The program language is English throughout. Proficiency in English is therefore required. A formal proof of competence in English (IELTS, CPE or TOEFL) is recommended but not mandatory.

You are welcome to upload your academic transcripts, if they are not in English supply a translation.

In this case, please indicate the percentage you obtained and which percentage is required to pass.

You may replace one referee with another. Please send all the required information (title, family name, first name, university, institute, street, postal code, city, phone at work, email) regarding the referee you would like to add to the administrator of the programme. Indicate clearly which referee we should replace.

Note: In the last week of the application procedure it is no longer possible to exchange or add referees!

It is possible to add a third referee after having submitted STEP 1 of your application. Please send all the required information (title, family name, first name, university, institute, street, postal code, city, phone at work, email) to the administrator of the programme and we will add the third referee to your application.

Note: In the last week of the application procedure it is no longer possible to exchange or add referees!

No. It is neither necessary nor recommended to contact group leaders directly. Students who are invited for an interview will receive a list of open positions and project descriptions before coming to Vienna.

The list of open positions is available online and the final list is published after the application deadline. Shortlisted students will receive a copy in due time before the interviews.

Yes, you may save your text as often as you wish and return any time back to the form as long as the deadline has not expired or you have already submitted your application.

No. You may work on your application until you submit your application. In order to check what your application looks like, you can download a pdf version. For this, see the heading "pdf summary". The pdf of your application is identical to the document our admission committee will evaluate.

Most likely one of the documents you uploaded is not a pdf or bigger than 1 MB. The difficulty may also lie with the security settings of the pdf, which is often the case with certificates. Please make sure the pdf you upload can be opened.

You may check yourself whether the letters of recommendation have arrived or not. Open the STEP 2 part of the application. There, you will see a heading "Your Referees", here you can check the status and send a reminder if necessary.

There is no need to have your certificates authenticated prior to the online application and you may provide the translation yourself for this purpose. The official translation and authentication of the certificates and degrees is required, however, for the registration at the University of Vienna.

No, there is no need to send a hardcopy as the whole application process is online and no post mail is exchanged. However, you will need to bring along the hardcopy originals of your certificates when you start your PhD, as you will need them for registration at the University of Vienna.

Normally not.  In exceptional cases an applicant may apply a second time (at least one year after previous application) if significant additional research experience can be shown.

There is no specific starting dates but due to scheduled training events there are time periods when students should begin work.  Please check our application deadlines page for detailed information.

Students of the Vienna BioCenter PhD program are expected to submit their thesis within four years.

After having been accepted to the program and you have accepted a job offer from one of our group leaders, you will have to enroll at the institution your prospective group leader is affiliated with. The enrollment procedures of the University of Vienna will be communicated to you once you have signed the employment contract.

For information regarding the tuition fee please check the relevant page on this site.

Salaries at the Vienna BioCenter are amongst the best in Europe. Within the salary health insurance, pension insurance, accident insurance and unemployment insurance are included. The semester tuition fee is also reimbursed by each research institute. The average price of accommodation for a student is approx. 550 - 650 Euros per month depending on the type of accommodation and thus the salary guarantees that a student can live in Vienna rather comfortably. The following website will give you some ideas of the cost of living and other tips: http://www.aboutvienna.org/living_in_Vienna/cost_of_living.php

Visas and Residence permits ("Niederlassungsbewillingung") for non-EU nationals will be organized with the help of your future supervisor in your home country before you arrive in Vienna. Depending on the institute that you join the personnel department of IMP/IMBA/GMI or the departmental secretaries at Max Perutz Labs will give advice and provide the letters you need.