FWF ASTRA Awards

FWF ASTRA Awards is the Austrian Science Fund's advanced postdoctoral independence programme, launched in July 2024 for researchers at the R3 stage. It sits above the early-postdoc career schemes and is designed for scholars with established independent research experience who are ready for a larger, longer award. Awards run from EUR 500,000 to EUR 1,000,000 over five years, with roughly 18 awards made in each annual call. The programme reserves half of its awards for women researchers, and women who secure a permanent position within three years receive an additional EUR 200,000 tenure package. Applicants must normally be two to nine years past the doctorate, may not already hold a tenured professorship, and can apply only twice in a career. This is a strong fit for researchers with a clear independent profile, a substantial project agenda, and a host institution that can support the next career step. The programme rewards maturity, momentum, and a convincing case that the proposed work can sustain both scientific ambition and long-term academic placement.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.