WU.
Student status
Student status is necessary if you want to take courses and receive an official transcript of records from WU. You can register as non-degree program student.
Step 1: All Incoming exchange students need a supervisor from WU who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU 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 Admission 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, 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 and do not need student status, you can come here upon invitation by a WU department or WU 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 transcripts/confirmations.
You can still get access to WU’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 who either has a habilitation or a tenure track position. You have to find a supervisor yourself, WU 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 admission 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 for the duration of your scholarship and will receive a WU student ID card.
Step 5: If you want to take courses, 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
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 & a nomination letter from WU and will have student status while you are here.
Step 4: After arriving at WU, please attend our incoming kick off or in case you cannot attend it make an appointment with WU's admission office to officially enrol at WU and receive your WU 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 Studierende