Józef Tischner Fellowship Program 2026

The Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen (IWM) is now accepting applications for the Józef Tischner Fellowship Program 2026. This program supports scholars in the humanities and social sciences, offering them the opportunity to pursue their research as part of the IWM academic community in Vienna.

📖 About the Program

The Józef Tischner Fellowship Program provides scholars with the chance to spend a term of four consecutive months at the IWM in Vienna between September 2026 and June 2027. Fellows will work on their individual research projects while actively engaging with the IWM academic community.

🎁 Benefits

• Stipend:
  • Postdoctoral Fellows: €3,300/month
  • Doctoral Candidates: €2,750/month
• Fellows are responsible for covering their own living expenses (e.g., travel, housing, insurance, utilities, transport, etc.).
• IWM provides:
  • Office space
  • Internet access
  • Research facilities
  • Administrative support

✅ Eligibility Criteria

• Must be Polish citizens or permanent residents of Poland.
• Must meet one of the following:
  • Be enrolled in a doctoral program in the humanities or social sciences.
  • Have earned a PhD in the humanities or social sciences within the last 4 years (not before 10 February 2022).
• Restrictions:
  • Only one fellowship application per academic year.
  • Past IWM fellows must wait two academic years before reapplying.
  • Cannot reapply for the same fellowship program once awarded.

📝 Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the online application form. Applications sent via email will not be considered.

Required Materials:

1. A brief letter of motivation explaining:
   • How the project would benefit from time at the IWM.
   • Its connection to the IWM’s mission and research.
   • Concrete research/writing goals during the fellowship.
2. A project description (max. 550 characters, including spaces).
3. A project proposal (max. 7,500 characters, including spaces) containing:
   • Objectives of the project.
   • Discussion of the current state of research.
   • Methods.
   • Work plan.
4. A curriculum vitae, including a list of publications.
5. Two letters of recommendation from scholars familiar with the applicant’s academic work:
   • Letters must be submitted directly by the recommenders before the application deadline.
   • Recommenders will receive an automatic email with a link to a webform after the application is submitted.

Important Notes:

• All application materials must be in English.
• Attach all documents in a single PDF file (the online submission form allows only one attachment).
• Use Latin characters for file names.

Application Deadline:

Tuesday, 10 February 2026, 23:59 CET

📅 Application Deadline

10 February 2026

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of the IWM Józef Tischner Fellowship Program.
• Apply directly via the online application form.

For more information, visit the official IWM website or contact the program administrators.

• Stipend:
  • Postdoctoral fellows: €3,300/month.
  • Doctoral candidates: €2,750/month.
• Fellows cover their own living expenses (travel, housing, insurance, utilities, transport, etc.).
• IWM provides office space, internet, research facilities, and administrative support.