STUDY

Scholarship for academic excellence

Merit-Based Scholarship for the academic year 2025/2026

The merit-based scholarship in accordance with the Student Support Act (§ 57 to 61 Studienförderungsgesetz/StudFG as amended) recognizes and rewards outstanding academic achievements and is announced annually for students at the University of Klagenfurt. All achievements completed during the academic year 2025/2026 will be considered (period covered: 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026). The relevant date is the assessment date as stated in the course certificate. A merit-based scholarship must not be less than 750 euros and may not exceed 1,500 euros.

Applications for the Merit-Based scholarship for the academic year 2025/2026 must be submitted online via the student portal without exception.

The application period for the Merit-Based scholarship for the academic year 2025/2026: 01 October up to and including 31 October 2026.

Merit-Based Scholarship for the academic year 2025/2026: call for application

No further applications can be accepted once the application deadline has passed.

The applicants will be informed of the result by e-mail as soon as the applications have been examined and the decision has been made (by mid of January 2027 at the latest).

Before this date, we kindly ask you to refrain from making inquiries by phone or e-mail regarding the decision.

Please note the frequently asked questions.

E-Mail: leistungsstipendium [at] aau [dot] at

FAQs about the Merit-Based Scholarship

How can I apply for the Merit-Based Scholarship?

Please complete the online application form. The relevant application can be found in your student portal under “my applications” (“Meine Anträge”).

What is the minimum number of ECTS credits required for the scholarship?

All examinations taken between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026 are counted. For this purpose, the date of the examination or assessment is decisive. If you are a student taking a dual or joint programme of study, all awarded ECTS credits are added together.

The award of a merit-based scholarship rests on two pillars: the minimum requirement and the overall grade point average.

The minimum requirement for the merit-based scholarship to qualify for consideration are academic achievements worth 40 ECTS credits, with the grades 1-4. Achievements involving the assessment “successfully completed” (MET in German) do not count. In addition, the overall grade point average of all ECTS credits (grades 1-5) acquired in the academic year 2025/2026 must not exceed 1.5.
The weighted grade point average for ranking is determined, firstly, by considering all grades 1-5 (overall grade point average) and, secondly, by taking the best 40 ECTS credits with grades 1-4 achieved in the reporting period.

Are third-country nationals eligible for the merit-based scholarship?

Third-country nationals are persons who hold the citizenship of a country that does not belong to the European Area (EEA). They are treated as equal, provided they

are entitled to permanent residence in Austria (i.e. have already resided in the country legally and without interruption for at least five years) (Evidence: EU Permanent Residence Card) or
are family members of Union citizens who are migrant workers or who are self-employed in Austria (Evidence: Birth certificate or marriage certificate, passport of the family member and insurance data extract of the social insurance provider) or
are family members of Austrian citizens. (Evidence: Birth certificate or marriage certificate and proof of citizenship of the family member)
regarding the funding of outstandig academic achievements for students from third countries who are not of equal status, please see: https://www.aau.at/en/study/studying-at-aau/during-your-programme/university-fees/#toggle-id-6

Stateless persons shall enjoy equal status with Austrian citizens subject to the same conditions as those applicable to third-country nationals. (Evidence: Refugee status (passport, notification))

Refugees within the meaning of Article 1 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, Federal Law Gazette No. 55/1955, shall enjoy equal status with Austrian citizens. (Evidence: Refugee status (passport, notification))

An equivalency recorded in the Admissions Office is considered as proof.

How is the grade point average calculated?

All examination achievements acquired in the period from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026 count.

In the case of double or multiple programmes, all achievements are added together. You will find your calculated grade point average at the end of the evaluation.

The award of a merit-based scholarship rests on two pillars: the minimum requirement and the overall grade point average.

The minimum requirement for the merit-based scholarship to qualify for consideration are academic achievements worth 40 ECTS credits, with the grades 1-4. Achievements involving the assessment “successfully completed” (MET in German) do not count. In addition, the overall grade point average of all ECTS credits (grades 1-5) acquired in the academic year 2025/2026 must not exceed 1.5.
The weighted grade point average for ranking is determined, firstly, by considering all grades 1-5 (overall grade point average) and, secondly, by taking the best 40 ECTS credits with grades 1-4 achieved in the reporting period.

Will my Bachelor’s thesis be counted?

Yes, the ECTS credits awarded for Bachelor theses are included in the transcript of records.

How will my Master’s thesis be counted?

Master’s theses are counted according to their curriculum and the ECTS credits listed on the transcript of records, provided they have been assessed as “excellent” (Sehr gut – 1).

How will my doctoral thesis be counted?

The doctoral thesis completed during the performence period must have received the grade “excellent (sehr gut – 1)”.

Extension of the eligibility period according to the COVID-19-Regulation on Student Support (COVID-19-Studienförderungsverordnung  C-StudFV)

The summer semester 2020 is not counted when calculating the eligibility period (Section 3 (1) C-StudFV). This means that this semester is not counted towards the eligibility period.

A semester abroad

Semesters abroad prolong the entitlement period accordingly.

The responsibility for recognising examinations that you have taken at another domestic or foreign university lies with the Admissions and Examinations Office:

Submit your application for recognition of achievements on time, so that the achievements you have acquired at other universities are included in your examination book. You will find a corresponding button in the student portal.

How are achievements by student teachers in the South-East Development Association considered?

Students can apply for a merit-based scholarship at the University of Klagenfurt if they have their primary registration at the University of Klagenfurt; co-registered students are not eligible. In this case, you can apply for a merit-based scholarship at the educational institution within the network at which you have your primary registration.

The credits you earn while studying at partner organisations will appear in your transcript of records. Please be sure to properly allocate these achievements in your examination book so that they can be considered for the merit-based scholarship.

The credits received in the context of the South-East Development Association are not listed on the “Merit-based scholarship” input screen, even after they have been properly allocated in the student record book.

The online application gives you the option of adding achievements at the end of the table of grades. In addition, please upload the corresponding documentation.

What is the amount of the merit-based scholarship?

The aim is to award scholarships to as many students as possible. For that reason, we generally award the minimum scholarship of € 750. Only in the case of outstanding achievements and subject to the funds available, a higher amount may be awarded.

When will a decision be made on the award of the merit-based scholarship?

Applicants will be informed by e-mail (in January 2027 at the latest) after the assessment has been completed and a decision has been made.

We kindly ask you to refrain from making inquiries by phone or e-mail about the decision or about the final transfer of scholarships to be awarded before this date.

Why did I not receive a scholarship? You meet all the requirements, but nevertheless did not receive a scholarship.

When ranking the applications received, both the total number of ECTS credits and the average grade achieved are used as criteria.

Based on this ranking, the scholarships are awarded according to the funds provided by the Ministry.

According to § 61 StudFG, there is no legal claim to the granting of a scholarship, even if the application conditions are met.

Fachprüfungen

Please upload the proof and enter the ECTS manually.