FWF ASTRA Awards

FWF ASTRA Awards — Next

Supports Austrian postdoctoral excellence through advanced awards for innovative research in science and engineering.

The FWF ASTRA Awards, launched in July 2024, recognise approximately 18 advanced postdoctoral researchers (career stage R3) per annual cycle with funding of €500,000 to €1,000,000 each over five years. Formal award announcements occur each June, making the programme annual with a June decision rhythm. A distinctive equity feature reserves 50% of awards for women; female recipients who secure a permanent academic position within three years of their award receive an additional €200,000 tenure package. The ASTRA Awards are broadly understood to serve as the successor to the FWF START programme, which is no longer listed in FWF's 2026 portfolio.

Eligibility requires a doctoral degree awarded two to nine years before the application date, with documented parental-leave adjustments permitted; applicants cannot hold a tenured professorship at the time of application. Researchers may apply a maximum of twice across their entire career. Arts-based researchers without a formal doctorate may apply if they can demonstrate equivalent experience. All scientific disciplines are eligible, and applicants must be affiliated with an Austrian research institution. Between-cycle status is the norm for most of the calendar year, since submissions are not rolling.

The ASTRA Awards are designed for researchers who have moved beyond entry-level postdoc status and can demonstrate an independent scientific track record. Competitive applicants typically present a coherent five-year research programme that is distinct from their doctoral or prior postdoc work, evidence of international visibility, and a credible plan for using the funding to consolidate an independent research group. The programme's 50% gender quota and tenure incentive make it an especially significant funding pathway for women at the R3 stage in the Austrian academic system.